Authorities in Cyprus rush to process the waiting list of building permits

In June 2024, there was a significant increase in the issuance of building permits in Cyprus as officials tried to reduce the backlog of outstanding applications. The increase comes before the newly established district self-governing organisations (EOA) take over as the processing authority for these permits.

The Cyprus Statistical Service reports that in June, municipal and district administrations issued 1,528 building licenses in total. This represents a 150% increase over the same month in the previous year, when just 610 permits were processed.

The permits that were granted in June covered 594,900 square meters and had a total value of €781.6 million. It is anticipated that these permits will result in the building of 2,772 more residential units.

This increase was credited by officials to their efforts to clear the substantial backlog of applications prior to the EOA taking over permit issuance duties on July 1, 2024. This accelerated procedure was mostly caused by the shift of responsibilities.

Cyprus issued 4,782 building permits in total between January and June 2024, a 32.5% increase over the 3,608 permits given during the same period in 2023. The covered area increased by 46.5%, but the overall value of these licenses exceeded €2 billion, representing a 44.4% increase. Furthermore, there was a 44.4% increase in the number of permitted residential units.

709 building permits totalling €271.6 million were issued in May 2024 alone, spanning 213,800 square meters and clearing the way for 990 new residences.

In a related issue, there is conflict between municipalities and the recently formed EOAs over the removal of hazardous structures. Municipalities are reluctant to take on new duties, and EOAs have complained that they lack the resources, staff, and knowledge necessary to complete these duties. The administration is determined that the EOAs will take over responsibility for this topic as planned, even though there are talks in Parliament to give municipalities another year to retain control over it.