The Administrative Court has ruled in favour of the continuation of the large-scale Sun City Spa Resort & Residences project in Ayia Napa.
In particular, the state body accepted the arguments presented by lawyer Simos Angelidis on behalf of the developer and overturned the previous decision of the Cabinet of Ministers regarding the demolition of two floors.
According to the court's decision, the construction of the facility can now be carried out on the basis of the only valid permit, which was issued on 18 January 2023. This permission was granted to the developer after extensive research and public consultation. It concerns the conversion of an existing mixed tourism development on plots 391, 396 and 407. It is worth noting that the Municipality of Sotira, whose administrative boundaries include this project, supported the developer, citing the numerous economic benefits for the area.
Recall that the Sun City Spa Resort & Residences complex is being built on the coast of Ayia Napa.
The main problem is that it borders the Natura 2000 protected area, where there are certain restrictions on the construction of residential and commercial facilities. Previously, the Cyprus Audit Office found that the project had been carried out with many irregularities. The developer was originally granted permission to build a 5-star luxury hotel, Sun City Spa Resort, and a complex of exquisite Sun City Villas.
The hotel was to consist of a basement, ground floor and five floors. However, it turned out that Jimchang Cyprus Developing Co Ltd had illegally added two extra floors to the building, in breach of the environmental permit and the licence issued by the Town Planning Department. At the same time, the developer refused to demolish them.
Incidentally, the land on which the project is located is in the T2a tourist zone, which allows hotels up to a maximum of five storeys. The developer submitted the necessary application to build additional floors in the hotel, but only after the work had been completed. After much litigation, Jimchang Cyprus Developing Co Ltd filed another appeal, which was approved five days before the new government took office. The new Cyprus cabinet overturned the previous government's decision to approve the legalisation of two additional floors in the hotel building. After a lengthy legal battle, the developer won the case.
Lets hope they continue building real soon.