The fine line between sustainable development and property explosion

Sir,

I note the article in your August 6 issue relating the angst of the building industry in the Paphos area regarding what they see as over-bureaucratic and lengthy procedures to get planning consent and building permits.

I have to say the same complaints often surface where I live here in Scotland. It seems the building industry these days believes that they should be allowed to build whatever they like, wherever they like. They also seem to have paid no attention to what will happen when the market is saturated. Hereabouts they are now learning the hard way.

What needs to happen is to gain a reasonable balance between consent and refusal. This is not easy no matter where you are and of course a refusal always hurts. Having been a regular holidaymaker in Paphos since 1988, I have observed the rapidly expanding urban areas with more than a little concern. Indeed, so concerned was I that in the past I have written to government ministers warning them about the risks they would face if better control was not applied.

That does not mean red-tape I have to say. Rather it means a proper analysis of (a) need and (b) sites to accommodate those buildings, mostly houses or villas, which it is felt should be permitted to be built.

My principal concern has been and remains that if better control is not exercised, and there seems to have been precious little to me, the character of the area will be altered irrecoverably. This will have dire effects on the tourist industry since, as I have also mentioned to government, people will not pay a flight premium for the “Cyprus experience” if it resembles the Costas too closely. In other words, sunshine is not the only or even the prime motivator for your tourist industry.

It will be argued, no doubt, that a slow down in construction will lead to unemployment but if proper planning had been undertaken the limits would have been known and taken account of.

As it is I would suggest that any spare capacity in the building industry could be usefully employed on infrastructural improvements, and I don’t mean roads! Think water supplies for instance or pavements where they are needed.

I could go on but you get the message. Red tape is bad, I agree, but in Paphos and other areas of Cyprus what is needed most in relation to building is the ability to say “no”. Unless that happens not only will you risk destroying your best income earner you will occasion the final collapse of your water and sewerage infrastructure. It won’t really matter which happens first because the outcome will be the same. Economic disaster. Please don’t let that happen.

Alan Grant,
Blairgowrie, Scotland