Only a week after the launch of the fast-track procedure for the granting of building permits for small plots of land, the regional local government organisations (EOA) have already received 48 applications from interested parties.
This was announced by the Cypriot Interior Ministry on Monday 16 December. The ministry expressed its satisfaction with the new scheme and urged the people of the island state to take advantage of the opportunity.
On 10 December, Cyprus began accepting applications for accelerated licences for standard installations. The initiative aims to speed up applications for low-risk residential properties as part of a wider reform of the system. Instead of going through the whole process, these applicants can complete a special application form and submit it to the relevant local authority, which will review it and issue a final opinion within two working days.
The main aim is to relieve local authorities of the backlog of applications for Category A planning permission. The total number of such applications is around 5,000. The ministry emphasised that the move will help create a faster and more automated system for processing town planning and building applications.
It is expected that once the delay in processing applications for low-risk buildings is eliminated, the system will move on to speeding up the issuance of building permits for medium-risk projects. These include 4-storey buildings with 20 flats or complexes with no more than 12 townhouses. All of these projects fall under category B. It is expected that permits for these projects will be issued within 80 working days.