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The following letter was sent to the Cyprus Today newspaper this
morning… it may be of interest to all HBPG members, particularly those
who live in the vicinity.
28 March 2007
Gill Fraser
Cyprus Today Newspaper
Lefkosa
Dear Gill Fraser,
Could I please draw your attention to yet another violation of the
environment and lack of consideration to residents living in the area of
Bodurmese, Bellapais – i.e. the vicinity to the south of the Guvence
School (the old Ability Education Centre) on the boundary of Ozankoy and
Bellapais.
Last week bulldozers indiscriminately cleared a large plot of land at
the junction of Bellapais Konaklari and Begonvil Avenue destroying all
the plant and wildlife on it. This area of land is designated as
‘naturalised’ land and thus should not be built upon.
When enquiries were made, the Authorities were reluctant to divulge any
information, to the point that the resident seeking details was warned
not to take it further. However, we have learned that the land has been
leased and a large multi-story hotel is to be built on the site, without
consideration to the following points:-
1. This is a quiet residential area unsuited to commercial use. All
roads in the district are small, built only to serve the local
community. The safety of children will be jeopardised and traffic noise
will be inflicted upon everyone – not only during construction but after
completion.
2. The proposed height of the building exceeds all local
guidelines/legislation and will be an eyesore, totally out of character
with the surrounding area.
3. The residents immediately above the proposed development (approx. 50
houses) were without mains water for 10 months last year, despite being
connected to the system. It is anticipated that supplies will be cut
again within the next few weeks. Should this hotel be built it will only
exacerbate an already critical situation. We understand that a series of
wells will be dug within the complex which in turn will further deplete
this very limited resource.
Incidentally, regular representations made to the Muhtar, the Water
Board, the Planning Department and the Ministry of the Interior
regarding the proposed connection of the new water depot above Bellapais
have been ignored. It still has to be completed despite promises made
two years ago, and we are given conflicting reasons for the delay.
4. It is feared that a hotel complex of this size, once occupied, will
create even further noise pollution, particularly if there is poolside
music, discos etc.
5. It will create yet more air pollution from the dust during
construction, and we can assume more environmental damage by the dumping
of builder’s rubbish.
To summarise, it would seem that the Government’s reassurances that it
would control indiscriminate building and environmental damage are just
yet more empty words. There can be no commercial justification for the
building of yet more hotels as there will be no improvement in the
tourist trade in the short to middle term, so such a project will not
only damage the lives of local residents but also the livelihood of
existing hotels and restaurants in the area. The only conclusion to be
drawn is that a few people will benefit financially to the detriment of
the rest of the community – and in the long term, the future of the
TRNC.
I would urge you to make your own investigations into what would appear
to be an immoral and possibly illegal enterprise.
Yours sincerely,
Bryan Hill.
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