BIG PROJECTS UNDER IMPLEMENTATION AND PROSPECTS FOR INVESTMENTS AND BUSINESS
The New Larnaka Airport
Marina and Port Development
City Center Rehabilitation
Termination of Oil Refinery and Relocation of Oil Storage Deposits
New Golf Courses
Development of the Road Network.
Environmental Improvements – Salt lakes
The New Larnaka Airport
Marina and Port Development
City Center Rehabilitation
Termination of Oil Refinery and Relocation of Oil Storage Deposits
New Golf Courses
Development of the Road Network.
Environmental Improvements – Salt lakes
1. THE NEW LARNAKA AIRPORT
Larnaka hosts the main Cyprus airport and in combination with its existing Port and Marina facilities can be described as the main gate of Cyprus to the rest of the world. Although the Terminal is situated very close to the city center, the town does not experience any noise or air pollution due to the prevailing winds and the wise positioning of the installations.
Recently the Government of Cyprus signed a huge B.O.T. contract with a private company of investors for the construction and development of a new super modern Terminal and new related infrastructure to upgrade the Larnaka airport in two faces. Face 1 aims to accommodate 6 million passengers by the year 2009 and face 2 to accommodate 9 million by the year 2012. The strategic position of the airport in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East is expected to bring a lot of new business and prospects for the town.
2. MARINA AND PORT DEVELOPMENT
The Government of Cyprus is currently studying the tender conditions for the development of the Larnaka Port and Marina under a D.B.O.T project. The Larnaka port and its adjacent Marina include 500 acres of land on the seafront extended over 2 kilometers, reclaimed by the sea during the initial construction in the early 1970’s. The agenda of the successful investors should include new hotels, holiday flats and other entertaining features and uses to be mingled with the famous palm trees esplanade, the commercial and tourist center of Larnaka.
This aggressive DBOT project requires, as well, the expansion of the Marina to about 2000 yacht births and the transformation of the Larnaka port into a new passenger and cruising center as its gates are within walking distance from the most beautiful coastal city center of the whole of the island. The combination of the Marina, the holiday and other accommodation available and to be developed, plus the other features that the contracting investors will have to improvise on the Larnaka seafront is expected to transform the city by the year 2012 into a new town resort unique in the Eastern Mediterranean. The completion of the processes and the signing of a contract with the successful consortium of investors for this project are expected to be finalized by the year 2007.
3. CITY CENTER REHABILITATION
The Municipality of Larnaka has ready for implementation starting in the year 2006 an ambitious project for the rehabilitation of 3 traditional city squares, one of them being on the seafront and around the land side of the city’s medieval Fort. The second square is situated around the most glorious Byzantine monument of Cyprus, the Church of Saint Lazarus build on 890 AD on the original tomb of the Saint. This square is about hundred meters from the Fort. Finally the third is part of the nearby city commercial center on Hermes Street.
Besides, there are plans for the rehabilitation of 2-3 minor squares in some other traditional areas of the town as well as the rehabilitation of the sea front road at the extension of the palm trees promenade west of the Fort. The Piale Pashia Street used to be the main sea front site of the town during the 17th and 18th centuries and it is surrounding urban area is full of magic traditional architecture and fantastic traditional food. The above projects will be completed by the year 2008-9
4. TERMINATION OF REFINERY AND RELOCATION OF OIL STORAGE
Until today Larnaka is paying cost due to the presence on its shores of the government Oil Refinery and the storage deposits of the private companies. In the year 2000 the Municipality signed a contract with the government according to which all installations related to petrol should be removed from Larnaka by the year 20010 and that by the year 20012 the related plots of land should be environmentally cleaned and delivered to the new ambitious policies of the town aiming in transforming the city into a unique town resort in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Oil refining has been terminated in the year 2004 and these installations are currently being dismantled to be exported in a nearby Middle Eastern country.
