Larnaca Municipality is considering the construction of student accommodation next to the future campus of the Cyprus University of Technology (TEPAK) in the Mackenzie area. The issue was discussed at a meeting between Mayor Andreas Vyras and TEPAK Rector Panayiotis Zaphiris, held on August 24 and dedicated to matters related to student support.
According to the mayor, the option of building student residences near the university campus was indeed discussed. The project is still at a preliminary stage, but the municipality intends to examine the possibility in greater detail. Particular interest in this option is linked to potential funding from European funds.
Under the new programming period for 2028–2034, funding is expected to be allocated for social housing projects. Larnaca Municipality hopes to use this opportunity to prepare and further promote the student accommodation project. The site in question is the area where construction work on the new campus of TEPAK’s School of Marine Sciences, Technology and Sustainable Development is expected to begin in the coming weeks.
Another student housing project is already being prepared in Larnaca
If the idea of building accommodation next to the university moves forward, it will become the second major student housing project in Larnaca. The first complex is planned by the Nikos and Despina Pattichi Foundation. For this purpose, the foundation will use a plot it owns on Pavlou Valdaseridi Street, near the Shoebox store, on the road connecting Spyrou Kyprianou Avenue and Archbishop Kyprianou Avenue.
The plot is located not far from the centre of Larnaca. The future TEPAK campus in Mackenzie can be reached from there in around 15 minutes by car or bus. The foundation intends to engage private specialists to design the complex. Construction financing is expected to be secured through the use of part of the foundation’s substantial real estate portfolio. In this way, dedicated student infrastructure is gradually taking shape in Larnaca, which is especially important as TEPAK expands its presence in the city.
Around 500 students will need accommodation
The need for new student residences is primarily linked to the future scale of the university project. Once TEPAK’s School of Marine Sciences, Technology and Sustainable Development is fully developed, the number of students is preliminarily estimated at around 500. The creation of affordable student housing would help address rental needs for students who would otherwise have to look for apartments or rooms on Larnaca’s private market.
Another factor is the overall rise in rental costs in Cyprus. Student housing remains one of the most in-demand categories of affordable accommodation, so the creation of new residences could reduce pressure on the private rental market. Initial construction work on the new TEPAK campus in Mackenzie, which will be located behind the municipal car park near the nightlife venues, is planned to begin in October 2026.
If the student accommodation project next to the university secures the necessary funding under the EU’s 2028–2034 programme, Larnaca will be able to develop university infrastructure while simultaneously creating additional affordable housing options for future students.