Cyprus may tighten the rules governing residential construction near the sea. The ALMA movement (“Citizens for Cyprus”) has submitted a new bill to Parliament proposing a ban on construction within 100 m of the coastline. The authors of the initiative believe that these rules should have been introduced into legislation 15 years ago. The proposal calls for a protection zone measured from the maximum winter sea level. As a general rule, new construction within this area would be prohibited.
Cypriot legislation currently provides for coastal protection zones, but there is no uniform requirement prohibiting construction within 100 m of the sea. Audits of the state’s coastal management system have also identified problems with the boundaries of these zones: in some areas, they no longer correspond to actual changes in the coastline and coastal erosion.
Why the issue remains unresolved
The idea of expanding the coastal protection zone has been discussed in Cyprus for several years. The Audit Office has repeatedly highlighted the need for more effective management of coastal areas and a review of existing boundaries. In its reports, the Audit Office has pointed out a number of problems with the current system. In particular, the boundaries of the Beach Protection Zone in some areas were established many years ago and did not take subsequent coastal erosion into account. In addition, permits have in some cases allowed construction or other interventions within the protected zone.
ALMA claims that in 2023, the government of Nikos Christodoulides acknowledged the need to amend beach protection legislation and introduce the 100-metre rule. However, according to the movement, three years later the government has still not submitted the relevant bill. The new parliamentary initiative is intended to move the issue from discussion to a formal legislative process.
What the ALMA bill proposes
The bill proposes establishing a 100-metre protection zone along the coastline by law. New construction within this zone would be prohibited, except for projects that serve a genuine public interest. According to the proposal, the commercial, tourism or investment appeal of a project alone would not constitute sufficient grounds for an exemption.
The bill was submitted by ALMA MPs Odysseas Michaelides, Litsa Drousioti and Michalis Paraskevas. ALMA stresses that beaches are a natural and public asset and that the rules governing their protection should therefore be clear and applied equally to everyone. The issue has not only environmental but also economic significance. Cyprus’ beaches are an important part of the island’s tourism infrastructure while also providing habitats for rare species, including sea turtles and the Mediterranean monk seal. The Audit Office has separately highlighted the pressure that coastal development places on ecosystems.
The debate over how extensively Cyprus’ coastline should be developed is particularly evident in the case of the Akamas Peninsula. Disputes over infrastructure works and the area’s protection regime have continued there for several years.
For now, this is a proposed bill rather than a law currently in force. For the rule to take effect, Parliament must consider the proposal and complete the legislative process. Therefore, existing building permits are not automatically revoked at this stage, and a general ban on construction within a 100-metre coastal zone is not yet in force.