In a case that seems unbelievable yet truly Cypriot, a building permit was granted, and a house was constructed on a plot of land designated for the new Akaki – Peristerona – Astromeritis highway. The issue was highlighted by the West Nicosia News page.
The Director of Public Works, Lefteris Eleftheriou, confirmed on state radio that a building permit was issued and a new house was constructed on a plot scheduled for expropriation to make way for the Akaki interchange of the future Akaki – Peristerona – Astromeritis highway.
Agreeing that the incident is unacceptable, Eleftheriou added that the Department of Public Works was not consulted before the permit was issued. He also noted that the land should not have been sold in the first place, as it was already marked for expropriation.
Current situation
The house, owned by Savvas Philippides, is almost completed south of Akaki, on the road to Meniko. Philippides, after being contacted by West Nicosia News, stated that he had obtained all necessary building permits in 2023, when he purchased the land.
However, according to the newspaper’s investigation, the plot in question falls within the boundaries of the future highway. A letter from the Department of Public Works, dated 15 July 2024, addressed to various government agencies, including the Ministry of Transport, the Land Consolidation Organisation (EOA), the District Administration, and the Department of Town Planning and Housing, states that: “The referenced plot falls within the designated area of the Akaki interchange, which cannot be relocated for technical reasons.”
It appears that the Department of Public Works only realised the issue in mid-July 2024, when the above letter was issued. Speaking to WNN, Director Eleftheriou stated that the situation was discovered by chance, and after being notified, the department contacted the homeowner. “We will re-examine the issue as part of the project’s advancement. No decision has been made yet. We need to assess all factors. Based on the project’s progress, we will determine how to proceed with adjustments,” Eleftheriou stated.
He denied responsibility, claiming that the department had already informed authorities about the planned road project. Instead, he pointed to the agencies that granted the building permit, namely the Department of Town Planning and Housing and, secondarily, the District Administration. “There is usually communication between agencies. In this case, nothing reached our department,” he concluded.
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