Deadlines extended for golf course planning

A proposal by the ministry of interior was approved Wednesday by the Cabinet, extending the deadlines of an urban planning scheme that provides incentives for the development of golf courses.

According to an official announcement, the scheme requires that planning and building permits are secured by June 29, 2019. A complete planning application needs to be submitted to the Urban Planning Authority beforehand, until December 29, 2018.

All proposed projects need to be completed within three years from the day the building permit is granted.

Deadlines foreseen in a previous Cabinet decision, on March 2015, were extended, because they were deemed to be restrictive. According to the announcement, it has emerged that a number of important projects, for which investors expressed interest to benefit from the scheme, are mainly large and complex developments.

These require more time for the preparation of plans and for their review by the authorities, it is noted.

When it comes to golf courses, projects for their development need to secure building permits or planning permits for their club houses by June 30, 2018. A year later, on June 30, 2019, all earthworks, streets and facilities will need to be ready.

Golf courses are deemed to enrich Cyprus` tourism product, attracting as a destination high quality tourism, the announcement concludes.

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