The Cyprus Department of Environmental Protection has finally issued a permit to the Shacolas Group for the construction of the 44-storey Aura skyscraper.
It is expected to be the tallest building not only in Limassol but also in Cyprus.
It should be noted that the project has been under review since 2019. It was repeatedly criticized by local officials, including Limassol Mayor Nicos Nicolaides, who initially opposed the construction of the high-rise. The main opponents, such as Michalis Sokratous of AKEL and Michalis Vasiliou of DISY, expressed concerns about the economic feasibility, environmental impact and feasibility of such a development. Sokratous criticized the cluster of tall towers in the area, deeming the economic conditions unsuitable. Vassiliou questioned the compatibility of the tower with the narrow site, emphasizing the potential negative impacts.
By the way, the main disagreement was over the height of the tower and the suitability of the site for such a large-scale development. However, in the end, the developer was allowed to use the area under Andrea Zaimi Street to create an underground parking lot, thus solving this problem.
Recall that the premium residential complex will be built in the Neapolis district, on the site of the former shopping center ERA, just 50 meters from the sea and the beach.
The 44-story tower will have a height of 181.5 meters. The new tower will have 136 luxury apartments with two, three, and four bedrooms. The first floor in the building will start at a height of 24.3 meters. The design of the building was developed by the British architectural firm Foster + Partners. The highlight of the new high-rise will be landscaped gardens. The project provides for the erection of a modern high-rise building, harmoniously integrated in the lower part of the structure of urban development.
It should be mentioned that Shacolas Group will provide the city with 300 parking spaces, which can be used by residents and guests of Limassol. In addition, the company will give the municipality the use of the basement of the building, where the art gallery will be located.
The cost of the project is estimated at 108 million euros.
Thus, despite objections and disagreements, the Aura project is moving forward.