Cyprus has passed a significant new law aimed at facilitating urban land development through a process known as urban consolidation. This legislative step is designed to unlock the development potential of fragmented, underutilized, or inaccessible land in urban areas. By enabling the merging and redistribution of land plots—often hindered by complex ownership structures, legal encumbrances, or physical inaccessibility—the law offers a practical solution to long-standing challenges in urban planning.
This reform falls under Cyprus’s broader Recovery and Resilience Plan and is expected to stimulate residential and infrastructure growth. It emphasizes the importance of organized, sustainable development by avoiding scattered and inefficient land use. Property owners whose plots are included in the scheme will benefit from new infrastructure, including roads, green areas, pedestrian pathways, and shared public spaces, making the land more valuable and functional.
While the process will initially be implemented through ten pilot projects, it is ultimately expected to apply more broadly. Importantly, participation by landowners and local authorities is encouraged on a voluntary basis. However, in cases where consensus cannot be reached, the Council of Ministers holds the authority to enforce consolidation to ensure progress.
This legislative change marks a turning point in urban development policy and is set to reshape how land is prepared and offered for use in key areas across Cyprus.
Source: Philenews