The examination of the two applications for the development of shopping malls by way of deviation in Eastern Limassol began in late March by the five-member Council for the Study of Deviations, and the process will continue in subsequent sessions until final decisions are reached, as stated by the Council’s President, Sotiris Ktoridis, in response to a relevant inquiry submitted by “Entrepreneurial Limassol.”
Following the completion of the review, the Council’s reasoned recommendations will be submitted to the Council of Ministers, Mr. Ktoridis added, without specifying a timeframe for when this will take place.
At a Council meeting in December 2025, the minutes of the two public hearings were reviewed and approved: dated 10/10/2025 for the application by “The Mall of Limassol Ltd” and for the application by C.A.C. Papantoniou Ltd, Souzana and Yiannakis Christodoulou, and Jumbo Trading Ltd.
Meanwhile, affected authorities and stakeholders in Limassol appear to have raised concerns with the central government due to their common stance regarding the applications for deviation permits for the two proposed shopping malls in Eastern Limassol.
The Mayor of Amathounta, Kyriakos Xydias, stated that he initially believed both malls would be approved. However, following interventions by local authorities, he now considers it more likely that only one permit will be granted, and that with significant modifications compared to the investors’ original proposals.
According to information, the Deviations Council requested and received proposals submitted by the Municipality of Amathounta, with the support of the University of Cyprus, for the development of a shopping center based on sustainable urban mobility principles.
Mr. Xydias, during the public hearing organized by the Council, rejected the proposal for the shopping center on Agios Athanasios Avenue as presented, submitting instead a counterproposal for a development that would serve as a model of sustainable urban mobility and promote a new model of urban planning for Limassol.
The Mayor called on public authorities, planners, and investors to view the project “as an opportunity to create a new, modern development hub” that would encourage micromobility, public transport, walking, and cycling. “If we can design a shopping center that combines commercial activity with sustainable mobility, we are ready to participate in a discussion that will reshape the area,” he noted.
Mr. Xydias emphasized the need for green infrastructure, pedestrianization, urban equipment, and safe pedestrian crossings, so that the development can be organically connected with surrounding neighborhoods, parks, and the industrial area. In this context, the Municipality of Amathounta proposed the preparation of a master plan for the entire area, taking into account sustainable mobility principles and establishing a unified strategy for connecting roads, transport, and public spaces. “Only in this way can we create a project that truly serves the city and not just the car,” he concluded.
Regarding the project “The Mall of Limassol,” owned by Atterbury Europe and located on Spyrou Kyprianou Avenue, the Mayor of Limassol, Yiannis Armeftis, expressed his strong opposition, stating that such developments are detrimental to the city. As he noted, there is an attempt to present the situation more positively through the compensatory measures proposed by the company, which, according to him, are insufficient to address the serious issues that will arise, particularly in terms of traffic and environmental impact.
Finally, the views submitted in writing to the Council by the Limassol District Organization of Local Government align with those of the two municipalities.
