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- About 500 existing plots are available across almost all districts, with additional divisions requiring at least 10 interested families.
- Eligible applicants are Cypriot families under 45 who live in or near the community, do not own suitable property, and meet income limits.
- Successful applicants will pay 25% of market value, but infrastructure costs are excluded, and homes must be completed within three years.
- If applications exceed plots, applicants will be ranked by community ties and family status, with final allocations decided by lottery if needed.
A new scheme for state land plots aims to help families address their housing needs by making existing undeveloped plots available and allowing new divisions of state land where there is sufficient demand.
Around 500 plots from existing divisions are currently available, while new plots may be created in areas where genuine demand exists and the necessary conditions are met.
Who can apply
The scheme is aimed at Cypriot citizens who meet specific eligibility criteria.
Eligible applicants include couples with children, couples without children and single-parent families. Single individuals are not eligible.
The applicant must also be under 45 years old on the date of application.
Applicants must permanently reside in the community where the plot is located or in a community within 15 kilometres of its boundaries.
Strict property criteria also apply. Applicants must not own a home or land suitable for residential development. Restrictions also apply to property owned by the parents of family members or their children.
Income limits
The maximum gross annual family income is:
- €45,000 for couples or single-parent families
- €50,000 for a three-person family
- €55,000 for a four-person family
- €65,000 for families of five or more
Priority based on community ties
Priority is largely determined by the applicant’s connection to the community where the plot is located.
First in the ranking are indigenous residents, meaning people who originate from the community and permanently live there.
They are followed by displaced persons permanently residing in the community, people living elsewhere in Cyprus who wish to return to their community, returnees or Cypriots living abroad who meet the relevant criteria, and permanent residents of neighbouring communities within 15 kilometres.
In the event of a tie, large families receive priority, followed by non-large families, single-parent families and couples.
Plots offered at 25% of market value
One of the main incentives of the scheme is the reduced purchase price.
Eligible applicants will pay 25% of the plot’s market value, calculated after the division has been completed.
The amount does not cover infrastructure costs, including roads and the provision of water and electricity.
Plots of up to 371 square metres
The plots created under the scheme will generally measure between approximately 325 and 371 square metres.
A home built on a plot allocated under the scheme cannot have a total usable floor area exceeding 150 square metres.
Open terraces, shelters and auxiliary spaces are excluded from the calculation unless their combined area exceeds 50 square metres.
What happens if applications exceed available plots
If there are more eligible applicants than available plots, they will be ranked according to the scheme’s criteria.
An appeals process is also available for both rejected applications and the order of ranking.
Once the lists are finalised, plots will be allocated according to priority. If there are still more applicants than available plots, the final allocation will be made by lottery.
At least 10 families needed for new divisions
New divisions of state land will only proceed where there is genuine demand.
The scheme requires at least 10 interested families before a new division can be created.
The aim is to ensure that public spending on land division and infrastructure is justified and to avoid investment in areas where there is insufficient demand.
Where the 500 available plots are located
The existing plots are distributed across almost all districts.
Nicosia: More than 40 plots, including in Potamia, Lympia, Mammari and Agrokipia.
Limassol: More than 100 plots, including in Kalo Chorio, Arakapas, Gerasa, Kantou, Episkopi, Ypsonas and other communities.
Larnaca: More than 140 plots, including in Xylotympou, Kornos, Alaminos, Anafotia, Kivisili, Klavdia, Xylophagou and Zygi.
Paphos: More than 200 plots, including in Pentalia, Kouklia, Choletria, Statos-Agios Fotios and Acheleia.
Famagusta: Around 30 plots, mainly in Frenaros.
New state land divisions planned
The scheme also provides for the creation of new plots where state land is suitable, planning development is possible, costs are reasonable and genuine demand exists.
Particular emphasis is placed on rural communities facing limited availability of privately owned land for residential development.
Factors that may lead to a community being prioritised include large areas of Turkish Cypriot properties, protection zones restricting development, nuisance-producing developments and limited availability of private residential land.
Three years to build the home
Recipients will have a specific obligation to build their home.
The house must be completed within three years of signing the relevant agreement.
The District Administration may grant an additional one-year extension where it considers there is sufficient justification.
What happens if the home is not built
If the home is not completed within the specified period, the recipient must return or transfer the plot to the Republic.
Alternatively, the Republic may require the recipient to pay the market value of the plot, as assessed by the Department of Lands and Surveys, minus the amount already paid under the scheme.
Restrictions on selling the property
There are also restrictions on transferring or selling the property.
The recipient cannot transfer the plot before completing construction of the home. Once the home has been completed, it cannot be sold for five years.
The restrictions are intended to ensure that the plots are used to meet genuine housing needs rather than for immediate resale or speculation.
Applications to open after scheme announcement
Once the scheme is officially announced, District Officers will be able to begin the process for existing available plots.
A separate notice will be issued for each community where plots are available. Information will also be published at the relevant District Administration offices and online through the District Administration and Interior Ministry websites.
Applicants will submit a designated application form together with the required certificates and supporting documents within the deadline specified in the relevant notice.
A potential boost for families seeking housing
The scheme comes as housing costs remain a major challenge for many families.
Offering land at 25% of its market value could significantly reduce the initial cost of acquiring a plot, although it does not cover construction or infrastructure expenses.
The effectiveness of the scheme will ultimately depend on how many families qualify, how quickly new procedures progress and how many of the currently available plots are eventually turned into homes.
Also read: Interior Ministry: 460 affordable-rent flats coming across all districts
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