Cypriot Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou announced on Tuesday 4th March the extension of the fast-track programme for processing building permit applications.
The scheme will now include medium-risk projects, which he said will significantly reduce red tape and speed up the approval process.
These include four-storey buildings with 20 flats or complexes with no more than 12 townhouses.Permits for these are expected to be issued within 80 working days. Incidentally, around one per cent of building applications will now be able to go through the fast-track system, which will relieve district administrations of a large number of routine procedures.
This innovation follows the successful launch of a similar mechanism for low-risk sites in October 2024. To ensure the effective implementation of the programme, the government, in cooperation with the Cyprus Chamber of Science and Technology (Etek), has introduced a new position of building inspector. According to Ioannou, 347 planning applications and 7 applications for building permits for projects in this category have been processed so far.
The main aim is to simplify the approval process and speed up the service provided to the public. This major reform will put an end to arbitrary decisions on building permit applications," Ioannou stressed.
It is worth recalling that all applications will now be received through the Ippodamos electronic licensing system. Architects are obliged to submit the documents and are responsible for the accuracy of the information provided.If the municipality does not reject an application within 20 days, the system automatically issues a licence on the 21st day.
The minister described the reforms as an important step towards removing bureaucratic barriers and creating a more transparent process for approving building projects.