The Larnaca District Local Government Organisation (EOA) has announced the opening of a new application period for planning permits for commercial renewable energy projects within the British Sovereign Base Areas. Applications will be accepted for 45 days, from 15 September to 29 October 2026 inclusive. Applications can be submitted through the electronic “Hippodamos” system. The Larnaca EOA has urged applicants not to delay submitting their documents. Applications must be:
- fully completed;
- prepared in accordance with current legislation;
- submitted in compliance with the established procedures and requirements.
What will happen after 29 October
Once the application period ends, new planning applications for commercial renewable energy projects within the British Sovereign Base Areas will no longer be accepted. The restriction will remain in place until a separate Renewable Energy Policy for the British Sovereign Base Areas is published. The Larnaca EOA warns that incomplete applications or documents that do not meet the established requirements may not be accepted.
For companies planning to build solar power plants and other commercial renewable energy facilities within the British Sovereign Base Areas, the coming weeks will be a crucial period. Potential applicants effectively have 45 days to submit new planning applications. After 29 October 2026, the application window will close for an indefinite period.
Cyprus tightens rules for the location of renewable energy projects
The temporary opening of applications comes amid broader changes to the regulation of renewable energy development in Cyprus. Under the current planning policy, projects for the production of energy from renewable sources generally require planning permission. However, exemptions apply to certain types of photovoltaic installations.
In 2026, the rules were also supplemented with restrictions on the location of commercial renewable energy projects on certain categories of land. In particular, the legislation prohibits the installation of commercial renewable energy facilities on fertile and/or permanently irrigated agricultural land, land under reforestation, protected areas and Natura 2000 sites.
The development of renewable energy remains one of the priorities of Cyprus’s energy policy. The state support scheme for renewable energy projects for 2026–2028 provides for long-term planning of funding and the development of such projects.