A new delay has emerged in the implementation of the second phase of the Pervolia seafront promenade and cycle path, with bureaucratic procedures once again holding up the project.
Local stakeholders say they are disappointed by the latest developments and describe it as inconceivable that nine years have passed since completion of the first phase without the state managing to complete the necessary procedures for construction of the second phase of the project, which covers just 1.3 kilometres.
Since February 2017, when the first phase was completed, government departments have failed to launch the second stage, leaving the project unfinished.
Although the latest official update from the Interior Ministry to Dromolaxia-Meneou Municipality indicated that a tender would be issued in June 2026, that deadline was missed because the required procedures have still not been finalised.
As a result, a more recent update received by the municipality from the Department of Town Planning and Housing pushes expected developments to the autumn, or at the latest the end of the year, regarding the launch of the construction tender.
The delay comes despite previous government responses to parliamentary questions that outlined specific timelines for the start of works, timelines that ultimately were not met.
Project remains unfinished
The Municipality of Dromolaxia-Meneou and the Pervolia municipal district remain in a holding pattern while awaiting the start of the second section of the project.
The new phase will extend the existing promenade and is expected to boost visitor numbers and enhance the area's tourism product.
According to project planners, the aim is to provide year-round, high-quality access to the beach and coastal zone for all groups of the population, including people with mobility difficulties.
The project also seeks to support the ecological regeneration of the Pervolia coastal zone, both on land and at sea.
In addition to the promenade, plans include:
- A 1.3km coastal cycle path;
- Public sports and recreation areas;
- Public sanitary facilities with showers and changing rooms;
- Green spaces.
The first phase of the seafront promenade begins at the area's historic lighthouse, the restoration of which has also been delayed for several years, and extends to the so-called Lighthouse Beach.
The second phase will continue from Lighthouse Beach to the Journalists' Village.
‘The bureaucracy breaks bones’
Speaking to Politis, Dromolaxia-Meneou Mayor Kypros Andronikou described the nine-year delay as unacceptable.
He said the plans had long since been completed and were currently undergoing updates, expressing hope that the tender process could begin during the third quarter of this year, while acknowledging that this remains a highly optimistic scenario.
“Unfortunately, this is the situation in Cyprus. The bureaucratic machine breaks bones,” Andronikou said.
“The slightest obstacle or even a new opinion can cause significant delays in moving procedures forward. Even the retirement of a public official can lead to delays until a replacement is appointed and continuity is restored. This whole situation is unacceptable.”
