Ineia sends formal letter of complaint over Akamas plan

The Ineia community council sent a formal letter of complaint on Friday to President Nicos Anastasiades over the Akamas development plan approved by the government.

According to the community council, the plan fails to allow for any development by the community int the area.

“Any provisions for development are effectively removed, the free-standing home is abolished, development zones are drastically reduced and vast tracts of land, in some communities less and in others more, are unjustifiably and without scientific criteria included in conservation areas and remain there without any right to develop, which makes them essentially non-assets,” the community said.

The council said that the Environment Department’s adoption of all the requirements and recommendations of environmental organisations without taking into account the recommendations of the local authorities and without actually taking into account the human factor led to their refusal to accept the plan in place.

Last month a protest was held by residents of Ineia against the contentious local plan where protesters on the beach held placards saying: ‘Coexistence of man and the environment’ and ‘Akamas 30 years refugees in our own country’.

They blocked the roads to Lara beach for around an hour, claiming, according to the community leader Yiangos Tsivikos, “equality for the community”.

The community leader said: “the message must be given to all those involved and to the environmental organisations which, unfortunately, are the ones who are also on the ad hoc committee and get to make decisions on the local plan.”

He also added that despite the suggestions they are asked for from time to time by the state services, they are not taken into account all.

Tsivikos called on the President “for the last time” to stop the local plan because if it goes ahead it will be final nail in the coffin for Ineia residents.