The fact that Larnaca has outpaced Limassol and is now considered the emerging investment hub of Cyprus is mainly due to developments involving hundreds of millions of euros planned in the coastal area from which oil tanks and gas facilities have been removed.
The 3-kilometre-long coastal front that has been freed up, located on the outskirts of Larnaca Municipality, essentially spearheads this development.
Larnaca Municipality already has three applications pending for urban planning permits for major developments exceeding €1 billion.
These include the master plan of the Petrolina Group for the ambitious Larnaka-land of tomorrow project, which will be situated on an approximately 400,000 sq.m. area, the master plan of EKO Cyprus occupying a 55,000 sq.m. plot next to Larnaca port, and an application by Solvin Ltd wanting to build two towers of 67.6 metres on a 27,224 sq.m. area near Larnaca Nautical Club.
The gas companies Synergas and Intergaz, which also own large coastal plots, are meanwhile in consultations to decide how to utilise them.
The path to implementing these major investments officially opened last May after the termination of the Seveso directive, which lifted existing restrictions.
However, two significant steps remain before Larnacans can see the first projects in the coastal area.
The first concerns the decontamination of the land where the oil tanks were located, which has already commenced by the companies, and the second involves reclaiming about 60 metres of the beach lost due to erosion.
Addressing erosion and shaping the coastal front will require public projects costing tens of millions of euros, expected to start in two years, following the completion of a study prepared by a private entity for the Public Works Department.
On 26th March, a tender was announced for the study, which will be completed by 2026 and aims to establish a strategy for the coastal zone, ensuring it aligns with the Area Plan that anticipates tourist and recreational uses and provides safe beach conditions for swimmers.
Additional goals include achieving integrated management of the coastal zone, with sustainable and environmentally friendly development projects that minimise impacts on the environment.
The consultant will prepare a General Plan for the necessary works, an Environmental Impact Assessment Study (EIAS) for each individual project or measure proposed, and an Environmental Impact Strategic Study (EISS) due to the area’s proximity to the protected Oroklini Lake. It is noted that mathematical models and modern tools will be used to provide flexible protective measures for each sub-area of the study.
The study will also take into account the views of Larnaca Municipality, which desires the creation of a sandy public beach where possible.
“It’s one of the conditions we set so people can enjoy the area that was freed up more,” the Mayor of Larnaca mentioned to Phileletheros, describing the announcement of the tender for the study of the necessary works as a very significant development. “It’s one of the most important projects that will take place in the area and must be considered in the planning for private developments,” added Vyras.
It is noted that the completion of public works in the area is not a prerequisite for the start of private developments; however, beach reclamation lost due to erosion should be carried out before they commence, in consultation with the relevant government departments.
The public works that need to be carried out in the area are included in the Area Plan prepared by the Department of Planning and Housing.
These are divided into three phases: Phase A – Immediate Priority Works, Phase B – Priority Works, and Phase C – Other Works.
In the first phase, the works include, among other things, measures related to erosion control. Based on the studies that have already been conducted, which will be updated by the new one to be carried out, there is a need for fortifying most of the beach, conducting embankment, and shaping a public coastal area.
The public coastal area, through proper design, should offer the potential to create a multifunctional park along the beach, suitable for multiple uses and activities.
Additionally, a seaside promenade (Promenade) will be created, while primary roads will be shaped and completed.
It is noted that a large project to implement the third phase of the Larnaca-Dekelia road is already underway in the area, with an estimated cost of €17.6 million and expected completion by the end of 2025.
The second phase concerning priority works includes the reshaping of the Archangelos-Kamitsi riverbed and the formation of the coastal road in the area of Larnaca Nautical Club.
The river needs to be protected, landscaped, and utilised so that the area around it can be transformed into a green lung and leisure area.
One of the most impressive priority projects is the formation of Psiloritis Street (Diagonal), starting from the neighbourhood around the Church of Saint John and ending with an imaginary extension to the location where the largest oil tank of the area was located next to the sea.
The goal is for this road axis to serve as an environmental road, encouraging pedestrian and cyclist traffic along a tree-lined avenue. Provisions will be made on the road for the creation of small shops and cafes.
The third phase envisages the creation of a network of pedestrian and bicycle paths, which will connect to Oroklini Lake and other areas of Larnaca. Additionally, a large seaside promenade will be created.
The aim is for the promenade, which will be an extension of the one in Oroklini, to be connected, through the works of Kition Ocean Holdings in the port and marina, to the one on the Phinikoudes coastal front, reaching the Mackenzie area.
