According to the Department of the Environment of Cyprus, the development company Anemoni Enterprises Ltd had erected the Twin Waves project in the Agia Thekla area in the municipality of Sotira (Ayia Napa) without proper prior appraisal and appropriate permits from the competent authorities.
The Department also reported illegal interference by the developer in the protected beach area and the specially protected area (SPA) of Agia Thekla - Liopetri. Employees of Anemoni Enterprises Ltd dug ditches and installed sewage pipes to the sea.
The case concerns two villas that are part of the ignominious hotel complex Sun City Spa Resort & Residences. The shareholders are former members of parliament from the opposition AKEL Christakis Giovanis.
As it turned out, the Department of Urban Planning, which belongs to the municipality of Sotira, before issuing a building permit, confirmed that it seeks the opinion of the Department of the Environment on the possibility of development since the project was to be located in an area that falls within the protected area of the Natura network. 2000.
On July 7, 2020, the municipality of Sotira submitted an application to the Department of the Environment asking for a building permit for one of the two villas.
On October 29, 2020, the Department of the Environment refused to issue a permit. In its letter, the Department emphasized the need for more research. Besides, the Department indicated that the application should have been made in assessing an urban planning permit and not a building permit. The project will be located in an area that is within the Natura 2000 protected area and the Agia Specially Protected Area (SPA) Thekla - Liopetri.
The same letter said that during the visit of the inspectors of the Department of the Environment on June 12, 2020, for verification, they found that during the excavation of the underground part of the project, drainage water entered the sea using a hose without the necessary permits issued by the Minister of Agriculture. It was noted that these works were carried out without a building permit.
On August 3, 2020, the Department of the Environment sent a letter to the head of the company, Christakis Giovanis. He demanded to immediately stop the dumping of waste and submit a study on the management of drainage waters and stop the work since they were carried out within the boundaries of the Natura 2000 network, where the prior authorization of the competent authority is required.
On September 23, 2020, employees of the Department of the Environment, in the context of a consultation on a building permit's issuance, made a return visit to the site. However, they discovered that the developer had completed the villas' basement and ground floor and had started building the ground floors without a building permit.
According to the Department, the two villas are located on the plots in the Stavrotas area of the Sotira municipality, in the T2a urban development zone. A significant part of the plots and buildings under construction are located in the protected area of the beach and the specially protected area of Agia Thekla - Liopetri (SPA CY3000009), at a distance of fewer than 100 meters from the sea.
A representative of the developer said, that construction work is currently suspended while licensing is in progress. He also emphasised, that the environmental impact of the two villas is specific, and the municipality of Sotir is awaiting the conclusion of the Department of the Environment. At the same time, the company does not see any problems in completing the project. The construction of the facilities is expected to be completed on time, after passing the appropriate procedures.