The prospect of transforming the State Fairgrounds solely into a forest/park (without any structural development within the area) is a matter for the Government, as the owner of the space. The Egkomi Municipal Council stated on Monday that it would adopt a positive stance and cooperate with all relevant authorities if the Government decides on such a transformation. This announcement comes as part of the ongoing discussions about the utilization of the State Fairgrounds.

According to the municipality, a task force was established to prepare a comprehensive proposal, including a spatial planning study for the best use of the State Fairgrounds. The task force concluded that the preferred options for optimal utilization of the area are the creation of an innovation zone or a business/exhibition zone. They decided to commission consultants/experts to conduct a feasibility study and spatial planning study to evaluate these options and select the most suitable scenario for the area. Regarding the proposed development, the consultants recommended implementing it gradually in three phases over 14 years.

The total area of the State Fairgrounds is 250,000 square meters. The study suggests that the total buildable area should be 83,000 square meters, with 167,000 square meters designated as open spaces for social gatherings, parks, greenery, playgrounds, etc.

Given frequent public proposals to convert the entire 250,000 square meter area into a national park/forest (without any proposed structural development), the Egkomi Municipality clarified that according to the task force's study, a crucial element in the General Spatial Plan is the public park and public square. The study proposes creating a significant green space for the area, enhancing the functional, environmental, social, and economic aspects of the site and improving its connectivity with nearby areas.

For this purpose, the design includes a large frontage of green space to benefit the new development, with a width sufficient to provide various social facilities and host multiple independent uses, such as playgrounds, gathering points, entertainment, sports, and event venues.

The proposed park will cover 43,000 square meters, comparable in scale to the Acropolis Park or the Nicosia Municipal Garden, which are approximately 35,000 square meters each. The green space could be expanded to 60,000 square meters. Additionally, since only 33% (82,680 square meters of the 250,586 square meters) will be covered with impermeable materials, the majority of the development area is available for creating green spaces.

The Egkomi Municipality emphasized that the prospect of transforming the entire State Fairgrounds into a forest/park without any structural development is a government decision. Should the Government decide to proceed, the Egkomi Municipal Council would adopt a positive stance and cooperate with all relevant authorities. Furthermore, the council has consistently set conditions to ensure that any potential innovation zone development prioritizes greenery, sports/entertainment spaces, and social gathering areas, with minimal concrete structures and buildings to match the green environment and community focus.

The council reiterated that, in any case, the 250,000 square meter State Fairgrounds should primarily serve social gatherings, parks, playgrounds, sports areas, etc., for the residents of western Nicosia and beyond.

The Egkomi Municipal Council reviewed the proposed innovation zone plan and, considering the presence of 20,000 students from two major universities in the area, unanimously decided that such a center would provide significant employment opportunities for the youth, especially in these challenging times.

The council also established clear conditions for the development, including opposition to a bus terminal in the area, support for more green and sports spaces, and milder building developments. They also emphasized the importance of creating a stormwater retention lake to prevent flooding, which would be landscaped to function as a public park with social gathering spaces.

The task force, considering Egkomi Municipality's positions, recommended including the stormwater retention lake in the project, moving the central bus terminal to another location, such as the Nicosia Mall area, to avoid traffic congestion and environmental impact. They also proposed redesigning Leukotheou Avenue for smoother traffic flow and safer pedestrian movement, enhancing the area's attractiveness.

The Egkomi Municipality awaits the Government's final decision on the matter and has announced that it would welcome a referendum by the Government (as the owner of the State Fairgrounds) with specific questions to Egkomi residents.