The existing oil deposits will temporarily serve as oil terminal till the year 2008-9 when the new Modern Oil Terminal and Storage project will be completed at the Vasiliko area, in the middle of the distance between Limassol and Larnaka. This new oil storage project has government priority as it is related with the Cyprus obligation to comply in full with the E.U. rules and relative regulations.
5. GOLF COURSES
In 2005 the Government of Cyprus announced a series of very comprehensive incentives for the development through private investors of a large number of golf courses in Cyprus. 12 applications were filed already, 2 of them for vicinities nearby Larnaka. The first is located 8-10 kilometers from the city center and the airport in the Tersefanou village west of Larnaka. The second is situated 8 kilometers at the east of the town in the plateau of Oroklini village. Both of these vicinities are very near to beautiful beaches, attractive surroundings and nearby tourist areas with great potential. These 2 new golf projects are expected to start implementation in the year 2007 and be completed by the year 2008-9.
6. ROAD NETWORK AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Due to the fact that Larnaka with its main International Airport, the Port and the Marina, plays the role of the main gate of Cyprus to the rest of the world and due to the fact that Larnaka is very near Nicosia and centrally located on the south shores of Cyprus, its road network connecting to the rest of the island is very well organized. The last important additions are now being completed aiming to serve the new Airport Terminal, the Port and the Marina, the tourist areas and the fast moving in and out of the city. These last road projects are expected to be completed by the year 2007-8.
In contradiction to the perfect conditions for the easy and efficient use of the private car, public transport is not sufficiently developed on the island. The Municipality of Larnaka in cooperation with the local bus companies and the department of transport of the Cyprus Government is seriously trying to solve the problem. Brand new buses have already been imported and all new comprehensive routes are currently under study aiming at eliminating the most serious deficiencies of the Larnaka public transport system. The intercity connections between the main cities and other important areas of the island is equally unsatisfactory and serious efforts for improvement are made by the Cyprus Tourism Organization and the Government.
7. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS – THE SALT LAKE
The gifted natural environment of Cyprus is not taken for granted in Larnaka. Continuous efforts and big amounts of money are spent every year for environmental development of the urban areas. New small but organized green parks in the entire city are developed every year. Also, bigger and longer life projects around the Larnaka Salt Lake, which comprises one of the most important ecology systems on the island, are gradually implemented. A natural trail around the salt lake, which is now part of the city, is expected to be completed in the next few years, as well as a museum for its natural history and ecology will be made at the new Terminal.
Larnaka hosts the main Cyprus airport and in combination with its existing Port and Marina facilities can be described as the main gate of Cyprus to the rest of the world. Although the Terminal is situated very close to the city center, the town does not experience any noise or air pollution due to the prevailing winds and the wise positioning of the installations.
Recently the Government of Cyprus signed a huge B.O.T. contract with a private company of investors for the construction and development of a new super modern Terminal and new related infrastructure to upgrade the Larnaka airport in two faces. Face 1 aims to accommodate 6 million passengers by the year 2009 and face 2 to accommodate 9 million by the year 2012. The strategic position of the airport in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East is expected to bring a lot of new business and prospects for the town.
2. MARINA AND PORT DEVELOPMENT
The Government of Cyprus is currently studying the tender conditions for the development of the Larnaka Port and Marina under a D.B.O.T project. The Larnaka port and its adjacent Marina include 500 acres of land on the seafront extended over 2 kilometers, reclaimed by the sea during the initial construction in the early 1970’s. The agenda of the successful investors should include new hotels, holiday flats and other entertaining features and uses to be mingled with the famous palm trees esplanade, the commercial and tourist center of Larnaka.
This aggressive DBOT project requires, as well, the expansion of the Marina to about 2000 yacht births and the transformation of the Larnaka port into a new passenger and cruising center as its gates are within walking distance from the most beautiful coastal city center of the whole of the island. The combination of the Marina, the holiday and other accommodation available and to be developed, plus the other features that the contracting investors will have to improvise on the Larnaka seafront is expected to transform the city by the year 2012 into a new town resort unique in the Eastern Mediterranean. The completion of the processes and the signing of a contract with the successful consortium of investors for this project are expected to be finalized by the year 2007.
