Filenews 4 September 2025
A new planning licensing framework for buildings damaged by the devastating fire of 23 July 2025 in the mountainous areas of the Limassol District is being implemented. According to a circular issued by the Ministry of Interior, the licensing procedures are being significantly accelerated, in order to provide immediate support to those affected and to start reconstruction without delay.
The circular sets out the framework and special provisions for the issuance of planning permits, with the aim of facilitating the restoration of buildings that have been affected and whose owners are beneficiaries of state support based on a relevant decision of the Council of Ministers dated 30 July 2025.
Licensed buildings
For buildings that already had an urban planning permit, a building permit and/or a Certificate of Approval, regardless of whether they are located within or outside the Development Limits (OA), a Special Development Decree will be issued, as provided for by Article 22 of the Urban Planning and Spatial Planning Law. In this way, the planning permission is considered given, speeding up the remediation procedures. It should be noted that for those existing buildings that had not obtained a planning permit or a building permit (either relevant applications had been rejected, or an application for a permit had never been submitted), the planning permit cannot be considered granted.
Arbitrary constructions or licensed constructions with arbitrary additions
A different procedure is provided for buildings that had arbitrary additions and/or conversions without a permit.
They did not have any planning permission or previous applications had been rejected.
In these cases, the Urban Planning Authorities, i.e. the Limassol District Local Government Organization and the Department of Urban Planning and Housing, are invited to examine the applications within 20 working days from their submission.
Applications will be submitted with the relevant form without the need to submit a spatial plan or title deed, as these data will be obtained directly from the Cadastre Portal and the Central Information Warehouse.
In addition, a new circular will be issued by the Director of the Department of Urban Planning with detailed technical parameters, in order to ensure the uniform and lawful management of applications, both for standard cases and for applications that will be examined by derogation, where the terms of the existing Development Plan are not met.
The Ministry of the Interior calls on all Urban Planning Authorities to faithfully implement the Minister's decision for fast and flexible processing, acknowledging that a significant number of buildings in the affected areas did not have relevant permits. The government's policy supports the revitalization of the countryside and seeks the legalization and reintegration of such buildings into the institutional framework.
Course of financial support for those affected
On the front of the financial relief of those affected, the Ministry of the Interior announced that the payment of the one-off allowance for the first residence has been completed for 95% of the beneficiaries as of August 19, 2025. Only 10 cases are pending, for which additional information is expected.
In addition, the rent subsidy for affected families has begun. Of the 115 applications submitted, 85 have already been processed and paid, with the rest expected in the beneficiaries' accounts within the next day. The subsidy is paid in advance every quarter.
The contribution of the Cyprus Scientific and Technical Chamber (ETEK), which has undertaken the technical assessments for the damages, is also important. To date, 615 assessments have been completed out of the 718 requests concerning partially or totally destroyed buildings. Compensation is based on current market prices.
This framework is an important intervention for the restoration of the affected areas, as it allows both the legalization and the restart of construction works in areas that had been neglected or remained outside the institutional planning.
