Ministerial Decree

[avanapa]

Hi Nigel,
may I enquire as to you having any further information re the Decree issued in June by the Interior minister, regarding the amnesty involving minor planning infringements. Your article "More help for trapped buyers" had outlined the main purpose of the decree. However, you may recall that you were awaiting a more accurate translation of the decree in order to clarify some questions that were raised.
My particular query was whether individual properties that have no obvious serious planning issues, such as no road, green areas or not built to spec, would be affected if these problems exist in other parts of a project.
My particular phase of our project, which has a road and complete green area, was in fact completed before the other phases were even built but the final phase comes under the same street name and was not completed. There are a couple of unfinished properties and no road at their end.
I would be grateful for any further information re the decree if it is available. I applied for my deeds in September but as yet have heard nothing from the LR although I understand that someone has been round measuring various plots in surrounding developments built by our now defunct company.
Thanks

[Nigel Howarth]

Hi Chris

I've had the Ministerial Decree translated - you can find it at Ministerial Decree.

If your phase of the development was the subject of separate planning applications, which included its roads, green areas, etc. and it has been fully completed, I expect that you will be OK.

When I visited the senior officers at the Dept of Lands & Surveys in Nicosia in March the LRs had received 8,500 applications of which 3,000 had deeds. The remaining 5,500 had been referred to Municipalities to complete inspections and issue Certificates of approval. (I understand from another source that more than 20,000 cases have been referred to the the Municipalities).

If the authorities have been out surveying, progress is being made.

Regards,

[avanapa]

Thanks for your prompt reply. Can you advise me where and what is the District Office. I e- mailed the Planning Dept a few weeks ago to find out if my project had been surveyed and for any updates. They said they do not deal with this and I should contact the District Office for my area. Is this the LR or a separate office?

[Nigel Howarth]

Hi Chris

As I recall your property is in Xylophagou? That's in Larnaca District.

The Larnaca District office can be found at:

19-21 Constantinos Paleologos Street,
PO Box 40103,
6301 Larnaca
Tel: 24801818

Details for the Department Town Planning and Housing in Larnaca
PO Box 40611
6306 Larnaca
Tel. 24821130

I suggest you give them a call to see which office is relevant.

The Land Registry is a separate organisation; part of the Interior Ministry. Their Larnaca office is located at:

Konstantinou Kavafi Str.,
P.O.Box 40106,
6301 Larnaca
Tel: 24803300

Regards,

[avanapa]

Thanks Nigel. I will call them.

[avanapa]

Hi Nigel

Can you confirm whether or not? this decree has actually passed into Law yet

[Nigel Howarth]

Hi Chris

The Ministerial Decree should have been passed into law by now - unfortunately I cannot find any further references.

Your lawyer should know - I do not have access to the Gazette (you need to be a registered lawyer). I've checked on cylaw.org, which is maintained by the Bar Association and lists the laws, but I cannot see it.

Your lawyer should know - they get a printed copy of the Cyprus Gazette.

Regards,

[avanapa]

Hi Nigel
I was at the District Office in Larnaca today and the lady there confirmed that the decree is now law.

[Nigel Howarth]

Thanks Chris

That's excellent news!

Regards (from a wet and chilly UK)