At the center of the discussion is the presentation by the Mayor of Limassol, Yiannis Armeutis, for the creation of a multifunctional complex on the site of the Old Hospital. The plan includes a conference center, public services, a TEPAK educational facility, investment offices, a bus station, a police station, and an underground parking lot.

The proposal concerns a plot with a total area of 43,008 sq.m. (net area of 41,220 sq.m.) and provides for a development capacity of up to 65,952 sq.m., with a maximum coverage of 50%, up to five floors, and a maximum height of 20.5 meters.

The presentation, however, stands in contrast to the decision of the Council of Ministers of February 2024, by which the plot of the Old Limassol Hospital and the plot of the First Technical School were allocated to the Cyprus University of Technology (TEPAK) for the development of the University's Second Pole.

On June 15, in an interview with "Phileleftheros", the Rector of TEPAK, Panayiotis Zaphiris, presented the approved master plan of the University, which provides for a 57,500 sq.m. campus, new faculties, student dormitories, a health center, and projects with a total budget of €104 million.

Conflicting Allocations and the Rector's Reaction

The Municipality's new proposal, however, presents a different picture. According to what was presented, approximately 10,000 sq.m. are assigned to TEPAK, while the rest of the plot is slated to host other uses, such as a conference center, public services, investment offices, a police station, a bus station, and an underground parking lot. This point triggered the reaction of the Rector, who publicly questioned what exactly the Mayor's proposal includes and where the conference center appearing in the design is located.

Yiannis Armeutis has argued in previous statements that his proposal does not aim to overturn TEPAK's development, but rather to achieve a unified utilization of the entire Old Hospital area. As he stated, he is suggesting a comprehensive design that will allow the coexistence of university facilities and other public infrastructure, adding that his suggestions have already been placed before the government.

Unanswered Legal and Governance Questions

The Municipality's presentation leaves, nonetheless, critical questions unanswered. Since the land has already been allocated to TEPAK by a decision of the Council of Ministers, can a Municipality present a different design for the same state land? Is there a government decision modifying the existing design, or is this exclusively a proposal by the Municipality?

It also remains an open question whether a Municipality is legally entitled to suggest a different utilization for land whose use has already been determined by a decision of the Council of Ministers. So far, no modification or revocation of the February 2024 Council of Ministers' decision has been announced.

Source: ink.com