The decisions of the Council of Ministers on the two proposed large developments of organized shopping centers in eastern Limassol are expected to be sent to the House of Representatives, along with the relevant justification, as informed by the Minister of Interior Constantinos Ioannou, in response to a parliamentary question by Limassol MP Marina Nicolaou.
According to the response of the Ministry of the Interior dated August 3, the two urban planning applications, which concern developments in the municipal districts of Mesa Geitonia and Agios Athanasios, have been submitted in derogation of the provisions of the Limassol Local Plan and, therefore, the procedure is governed by the legislation on urban planning derogations.
As noted, the Council of Ministers has already made decisions on the two developments during its meeting on July 16, 2026. The Ministry of the Interior states that, based on the relevant legislation, the decision on each development must be published in the Official Gazette within one month of its receipt and sent to the Parliament for information, accompanied by the relevant justification.
"In due course, it is expected that the relevant Decisions of the Council of Ministers will be sent to the House of Representatives and therefore you will be duly informed about the positions and intentions of the Government," says Mr. Ioannou in response to the MP.
In relation to the reactions recorded by local authorities, residents and professional bodies, the Ministry of the Interior states that these had been taken into account in the process. The two applications were examined by the Urban Planning Authority, which sent relevant reports to the Council for the Study of Deviations (SYMEPA), while SYMEPA held public hearings in October 2025, in which the positions of the stakeholders and objectors were presented. These positions were recorded and included in the relevant report of SYMEPA.
On the issue of air quality, the response of the Ministry of the Interior is limited to stating that any environmental impacts of the proposed developments have been examined by the Environmental Authority.
