Plans to allow development within British bases moving ahead 

The town planning department has completed the technical process that followed a call by residents of communities located in the sovereign base areas (SBAs) for more leniency on development, the House ethics committee heard on Wednesday.

The committee was informed by the director of the town planning department Kyriakos Koundouros that the plans that emerged from the technocratic process have already been handed over to the British Bases administration and developments should be expected soon, which “will allow British Bases residents to enjoy what is enjoyed by other Cyprus citizens.”

This would include allowing communities located in the SBAs to enjoy residential zones which would then be divided into plots allowing for construction.

According to the chairman of the ethics committee Zacharias Zachariou, current residents of the SBAs cannot proceed with substantial developments. He noted that while certain concessions have been made allowing communities to build on empty land, they are not able to divide the land into plots.

Koundouros explained that the commander of the British Bases has so far rejected plans for the formation of residential areas and the division of land into plots twice, citing environmental issues.

An amended plan that followed back-to-back meetings has once again been handed to the British Bases commander.

If the process moves quickly, the residents of these areas will have the opportunity to make use of their property and “stop being treated like second-class citizens,” Zacharias asserted.

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