Cyprus-Forum.com

[Nikitas]

Why not take pics and post them here?

If you recall ambelopoulia hunting were outawed as a result of a web campaign not all of it based on fact.

Shaming is not the point. The point is to have the evidence to show to people who are going to buy houses from such a schmuck developer and also to use it against politicians who profess to be environmentally minded and to send it to the EU Environment Directorate. Bombarding the EU directorate with such pieces of evidence eventually gets results.

I can give you their street address if you want. The EU Envirionment Commissioner is Greek, his name is Stavros Dimas and he is a stickler about environmental correctness. He fined Greece several times.

[cyprusgrump]

A piece of land was recently bought near our house that was nothing more than a pit in the landscape, must have been cheap! What did he do?? He hired a huge digger and has removed the top of a large hill full of trees and shrubs and filled the pit with the land from the hill!!!!

We now have a view of a flattened hill which is now half it's original size and we can see many more houses that were behind this hill.

The hill is government owned land and our Cypriot neighbours say to do nothing or we would cause trouble. Is this acceptable or is there someone we can contact to stop any further digging?

Taking the trees out is illegal without permission… you might be able to hang something on that but it is unlikely…

A local bank manager here took it upon himself to level a vast amount of land (including a hill) without planning permission. Part of the result is that some houses owned by expats are in danger of falling into the hole at the end of their plots.

After years in court it is simply going nowhere – the house owners are now faced with a £50,000 bill to build a retaining wall to support their property.

Basically, I wouldn’t invest too much of your time on this… you are renting aren’t you?

Yes I am renting but I would like to stay in this area. We've got a man from the local municipality office who is high ranked coming over today over a different subject but we may just mention the hill!! We'll see what happens.

The digger is there moving the land around right now.

The land will be very unstable, more rubbish homes for gullible tourists I expect.

Looking on the bright side (I do that a lot ) you’ve learnt an excellent lesson about choosing your location when you do decide to buy.

[Niki]

A piece of land was recently bought near our house that was nothing more than a pit in the landscape, must have been cheap! What did he do?? He hired a huge digger and has removed the top of a large hill full of trees and shrubs and filled the pit with the land from the hill!!!!

We now have a view of a flattened hill which is now half it's original size and we can see many more houses that were behind this hill.

The hill is government owned land and our Cypriot neighbours say to do nothing or we would cause trouble. Is this acceptable or is there someone we can contact to stop any further digging?

Taking the trees out is illegal without permission… you might be able to hang something on that but it is unlikely…

A local bank manager here took it upon himself to level a vast amount of land (including a hill) without planning permission. Part of the result is that some houses owned by expats are in danger of falling into the hole at the end of their plots.

After years in court it is simply going nowhere – the house owners are now faced with a £50,000 bill to build a retaining wall to support their property.

Basically, I wouldn’t invest too much of your time on this… you are renting aren’t you?

Yes I am renting but I would like to stay in this area. We've got a man from the local municipality office who is high ranked coming over today over a different subject but we may just mention the hill!! We'll see what happens.

The digger is there moving the land around right now.

The land will be very unstable, more rubbish homes for gullible tourists I expect.

Looking on the bright side (I do that a lot ) you’ve learnt an excellent lesson about choosing your location when you do decide to buy.

I would actually like to have one of the old houses renovated, I love the stone and wood. New builds with the title deeds problems are not for me unless I can find one with deeds (any flying pigs around?)!

Thank you Nikitas, the man from the local office said he will look into it! I won't hold my breath but you never know!

[webbo]

A piece of land was recently bought near our house that was nothing more than a pit in the landscape, must have been cheap! What did he do?? He hired a huge digger and has removed the top of a large hill full of trees and shrubs and filled the pit with the land from the hill!!!!

We now have a view of a flattened hill which is now half it's original size and we can see many more houses that were behind this hill.

The hill is government owned land and our Cypriot neighbours say to do nothing or we would cause trouble. Is this acceptable or is there someone we can contact to stop any further digging?

