The bulldozers have finally moved in on the long-neglected Polis beach campsite, raising fears of what the future holds for this oasis from the relentless tourist concrete coating most of our coastline.

Polis and the villages towards Pyrgos have long felt they are the also-rans, mostly excluded from the easy money mass tourism provides and is a major reason why the long-delayed Paphos-Polis road is such a source of frustration for the local authorities. The wider, faster road, they argue, is crucial to further tourist development.

No one doubts that the Polis campsite needs a facelift after years of decline. The issue is: what form will that facelift take?

Polis mayor Yiotis Papachristofi has repeatedly emphasised the site’s importance to the region, describing it as “a popular holiday spot in an area, until recently, lacking large-scale tourist accommodation”.

Officially closed since 2023, the campsite, with its eucalyptus groves edging the sea, offered low-cost holidays. Even at its best, the facilities were basic, but it appealed to the young, mostly alternative crowd. Not, perhaps, quite the look Polis wanted to project.

Efforts to modernise the site were repeatedly delayed by a dispute between the municipality and the site manager. This escalated into legal proceedings initiated in 2017, until finally the municipality managed to wrest control and put the campsite’s redevelopment out to tender.

Despite being closed, a few campers would brave the increasingly squalid facilities, making the site even scruffier.

Even the tender procedure did not run smoothly with endless delays until late last year it was awarded to Costas Myrianthous, cousin of Edek MP and prominent Paphos accountant Elias Myrianthous. The projected budget is around €2.5 million.

The plan includes the construction of new facilities such as a beach restaurant, modern sanitary blocks and a recreation centre. Internal roads will be paved and there will be designated caravan areas and improved utility connections.

Myrianthous insisted that the “character of the campsite is not open to discussion and redevelopment will ensure its preservation”, adding that the detailed plans will be released soon with the bulldozers just carrying out preparatory works.

But what will redevelopment mean for what was a tranquil spot? The Ecologists’ Movement has expressed concern over the fate of the eucalyptus trees, many of which have been either cut down or truncated over the years. The trees were what once made the area so special.

Almost certainly the higgledy-piggledy, rustic nature of the old campsite will be lost. That too had a certain appeal.

Will the revamped campsite still cater for the lower-income, mostly domestic tourists? Will the concrete be kept at bay? Will the camping experience under the trees and stars and by the sea become too sanitised?

Papachristofi has highlighted the campsite’s natural advantages, calling it “a privileged location surrounded by eucalyptus trees and a beach which is second to none”. We can only hope he realises the significance of those words.