Minister Ioannou and developers discuss permit issuing delays

The Cyprus Property Developers Association has met with Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou to discuss key issues directly related to the housing problem, including delays in the issuing of permits.

According to an announcement after the 27 January meeting, it was attended by the Association’s Chairman Yiannis Misirlis, members of the Board of Directors and the Association’s General Manager, Mersina Isidorou.

The key issues discussed included the delays in the issuance of planning and building permits, with the Association pointing out that this is an issue that significantly affects the housing sector, while at the same time harming the competitiveness of Cyprus.

To address the problem, the Chairman of the Association, Yiannis Misirlis, stressed that self-monitoring by the surveyors themselves should be extended to larger developments.

This would largely relieve the local authorities of having to examine thousands of applications and would contribute to speeding up the examination of the most complex developments.

The Association also pointed out the need to place the issuance of building and urban planning permits under a single Authority.

The meeting also discussed public-private sector cooperation for the development of affordable housing, within the framework of housing policy. Recognising the importance of this cooperation, Misirlis stressed the need for continuous evaluation, improvement and utilisation of the Ministry of Interior's relevant schemes.

Finally, the Chairman of the Association reaffirmed the commitment of the Cyprus Property Developers Association to continue working responsibly and constructively, as a reliable social partner, with the aim of addressing the housing problem and ensuring everyone's right to housing.

(Source: InBusinessNews)