The fate of the large investment in the abandoned community of Trozena is now passing through the next critical stage, as a new meeting with the Department of Environment is expected, in order to clarify the requirements that are still pending and to pave the way for the licensing process.
On Wednesday (15/7) a meeting was held at the Limassol District Self-Government Organization, with the participation of the investor, his consultants, the designers of the architect of the project, the president of the community of Arsos - Trozena, as well as competent officials of the Organization. During the meeting, the master plan of the development was presented, which has already been submitted. According to information from "F", it was decided to follow a new meeting with the Department of Environment. At the same time, the investor again sent a letter to the competent Department, asking to be clearly indicated to them the additional requirements that still exist for the issuance of the necessary permits.
At the same time, the ongoing delay in licensing has led to a complete suspension of work, with the result that seven employees have already been fired, while there are fears that, if there is no development soon, more jobs will be lost.
During the meeting, the course of the licensing and the remaining procedures for the project to proceed were examined. The representatives of the investment expressed the opinion that they have met the requirements set by the competent services and in particular by the Department of Environment.
The same information states that the investor, together with his advisors, claims that to date three different environmental studies have been submitted, putting forward the position that they have satisfied all the requests of the Department of Environment.
They argue that each new study entails a particularly high financial cost, while it requires a period of time that can exceed one year, as the collection of the necessary data must cover all four seasons of the year.
The master plan and environmental requirements
The master plan of the development, according to our information, seems in the first stage to meet the urban planning requirements of the Provincial Self-Government Organization. The proposed developments in the community involve the creation of a winery, restaurant, reception and office areas, parking lots and camping sites, all within the core of the community of Trozena.
It is recalled that, with the consent of the Department of Environment, the EOA had requested the submission of a single master plan, so that the development could be evaluated as a whole by the two competent Authorities. Now, the main pending issue concerns the evaluation of the master plan by the Department of Environment.
New meeting with the Department of Environment and the next steps
At the meeting, it was decided to hold a new meeting with the participation of officials of the Department of Environment, as well as the scientists who prepared the environmental studies of the project, in order to clarify the requirements that still exist and to determine the next steps.
It is noteworthy, according to journalistic information, that on the part of the EOA, it seems that no serious urban planning issues have been identified that would justify a further delay in licensing.
Work has been frozen
The delay in licensing has led to a complete suspension of works in Trozena. Seven workers have already been laid off, while there are fears that if the delay continues, more jobs will be lost. Of the approximately 15 families in Arsos who worked in the area, some have temporarily returned to agricultural work, mainly in the vineyards, in order to secure their income.
The position of the investor
According to the same information, the investor does not appear positive about the possibility of preparing a new environmental study, as he believes that such a development will cause a significant delay and additional costs, which are estimated at around €100,000.
The position of the investor, as well as that of his advisors, is that about 90% of the development is located within the existing core of the community and in a residential zone, although the area also falls under the Natura 2000 network.
The investor and his partners consider that the requirements that are still set are disproportionate, arguing that in a similar case of renovation or repair of a house by a Cypriot owner, corresponding studies would not be required.
At the same time, they ask for the acceleration of the licensing process, pointing out that they have already submitted all the required information and have complied with the instructions of the competent services.
As they report, they have sent a written letter a few days ago to the Department of Environment asking to be specifically indicated what additional information is required, in addition to what they have already submitted.
The letter was also communicated to the EOA Limassol and the Game Service, as one of the main issues being examined concerns the impact of the development on protected species in the area, such as the Bonelli's eagle, the booted eagle and the woodpecker, as well as lighting and electricity issues.
The final course of the investment will depend on the decisions of the Department of Environment, which is called upon to assess whether the data submitted meet the environmental requirements for the promotion of the project.
He disappeared from the news after the elections
The abandoned community of Trozena, in the Limassol district, was at the center of the public debate before the recent elections, when reports and posts on social media caused strong reactions around the planned investment in the area. At the same time, opinions were expressed that the issue was politically exploited. The discussion focused mainly on allegations of ghettoization of the region by Israelis.
Today, two months later, the issue seems to have been forgotten by the news, while what is recorded is that, despite the fierce reactions mainly on social media, few were those who knew where the community of Trozena was. The investor, Uriel Curtis, however, has repeatedly stated to the media that his goal is to revive the abandoned community, which, as he said, "he fell in love with at first sight".
At the same time, environmental protection issues remain at the heart of the licensing process and are the main factor on which the final decision will be made.
