Important developments are taking place around the urban planning application of the Holy Metropolis of Constantia and Famagusta for the construction of a monastery and shelter for abused women and children in the Municipality of Ayia Napa, within the Province of Famagusta.
During its meeting today, the Council for the Study of Deviations (SYMEPA) unanimously decided to reconsider the application at a new session, due to a series of new data that emerged after its previous examination on October 16, 2026.
The retreat and effort to adapt on the part of the Holy Metropolis of Constantia and Famagusta, which officially informed the Council in its letters on November 6 and 11, 2026, is of decisive importance.
Specifically, the Metropolis announced that it will proceed with extensive modifications to the original plans, abolishing buildings that occupy more than 50% of the building factor. With these changes, the final application will be limited exclusively to the construction of the monastery and the shelter for abused women and children.
At the same time, the Metropolis submitted to SYMEPA an independent scientific opinion of specialized scientists on 11/11/2026. This study evaluates the impact of the project on natural habitats and wildlife in the sensitive area of Cape Greco, which falls under the Natura 2000 protected areas, based on Article 6(3) of the European Directive 92/43/EEC.
Interventions by the Audit Office and environmental organizations
The case has attracted the intense interest of institutional bodies and environmental organizations, which intervened dynamically with letters and positions that were officially recorded in the new data of SYMEPA.
Auditor General: Sent a relevant letter to the Secretary of the Council of Ministers on 27/10/2026 with a notification to the president of SYMEPA, in which various issues related to this development are recorded.
Movement of Ecologists – Citizens' Cooperation: He submitted his own positions on the project via email on 27/10/2026.
Environmental Organizations (Terra Cypria and BirdLife Cyprus): In a joint letter dated 29/10/2026 to the Minister of Interior and SYMEPA, as well as with their previous interventions to the Department of Environment in July 2026, they raised objections, comments and reasoned suggestions regarding the Special Ecological Assessment Study initially submitted by the Metropolis.
The decision of SYMEPA not to proceed with an immediate final recommendation, but to re-examine the file, is based on Regulation 15(3) of the Town and Country Planning (Derogations) Regulations (RAA 309/99). According to the legal framework, the Council is committed to examining each application taking into account all the data that are demonstrably made available to it, before reaching a reasoned recommendation to the Council of Ministers.
In the next period, the date of the new session of SYMEPA is expected to be determined, where the data will be re-evaluated in the light of the drastic cuts in the plans and the environmental opinions.
