The final outcome of Brexit will determine the fate of the plan under which 78% of land within the jurisdiction of the British military bases in Cyprus will be integrated into planning zones and property development become possible by removing land acquisition restrictions. The process of publishing the final text of the Policy Statement, including setting planning zones, which began more than five years ago, has stalled amid uncertainty over the precise form of the UK exit from the European Union and certain issues that have not been resolved and are directly related to it.
If agreement is reached (on an orderly Brexit), Protocol 2 on planning zones will be immediately activated. If not, the whole plan will fall apart. The affected local authorities had raised their concerns with the President of the Republic since March, but have not yet received sufficient answers as to what can be expected. Consultations at Foreign Ministers’ level between Cyprus and the United Kingdom on the final parameters of the agreement also revealed divergence of opinions in sovereignty-related matters, including as to who, for example would be responsible for the provision of various public services and who would be in charge of issues pertaining to land expropriation.
Procedure-wise, after the completion of the study on the potential impact on the environment from the implementation of the local plan, consultations are underway with interested parties. Already the bases administration is said to have voiced certain concerns about aspects of the study, and received a clarification letter to that effect from the Department of Town Planning. Of great importance to the British side are military and environmental issues. The long-awaited publication of the final text with the relevant maps will follow the objections procedure, whereby any interested party will be able to submit a written objection to the Bases Administrator within four months.
