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Massive Peyia
project raises concerns
By Bejay Browne
A MASSIVE development proposed for a hillside
above Peyia in Paphos will irreversibly devastate the natural environment, put
pressure on infrastructure and create new homes where thousands remain empty,
according to environmentalists, opposed to the project.
Concerns are being raised over the project at
Ayia Vouni (Sacred Mountain), which is being pitched as green and sustainable,
and will be built next to the protected Pikni forest; a small part will also
fall within the Natura 2000 network.
This is the first time that this sort of
development has been proposed in Cyprus since changes were introduced to
building policy in 2014, which concerns the promotion, regulation and control
of a new type of development in the countryside – ‘integrated development of
multiple and large uses’-which aims to provide increased building efficiency.
Environmentalists and members of the public
attended a council meeting in Peyia on Wednesday to observe a presentation
given by representatives of the projects’ developer, former president of the
Republic of Cyprus, George Vassiliou.
Vassiliou acquired around 330,000 m2 in Peyia
and the design is described as a ‘sustainable development project and a near
zero energy settlement’. The project is receiving one million euros funding
from the EU as part of the Zero energy initiative.
However, Klitos Papastylianou of the
‘initiative for the natural coastline and commons of Cyprus’, attended the
meeting and said that he believes that the development should not go ahead as
it poses a number of negative impacts.
“Some months ago, ahead of the meeting,
we raised some concerns with the environmental impact assessment and filed an
objection. According to the law on assessing there is a definition of the
environment; water, climate, habitat and so on. This project is unsustainable
on almost all aspects.”
Papastylianou said that under the
regulations, the investor has to meet certain criteria for the project
concerning the ‘strategic use’ and ‘secondary use’, the latter should be a far
smaller percentage. However, he said in this case it is not.
“The strategic uses are the
rehabilitation centre (medical) and a research and development centre
(technology, environment and energy consumption) and make up only 5% of this
project, whereas the secondary uses, such as the village centre- with bars,
restaurants, banks, shops and a gallery- as well as infrastructure, such as,
roads, small dams, a waste treatment plant and residential development, will
account for 95%.”
In the last year, Peyia council has twice
raised documented concerns over the development and requested that the town
planning department refrain from issuing any permits be approved until all of
the necessary studies have been completed and examined.
Some of the concerns raised include height of
buildings, possible landslides and flooding, water supply and public access
roads.
Peyia councillor Linda Leblanc said that the
meeting raised a number of questions and the council will again write of their
concerns to the planning department.
The Nicosia planning department is responsible
for granting permission for the development, although Peyia is responsible for
issuing a building permit if the project gets the go ahead, she said.
The area proposed for the project falls
outside the designated building zone, is on a steep slope and will include four
storey high apartment blocks (145 units) and 125 villas. It is planned to be
constructed in two phases
Papastylianou said that as there are currently
already around 6,500 buildings in Peyia with 3,000 or so already lying empty,
it is nonsensical to create more buildings. He also questioned how these would
then be rented or sold.
A spokesman for the company carrying out the
studies, environmental consultants I.A.CO Ltd said that there would be no
‘significant impact’ on the flora and fauna in the protected area.
“Only 0.25m2 is inside the Natura 2000 area
and there won’t be a significant impact on the flora and fauna there.”
He said that a geotechnical study was also
carried out to identify the areas that have some geo instability. “From the
entire area of the project, only 5% have some issues, such as unstable rocks.”
In other areas, he said that the bed rock is
suitable and ‘stable for the development.’ However, he said that some measures
must be taken during construction.
“This is nothing unusual, we have studied the
area and there isn’t any reasons for concern. There are solutions to stabilise
the area during construction.”
He said that these geotechnical solutions
would be further investigated during construction.
Papastylianou said that although the company
are recognising the impact of the project, they are also claiming that there
will also be a positive impact by creating new jobs and helping the
construction sector.
“How can you say that this is a positive
impact on the socioeconomics of an area when half the buildings in Peyia are
already empty?”
He said it is clear that the natural
environment will suffer a severe negative and irreversible impact, and not just
Ayiou Vouni, but the entire area.
“The same can be said for the landscape, as
the development is on a mountain top and will be seen from all over Peyia. The
mountain will be transformed instead of protected.”
There are also concerns that there will be a
huge impact on water resources, and the environmentalist said this raises the
question, does the water development department have enough water to supply the
area? One fourth of the existing consumption will be added by the project, he
said.
“According to the relevant study, the
development will need 30 tonnes of water per hour, the allowance for all of
Peyia is currently 120 tonnes.”
There are also serious concerns of the geology
of the area, on the East is the Skali river and in the South West the
Sterarkakon, both areas are characterised by landslides. There is a risk of
escalation of this phenomenon in the study, he said.
Environmentalists also say there will
be a total transformation of the morphology of the area, as there will be
excavation and cutting down of trees.
“It is currently an untouched pristine
natural environment and it will be totally destroyed and almost half of it
sealed by concrete.”
Leblanc said there were also concerns
over proposed green areas and public access as the hillside is so steep with
only one entrance and exit road.
“We were also told that 43 million
euros would come to Peyia as direct benefits, such as taxes and so on, and 126
million euros in indirect benefits. We will be asking questions at the
council,” she said.
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