In October 2025, the Department of Environment issued the Special Ecological Assessment (SEA) report for the proposed construction and operation of a large-scale holiday development, consisting of 69 two-story villas with underground parking and swimming pools, a reception center (clubhouse), and a wastewater treatment station. The proposed project is located in the Xerolimni area, between Agios Georgios and Aspros Potamos, in the Pegeia Municipal Division of Akamas Municipality.
The project site also borders the Natura 2000 Network areas of the Akamas Peninsula Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and Special Protection Area (SPA), the State Forests of Agios Georgios, Pegeia, and Meleti, the Akamas National Forest Park (NFP), the Marine Protected Area (MPA), the Specially Protected Area of Mediterranean Importance (SPAMI) Lara–Toxeftra, and the Natural Micro-Reserve Geronisos.
The planning permit application was submitted in June 2022, together with the relevant Information Report. Following requests from competent authorities and environmental organizations, including Terra Cypria, the Department of Environment requested a SEA study, which was submitted in March 2024.
The SEA study was reviewed in a session of the Ad-hoc Committee for the SEA on 30/04/2025, during which all members unanimously recommended the rejection of the proposed project due to its potential to cause serious, negative, and irreversible impacts on the conservation objectives and integrity of the Natura 2000 SAC and SPA Akamas Peninsula areas, as well as on the two priority marine turtle species (Green Turtle and Loggerhead Turtle), which reproduce in the area and are the species characterizing the MPA and SPAMI Lara–Toxeftra.
Several members of the Ad-hoc Committee for the SEA also submitted written reasoned recommendations: the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research on 02/05/2025, Terra Cypria on 15/05/2025, and BirdLife Cyprus on 31/07/2025.
You can read the full SEA report issued by the Department of Environment and the reasoned recommendations of the Ad-hoc Committee members here.