Paphos Mayor Angelos Onisiforou on Monday called for immediate action over work being carried out between Anavargos and Armos, claiming the hillside was being “demolished” without the required planning permission.

Onisiforou said the work was continuing during the holiday period and accused the owner of taking advantage of the holidays to continue undisturbed.

“He even takes advantage of holidays so that the work can be carried out undisturbed and completed,” he said.

He described the situation as “unacceptable” and called on the authorities to intervene immediately.

The complaint concerns a private plot where extensive excavation and levelling have taken place, creating large slopes and deep cuts into the land.

Paphos district government organisation (EOA) president Charalambos Pittokopitis previously said a decree was being prepared to order the suspension of the work.

He said the works required planning permission because of the scale of the excavation and the slopes created, but no permit had been obtained.

The decision followed an earlier complaint by Onisiforou, who said the owner had already been ordered three times to stop the work but had failed to comply.

The mayor has called for the site to be dealt with as a matter of urgency, citing the need to protect the surrounding environment.