UNDER the temporary provisions of the Town Planning Amnesty, those wishing to have planning irregularities that result from overbuilding are required to pay a ‘compensation levy’ (penalty).
This penalty is based on the extent of the overbuilding, which must not exceed the parameters defined by the relevant laws.
Under the Town and Country Law, the excess density should be no more than 30% of the allowed density for the area or zone, providing that the total area of the approved footprint of the building has not been exceeded by more than 10%.
Under the Streets and Buildings Regulation law, the excess must not exceed 10% of the allowed density for the area or zone, half of which must be accommodated within the building’s approved footprint. (In cases where the irregularities are very severe, the Building Authority has the power to issue a certificate of unauthorised works, requiring the Department of Lands and Surveys to register a note on the title. This note will prohibit the transfer of the property to another person.)
(Please view ‘Planning Amnesty Explained‘ by Yiannis Koutsolambros for a full explanation).
The compensation levy is calculated by multiplying the extent of the overbuild, in square metres, by the value shown in columns 5 or 6 of the tables below. (The tables are in Greek, but it is relatively straightforward to translate their contents using Google Translate or Yahoo Babel Fish).
Tables for properties located in:
- Famagusta (all areas)
Note that planning infringements due to reasons other than overbuilding, may be legitimised without incurring a ‘compensation levy’.