Environmental Authority opens way for Fattal Hotel Group’s new €65m hotel, Leonardo Club Latsi

The Environmental Authority has opened the way for the implementation of the Fattal Hotel Group's plan to build a new hotel called Leonardo Club Latsi in Polis Chrysochous, after evaluating a relevant Environmental Impact Assessment Study.

According to the data provided in the Study, as well as in the opinion of the Environmental Authority, the information report prepared by the project owner concerns additions/conversions and change of use to an already licensed project, for which a Reasoned Finding was issued, for the construction of organised tourist apartments (272 beds) with common areas.

The change of use concerns the change from organised tourist apartments to a four-star hotel.

More specifically, it has been proposed for a floor to be added to all the buildings/blocks (tourist accommodations), which are increased by one floor, from ground floor/single-storey and two-storey to two-storey and three-storey so that the additions/conversions result in an increase in the number of double apartments from 136 to 240 and, as a result, the number of beds from 272 to 480.

It is clarified that the apartments have the ability to accommodate one more person, who will be accommodated on a sofa that converts into a bed, therefore it is estimated that for each apartment (240) there will be 3 beds, therefore 720 beds in total, resulting in the ability to accommodate 720 people in the hotel development.

What will the project encompass?

More specifically, the proposed project concerns the construction of a hotel unit consisting of:

• 18 blocks/buildings, of which 11 (A, B, DI, J, K and L) are tourist accommodation, with 240 rooms of 2 beds, so a total of 480 beds with a capacity to accommodate 720 people (720 beds).
  Of the 240 rooms, 11 are for persons with disabilities (PWDs). Five blocks/buildings out of the 18 consist of shared areas such as restaurants, bars, etc. There is a block/building at the entrance to the development, which is the control point and another which is a sports area.
  The change that is being made is the increase by one floor in all buildings except J and K which will increase by two floors, resulting in an increase in the number of rooms from 136 to 240, of beds from 272 to 480, with a capacity to accommodate 720 people.
  Most blocks/buildings have a basement and are three-storey buildings, except for blocks A, B and C which are two-storey.
  The maximum height of the buildings (blocks) is approximately 11 metres, with a maximum depth of basements approximately four metres.
• 225 parking spaces, of which 9 are for persons with disabilities. The development will also have 12 bicycle parking spaces and, according to the submitted plans, two bus and taxi parking spaces
• 12 swimming pools: a main swimming pool of the development with a capacity of 1033.2 cubic meters, along with a children's pool and a Spa pool, and 11 swimming pools in blocks/buildings A, B, DL.
• Internal private road network,
• EAC underground substation in the underground utility area of ​​Block N (sports area)
• Underground biological tertiary wastewater treatment plant, capacity 720PE (180 cubic meters/day, approximately). The biological plant, according to the information in Report, will be located at the northwest end at the entrance to the development, in an underground space, below the waste bins and the private road network.

It is noted that the development is planned to be implemented on the plot, numbered 193, F./Sch. 26/50, which occupies an area of ​​59,300 sq.m., of which, 7,220 sq.m. will be allocated as public green space, 962 sq.m. for community infrastructure and the remaining 1,555 sq.m. is the allocated area of ​​the submitted street plan.

According to the Architects, in the planning permit, 8,691 sq m. of the development plot will be registered as fields.

Demolition of previous development

It is also worth mentioning that the proposed development was preceded by the demolition of the existing development called "ZENIG RESORTS LATSI" formerly "ELIAS RESORTS" and which concerned organised Category A tourist apartments, with a total number of bedrooms of 142.

The demolition was carried out in accordance with the demolition permit with Permit No.: 3457, File Number B1/2023.

It is emphasised that the pre-existing development consisted of 18 blocks/buildings, a multi-purpose hall and a restaurant with a total building area of ​​8,522 sq.m. and a coverage area of ​​6,250 sq.m.

Based on the information report, the new buildings of the proposed development will be constructed in the same locations where the existing ones previously existed, thus preserving their footprint.

This aims to prevent further soil sealing and the impact on the surrounding area.

According to the supplementary data, the proposed sealing area of ​​the development plot with impermeable materials is approximately 60%, similar to the sealing area of ​​the plot before the demolitions as well as to the sealing area of ​​the plot according to the initial Planning Permit and Reasoned Finding, dated 04/09/2023, in which it was 55%.

It is also noted that the completion of the project is expected to take approximately 18 months from the securing of the necessary permits and the commencement of construction work, with the estimated cost amounting to €65,000,000.

