RESIDENTS of Peyia are uniting their voices in an attempt to stop two major developing companies from expanding around the area of Coral Bay.
Talk over expansion of the area with more hotels, villas and restaurant-bars sprinkled along the bay has long been on the lips of developers in Paphos, but it is only recently that the talk is finally looking like turning into reality.
The two developers owning the land there, Pandora Development Group and Leptos Calypso Hotels, both of which belong Leptos Estates, have stated they have big plans for the land they own on the bay.
But that plan has not gone down well with residents of Peyia, who are set to hold a demonstration this evening at the town square. Peyia residents were handed out leaflets yesterday calling on everybody to stand up and fight for the preservation of Coral Bay.
“You are invited to a meeting that will take place at the main square at 7.30pm. The purpose of the meeting is to preserve Coral Bay in order to secure a free and unhindered use of the beach. We are fighting for our prosperity and the prosperity of our children, from the fighting committee for the preservation of Coral Bay.”
Deputy Mayor Stelios Karayiannides told the Cyprus Mail that his Municipality was not staging a crusade against the company owning the property, but rather seeking a solution to the problem.
“We have full respect for the owner of that piece of land so what we are asking for is an alternative to the development of that area. We are hoping that the government could perhaps give them some alternatives like swapping them another piece of land or simply buying the land off them.”
Jenny Corker, who is the manageress of the Villa Link Apartments, says that the booming development market is taking its toll on the surroundings.
“We have enough building in the area without the need to starting constructing on Coral Bay. I have been in Coral Bay for 12 years and when I first came here there were hardly any buildings around and the Coral Beach Hotel was in the early stages of construction. Now, there are buildings everywhere and it is ruining beautiful surroundings.”
Corker added development was not a way to promote tourism and that other avenues needed to be looked into.
“Tourism doesn’t really need any expanding here because I believe we get a good amount of tourists for the area. If they really want to promote the tourism more than what it is then there is one simple solution: make airline tickets to Cyprus cheaper.”
However, local resident Eric Ramswell believes that the poor infrastructure alone is reason enough not to start developing in the area.
“I am amazed at how much the area has been developing in the six years that I have been living here. What worries me is the poor infrastructure because we keep getting huge power and water cuts. Can you imagine what will happen if they build more hotels and restaurants?”
Ramswell added: “Developers around the island are building and building villas with the belief that people from abroad are going to buy them up but I think that they are in for a rude awakening.
“I have spoken with a lot of people here and they all agree that prices are just too high. The expected recession expected to hit Great Britain certainly won’t help the situation and if they think that people will pour into those villas they are very wrong. Now is certainly the worst time to start expanding the area.”
A representative of Leptos Estates told the Cyprus Mail yesterday that the situation was being blown out of proportion and that the last thing they wanted to do was ruin the environment.
“If there is one main interested party in preserving the beauty of that area it is us, because we have land interest there. We have plans to promote the area, not to make it worse and I cannot understand why people are against us doing that. We want the best for Coral Bay and our philosophy will always be that.
“However, we are open for any suggestions should somebody want to meet with us about the matter.”
