On Friday 28 June, the Urban Planning and Housing Department of the Ministry of the Interior announced that from the first of July 2024, building applications by Cypriot residents will be accepted only electronically through the Hippodamos programme.
This initiative is a consequence of the reform of the country's administrative division system and local government.
Under the new regulations, the responsibilities of the Ministry of Town Planning and Housing will be taken over by five district level organisations called ΕΟΑ (Επαρχιακών Οργανισμών Αυτοδιοίκησης). They will operate throughout the island: in the districts of Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca, Paphos and the free areas of Famagust
The innovation aims to streamline existing procedures and introduce a more flexible licensing system.
As a result, it will reduce the processing time of applications and improve the quality of local government services. In total, the new approach to construction licensing includes 22 measures. For larger projects that still require approval, they will differentiate the process of carrying out the necessary consultations with services such as the EAC, fire, water and public works departments. It is expected that this practice will greatly simplify the approval process and reduce the time it takes for applications to be considered by the Town Planning Authority. Specifically, the amendments remove the need to obtain planning and building permits for small projects. This definition includes private houses and buildings with 8-10 flats.
As mentioned above, from 1 July it will be possible to submit building applications and all other documents through the integrated information system Hippodamos.