The Council of the Nicosia District Administration has recently decided to establish a Licensing Committee composed of five members: Kostas Petsas (Chairman), Charalambos Prontzos, Andreas Constantinou, Aris Constantinou, and Miltiadis Iereidis. This committee will oversee urban planning and building control in the district.

According to an official announcement from the organization, this decision aligns with the philosophy of Local Government Reform, which emphasizes greater transparency and consultation. The Nicosia District Administration is committed to better serving the local community, ensuring that developmental activities are conducted with respect for both the environment and the needs of residents.

The announcement further states that the Licensing Committee will evaluate specific categories of developments or land uses that could impact the environment, topography, neighboring residents, or organized community groups.

It is clarified that the Committee will focus on urban planning applications for developments that face strong opposition from nearby residents or local community groups, developments that have received negative feedback from the relevant Local Authority, any developments submitted as exceptions, all developments requiring an Environmental Impact Assessment, and those that might lead to overdevelopment, potentially affecting the comfort of nearby residents.

Additionally, the Committee will oversee industrial developments that are incompatible with other industrial or craft developments in the area, mining and quarrying operations outside designated zones, livestock developments outside designated Livestock Zones and Areas, petrol stations that may be located as exceptions, complex and specialized recreational and entertainment facilities serving broader regional needs, large-scale commercial developments such as malls and supermarkets, and other commercial and office developments requiring a Commercial Impact Study or Environmental Impact Assessment.

Regarding building permits, the Council has decided that it will only make decisions on matters of policy formation and strategic approaches to addressing significant issues related to issued permits.