Satisfaction with Akama Local Plan

The Cyprus Federation of Environmental Organizations (OPOK) in its announcement considers that the Akama Local Plan, as it has been evaluated, approved and published, ensures the protection of the environment of the entire Akama Peninsula and the preservation of the Natura 2000 Network areas, as well as the sustainable development and social welfare of local communities.

At the same time, however, he points out that what remains to be done and is prioritized at this moment is the safeguarding of social justice, through the establishment of the necessary compensatory measures regarding exclusively those cases where the final spatial planning of the Akama Peninsula brings about a substantial and adverse impact acquired development rights and permitted land uses.

In the same announcement it is noted that the Akama Local Plan incorporates all the legally binding and essential terms of the final Special Ecological Assessment Report and the final Strategic Environmental Assessment Opinion, which were issued by the Environmental Authority on 17.02.2023 and 21.02.2023, respectively, OPOK, as a member, based on current legislation, of the Ad-hoc Committee for Special Ecological Assessment and the Committee for Environmental Impact Assessment of Plans and Programs considers that the provisions, policy measures and urban planning zones of the final Akama Local Plan will not result in serious, negative,cumulative and irreversible effects on the conservation objectives and the integrity of the areas of the Natura 2000 Network Special Zone of Conservation and Special Protection Zone Akama Peninsula, as well as the Special Protection Zone of Agia Ekaterini and Agia Paraskevi Gorges.

In addition, OPOK considers that, if the final provisions and policy measures of the Akamas Local Plan are properly implemented, then the unique and unaltered natural environment and landscape of the entire Akamas Peninsula and the single ecosystem of the wider area, beyond the protected areas, will be preserved of the Natura 2000 Network.

OPOK considers that all the necessary urban planning tools should be implemented (e.g. activation of dormant land within urban development zones, through the necessary street cutting plans and the registration of existing rural roads within the defined development limits of the public road network in the public road network local communities, etc.) for the purposes of preventing scattered construction and uncontrolled development and ensuring compact and integrated development, as well as all necessary agro-environmental measures (e.g. significant strengthening of the provision of financial aid in environmentally sensitive areas with mandatory restrictions, increasing the provision of hectare subsidies for the implementation of agro-environmental measures and land management in the areas of the Natura 2000 Network, etc.) for the purpose of protecting the agricultural land of high natural value and the ecosystem services offered by various traditional and environmentally friendly agro-livestock activities.

OPOK also considers that the period of 6 months until the start of implementation of the Akamas Local Plan also offers the possibility of submitting the Pegeia Local Plan under preparation to a Special Ecological Assessment and Strategic Environmental Assessment, in order to ensure the joint assessment of cumulative and cumulative impacts of the two (2) Akamas and Pegeia Local Plans, prior to their implementation, based on the provisions of the Environmental Impact Assessment of Plans and/or Programs Law of 2005, of the Nature and Wildlife Protection and Management Law of 2003 to 2015, as well as the Protection and Management of Wild Birds and Game Law of 2003 to 2020.

Source: stockwatch.com.cy

Photo: istockphoto.com