Taking the trees out is illegal without permission… you might be able to hang something on that but it is unlikely…

A local bank manager here took it upon himself to level a vast amount of land (including a hill) without planning permission. Part of the result is that some houses owned by expats are in danger of falling into the hole at the end of their plots.

After years in court it is simply going nowhere – the house owners are now faced with a £50,000 bill to build a retaining wall to support their property.

Basically, I wouldn’t invest too much of your time on this… you are renting aren’t you?

Yes I am renting but I would like to stay in this area. We've got a man from the local municipality office who is high ranked coming over today over a different subject but we may just mention the hill!! We'll see what happens.

The digger is there moving the land around right now.

The land will be very unstable, more rubbish homes for gullible tourists I expect.

Looking on the bright side (I do that a lot ) you’ve learnt an excellent lesson about choosing your location when you do decide to buy.

I would actually like to have one of the old houses renovated, I love the stone and wood. New builds with the title deeds problems are not for me unless I can find one with deeds (any flying pigs around?)!

Thank you Nikitas, the man from the local office said he will look into it! I won't hold my breath but you never know!

You are learning fast gori mou!!

Bubbles x

[beverley10]

Cypriots are a law unto themselves,they do what they like where they like for money.All smiles and bonhommie while they are wanting your money and then look at the change once they have it!!!There is no consience with their financial dealings with foreigners and you are treated with contempt.When we first got there,we abhorred the "ex pat" types that were interfeering with the Cypriot culture and trying to change everything to the "british" way of behaving! It did'nt take long to realise why they were like this!I still feel that there is a lot that should be left alone but now do back any attempts at fairness for all who have invested in Cyprus and not just the "who you knows". Sorry about your spoilt living environment Nikki,it is frustrating I know.

[Niki]

Update.... the flattened hill is actually a new road cutting right across a beautiful bit of countryside with only a few houses, that don't need a road.

Do you think the person who is filling his land with the hill land just may be a cousin of someone in the local planning department? Do you think he may be just about to build houses as there's no need for the existing few houses to have this road and they very nicely put in a new road for him and hey presto have all this lovely land to fill his pit!!! Sceptical....who me???

Who wants privacy anyway?

[pantheman]

Update.... the flattened hill is actually a new road cutting right across a beautiful bit of countryside with only a few houses, that don't need a road.

Do you think the person who is filling his land with the hill land just may be a cousin of someone in the local planning department? Do you think he may be just about to build houses as there's no need for the existing few houses to have this road and they very nicely put in a new road for him and hey presto have all this lovely land to fill his pit!!! Sceptical....who me???

Who wants privacy anyway?

Niki, you suspicious little thing you. Its possible that the road has been earmaked to be construted according to the planning departsments expansion policy.

It quite common for roads to suddenly appear and the reason for this is that up until now the planning dept was not ready to progress, but now that plan may have just kicked off.

I am not saying that this is the case but I know these things do happen and where one might not realise there is a road planned, it maybe that the new guy has applied for planning and hence is required by law to put in the roads. The best you can do is go to the Poloedomia (town Planning dept) and ask the question. I have done it many times and they will tell you if and what type of road is planned for that. It you want to check on the permit status, then you need to go to the council and ask.

Its a shame really, just too much building works all over.

Good Luck.

[Nikitas]

Nikki,

In a post above I gave you a way to ACT, that is to take pics of the damage and send it to the EU environment directorate in Brussels with short, signed note describing the situation. It is one sure way to short circuit the koumbaros network.

You obvioulsy prefer having a good old moan about it and do nothing.

[webbo]

Nikki,

In a post above I gave you a way to ACT, that is to take pics of the damage and send it to the EU environment directorate in Brussels with short, signed note describing the situation. It is one sure way to short circuit the koumbaros network.

You obvioulsy prefer having a good old moan about it and do nothing.

Hey! Leave us alone! Us women can spend a lifetime learning how to 'moan and groan'!!

Bubbles x

[purdey]

Please take the above advise.
It will only take three years for a answer as opposed to 5 in Cyprus.
You will also need contractors names and addresses,local permit documentation,map refrences,photo's,details of your objections...there are a few more details needed,but I think you get the picture.