The position of the Environmental Authority

It is also noted that the Environmental Authority, when formulating its position, took into account:

The information and supplementary data submitted pursuant to article 23 of the Law (Information Report),

• the views of the departments involved,
• the criteria of the Fourth Annex of the Law
• the on-site visit.

Additionally, the Environmental Authority took into account:

• paragraph 13.6.1 of the approved Local Plan of Chrysochous Bay 2024, published on 07/06/2024, which allows the construction of a three-story building, exclusively for hotels.
• the approval of the Aesthetic Control Committee, of the Department of Urban Planning and Housing, regarding the aesthetics of the landscape.
• the fact that the new buildings of the proposed development began to be constructed at the same locations, where there were existing buildings that were demolished in accordance with the demolition permit with Permit No.: 3457, File No. B1/2023.
  The existing development concerned organised Category A tourist apartments, with a total number of bedrooms of 142 and consisted of 18 blocks/buildings, a multi-purpose hall and a restaurant with a total construction area of ​​8,522 sq.m. and a coverage area of ​​6,250 sq.m..
  The proposed development still has 18 blocks/buildings, of which 11 consist of 240 rooms with 2 beds, therefore a total of 480 beds with a capacity to accommodate 720 people (720 beds).
  The 5 blocks/buildings out of the 18 consist of common areas such as restaurants, bars etc., a checkpoint and a sports area.
  It is emphasized that the new proposed building area of ​​the project amounts to approximately 12,858 sq.m., while the new proposed coverage area amounts to approximately 6,478 sq.m., thus not further increasing the sealing of the ground and the impact on the surrounding area.
• the letter from the Paphos District Local Government Organisation (Paphos EOA), dated 11/12/2024, in which it informed the Department of Environment that the Paphos EOA is governed by the status of the Wider Public Sector and not by the Public Sector and therefore cannot be represented by the Legal Service to proceed with the examination of the enforcement and that based on the preliminary review of the revised plans, it consents to the granting of the requested development and deems the evaluation and opinion of the Department of Environment necessary.

The Environmental Authority, based on the above and in the event that a Planning Permit is granted, deems it necessary to incorporate therein the terms/conditions referred to in the Annex to Terms, which cover the entire project and replace the terms of the Reasoned Finding, dated 04/09/2023, issued in the context of the evaluation of the Planning Permit with number PAF/00283/2023, as management measures to mitigate the impacts on the environment during the construction and operation of the said development.

Additionally, the Environmental Authority, based on article 24(5) of the Law, lists the main reasons why an Environmental Impact Assessment Study is not required, with reference to the relevant criteria in the Fourth Annex.

Specifically, the reasons are the following:

• Project characteristics: The proposed project concerns the construction of 18 blocks/buildings, of which 11 are tourist accommodations, with 240 rooms of 2 beds with the possibility of hosting one more person, who will be hosted on a sofa, therefore it is estimated that for each apartment (240) 3 people will be hosted, therefore 720 people in total (720 beds).
  5 Blocks out of the 18 are with shared space. In the proposed development plot there was previously a tourist development of the same type as the proposed development.
  In addition, in the wider development area there are developments of the same function, namely tourist and commercial developments such as tourist accommodations, catering areas, kiosks, etc.
  For the implementation of the project, the usual construction works will be carried out.
• Project Location: The proposed project is located on plot number 193 (F/Sq. 26/50) in the Parish of Prodromi, in the location of Diplarkaka, in the Municipality of Polis Chrysochous in Paphos.
  The largest area of ​​the proposed plot of the Project falls within the Urban Planning Zone, Tourist Zone - T3d2, in which the proposed project will be implemented.
  The remaining part of the plot falls into the following three (3) urban planning zones: the Agricultural Zone - Γα2, where no construction work will be implemented, the Protection Zone - δα2, part of which will be granted as a street plan, where the construction works of the public road network have already been constructed and finally the Protection Zone (Watercourse) - δα1, where no construction work will be implemented.
  The development plot under study does not fall into a protected area of ​​the Natura 2000 network, nor into a Migratory Bird Corridor, it adjoins the "Ag. Ioannis" River to the west.
• Type and characteristics of potential impacts: the main impacts from the proposed project mainly concern impacts during its construction. However, it is expected that, with the implementation of the proposed mitigation measures as well as the implementation of the above conditions, any impacts from its construction and operation will be prevented and manageable.

(Source: InBusinessNews)