Group challenges Limassol high rise towers

The Ipatia Initiative group is taking court action to prevent the construction of the NEO high rise project in Limassol following an independent evaluation of the buildings on their quality of life and the project’s environmental impact.

THE LIMASSOL Municipality’s decision to grant a planning permit for the high rise NEO project is being challenged by the Ipatia Initiative Group, on grounds of the negative impact on their quality of life and the general environment.

The NEO development by Pafilia comprises four high rise towers of 40, 34, 34 and 29 storeys respectively, four shops and three cafe-restaurants and provide 353 residential apartments and parking for 1405 vehicles.

The group commissioned a study by experts to assess the impact of the high rise buildings on their quality of life, the impact of local amenities as well as the impact on the environment and the landscape. The experts concluded that:

The quality of life of residents living in the area will be adversely affected during construction works and the operation of the project. This was mainly due to a significant increase in noise, dust and air pollution, traffic congestion and volume and loss of privacy.
The general landscape will also suffer a significant degradation; most notably the public garden, the coast and a number of listed buildings, including the Limassol Historical Archive and the Limassol Municipal Gallery.
The inadequate management of bathing water at the local beach and the general Limassol Bay area and the anticipated dumping of large quantities of brackish water and mud directly into the sea during the construction of the high rise development.

The Ipatia group’s legal challenge included an application to suspend planning permission began in May and is on-going.