The Larnaca District Local Government Organisation (EOA Larnakas) continues to deliver impressive results in the construction sector. In November, application processing rates exceeded 100%, indicating a significant acceleration in the authority’s work. Specifically, the performance rate reached 105% for town-planning permits and an outstanding 148% for building permits—one of the strongest results in recent years.
Application statistics and completed cases
During November, 310 new applications were submitted for town-planning permits and 354 for building permits. Over the same period, processing was completed for 325 town-planning permits and 525 building permits. Actual output is even higher, as applications carried over from previous months are also being finalized. This confirms a systematic effort to reduce backlogs and improve administrative efficiency.
Management commentary and handling of backlogged cases
The President of EOA Larnakas, Angelos Hatzicharalambous, noted that a substantial number of pending cases still remain from the period when permit issuance was handled by other authorities—around 2,489 town-planning permits and 2,408 building permits. Nevertheless, he emphasized that active work is underway to identify bottlenecks, streamline procedures, and speed up application reviews, with tangible results already visible.
Comparison with previous months
To put the trend into context, in October there were 325 applications for town-planning permits and 366 for building permits, while 258 and 647 cases respectively were completed. This translated into a completion rate of 79% for town-planning permits and 177% for building permits—already reflecting a high workload and strong operational performance.
Causes of delays and the specifics of large-scale projects
Addressing complaints about delays in issuing permits for large projects, EOA management acknowledges that in certain cases the process can take one to two years. This is mainly due to the need for approvals from multiple state authorities, including the Department of Antiquities, as well as mandatory environmental impact studies. Such delays are particularly common for large, complex projects, developments outside approved zoning plans, or those requiring special exemptions.
Funding and future outlook
The budget of EOA Larnakas is expected to remain at around €125 million in 2026, in line with 2025 levels. This provides a stable financial foundation for further process improvements, service digitalization, and higher-quality support for citizens and investors.
Overall, Larnaca is strengthening its position as one of Cyprus’s most dynamically developing regions in construction and urban planning administration, making it increasingly attractive to investors and developers alike.