3. CITY CENTER REHABILITATION
The Municipality of Larnaka has ready for implementation starting in the year 2006 an ambitious project for the rehabilitation of 3 traditional city squares, one of them being on the seafront and around the land side of the city’s medieval Fort. The second square is situated around the most glorious Byzantine monument of Cyprus, the Church of Saint Lazarus build on 890 AD on the original tomb of the Saint. This square is about hundred meters from the Fort. Finally the third is part of the nearby city commercial center on Hermes Street.
Besides, there are plans for the rehabilitation of 2-3 minor squares in some other traditional areas of the town as well as the rehabilitation of the sea front road at the extension of the palm trees promenade west of the Fort. The Piale Pashia Street used to be the main sea front site of the town during the 17th and 18th centuries and it is surrounding urban area is full of magic traditional architecture and fantastic traditional food. The above projects will be completed by the year 2008-9
4. TERMINATION OF REFINERY AND RELOCATION OF OIL STORAGE
Until today Larnaka is paying cost due to the presence on its shores of the government Oil Refinery and the storage deposits of the private companies. In the year 2000 the Municipality signed a contract with the government according to which all installations related to petrol should be removed from Larnaka by the year 20010 and that by the year 20012 the related plots of land should be environmentally cleaned and delivered to the new ambitious policies of the town aiming in transforming the city into a unique town resort in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Oil refining has been terminated in the year 2004 and these installations are currently being dismantled to be exported in a nearby Middle Eastern country.
The existing oil deposits will temporarily serve as oil terminal till the year 2008-9 when the new Modern Oil Terminal and Storage project will be completed at the Vasiliko area, in the middle of the distance between Limassol and Larnaka. This new oil storage project has government priority as it is related with the Cyprus obligation to comply in full with the E.U. rules and relative regulations.
5. GOLF COURSES
In 2005 the Government of Cyprus announced a series of very comprehensive incentives for the development through private investors of a large number of golf courses in Cyprus. 12 applications were filed already, 2 of them for vicinities nearby Larnaka. The first is located 8-10 kilometers from the city center and the airport in the Tersefanou village west of Larnaka. The second is situated 8 kilometers at the east of the town in the plateau of Oroklini village. Both of these vicinities are very near to beautiful beaches, attractive surroundings and nearby tourist areas with great potential. These 2 new golf projects are expected to start implementation in the year 2007 and be completed by the year 2008-9.
6. ROAD NETWORK AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Due to the fact that Larnaka with its main International Airport, the Port and the Marina, plays the role of the main gate of Cyprus to the rest of the world and due to the fact that Larnaka is very near Nicosia and centrally located on the south shores of Cyprus, its road network connecting to the rest of the island is very well organized. The last important additions are now being completed aiming to serve the new Airport Terminal, the Port and the Marina, the tourist areas and the fast moving in and out of the city. These last road projects are expected to be completed by the year 2007-8.
In contradiction to the perfect conditions for the easy and efficient use of the private car, public transport is not sufficiently developed on the island. The Municipality of Larnaka in cooperation with the local bus companies and the department of transport of the Cyprus Government is seriously trying to solve the problem. Brand new buses have already been imported and all new comprehensive routes are currently under study aiming at eliminating the most serious deficiencies of the Larnaka public transport system. The intercity connections between the main cities and other important areas of the island is equally unsatisfactory and serious efforts for improvement are made by the Cyprus Tourism Organization and the Government.
7. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS – THE SALT LAKE
The gifted natural environment of Cyprus is not taken for granted in Larnaka. Continuous efforts and big amounts of money are spent every year for environmental development of the urban areas. New small but organized green parks in the entire city are developed every year. Also, bigger and longer life projects around the Larnaka Salt Lake, which comprises one of the most important ecology systems on the island, are gradually implemented. A natural trail around the salt lake, which is now part of the city, is expected to be completed in the next few years, as well as a museum for its natural history and ecology will be made at the new Terminal.
