We often wonder what is the point of town planning rules and so-called zoning? Do they exist so that they can be ignored by the authorities when a developer comes asking for ‘relaxations’ of the rules? Do they exist in order to give the opportunity to the politicians to dispense favours in exchange for votes? What we have learnt over the years is that they are not inviolable, and thanks to discretionary powers granted to state bureaucrats, there are always ways to get round them.

In the last few days, it was reported that Nicosia District Local Government Organisation (EOA) is considering bending the town planning rules to give a permit for a 25-storey building close to Famagusta Gate, a designated archeological site, where ideally no high rises should be built. The maximum number of floors that can be built in the area, under the law, is eight. Nicosia municipality, before the reform of local government had the discretionary power to give permission for another two floors as a local town planning authority. The head of the town planning department, however, had the discretionary power to grant permission for many more floors.

Back in 2020, the developer had sought permission for a 36-storey building, but the town planning department turned it down after consulting the antiquities department, which said such a construction was out of the question for the area. The developer, who has support, counter-proposed a 25- to 27-storey which appears to have the support of several parties in the municipality, who regard it an important investment in the capital. In fact, EOA has embraced the idea and considers a 25-floor building as a compromise. How 25 floors could be seen as a compromise in a zone in which the law stipulates a maximum of eight floors for any new construction we cannot say.

What is becoming clear is that Nicosia municipality and EOA support the proposed high-rise hotel because it is an investment. Deputy mayor Fakas was on a radio show supporting the construction on Thursday and arguing the need for a high rise hotel in the centre of capital. It has been left to the antiquities department to fight against the development and demand respect for the law. The antiquities department, which has the power to stop the development as it has the authority to decide whether a development would impact a protect archaeological site, took a very clear stand against the construction of a high rise. The department’s head repeated this opposition on Friday, stressing that the law must be respected.

Sadly, the only organised group that took a stand against this proposed town-planning crime has been the Cyprus Association of Archaeologists which has warned that such a development would degrade the mediaeval character of Nicosia and ruin the clutural integrity of the old town. This is a rather polite way of describing the aesthetic crime the Nicosia municipality and EOA seem determined to perpetrate. Instead of protecting the unique character and cultural landscape of the old town the mayor, deputy mayor, majority of councillors and the head of EOA have sanctioned its destruction, by backing a 25-storey hotel, totally incompatible with its surroundings.

They must be stopped and prevented from ruining the unique character of the old town.