A BRITISH expat living in Paphos has finally received permission to build a road to his plot of land after a 22-year wait, but the process is further being held up by a disagreement with the local community board.
Tom Lince has been struggling for more than two decades for permission to build a road to his plot, number 57, on a hillside in Chlorakas and says it would now only take three weeks to complete.
He is desperate to sell the land. According to Lince, the road will provide access to the three land owners in the area and once completed, including tarmac, will have cost them in excess of €100,000. In addition to these costs, Lince stands to lose €30,000 off the value of the land if the road is not completed, three valuations of the plot have indicated.
He also claims that any work done to the road will be rendered useless unless Chlorakas community board completes work further up, which they own and which they are responsible for. But he says they have informed him they have no funds available to carry out the necessary work.
This is not the only problem Lince has had with the land, bought in 1989. He says he and two Cypriots were sold three individual plots but then found out they were three co-owners of a larger plot. The vendor filed for bankruptcy 15 years ago.
Lince and the other owners have flattened the soil in their segment of the road – about 150m – and laid a kurb and pavement, but tarmac cannot be laid until work is completed further up.
He said, in wet weather only a 4WD vehicle would be able to gain access, and after heavy rain the new tarmac would be totally covered by mud and debris.
Lince pointed out, “We have done more than necessary with the road. It is 7.95m wide with pavements on both sides. It only gives access to five plots, so it is a cul-de-sac, and only accessible down the hill. We have no choice; we have to have this road.”
He added, “I’m appealing to the mukhtar to uphold his promises that the community council would shoulder the responsibility of completing their part of the road. We have done everything we could to make this a thoroughly professional job, and we would not have gone ahead with the road if we had known that the mukhtar would not do the hill.”
At the end of his tether, Lince said he is now considering seeking further legal redress, claiming for the full cost of the road, including services, legal costs and damages for the distress caused.
