Location: In any particular area there are many blocks of flats under construction (this is less true for the Paphos residential areas). Try to shop around and choose a block in a good area. Of course what is a 11 good" area is relative and depends on various factors including personal judgement and taste. it is widely accepted, however, that a 11 good" area is one which is relatively central, not densely developed with flats, more of a residential area, relatively quiet (not on main roads) and which is close to schools and shops.



The seashore protection zone is independent of the town planning zones. It is a zone which extends from the sea and it usually (but not always) has a width of approximately 300 feet. Within this zone no building can be allowed, even a small hut, ice cream shed or a swimming pool. When there are ancient monuments close to your plot, be careful to examine whether the Director of Antiquities has any objections to a building project. If a plot of land is classified as an ancient monument area, the Director's approval must first be sought.

In addition a 1.5%-2% is payable for the structural design and 0.3% for structural supervision. If you are at a loss as to the choice of a suitable consultant, seek the advice of the Registrar of the Association of Architects & Engineers (all licenced architects must be registered). Please bear in mind that in case of large buildings you may be able to negotiate a lower fee (as also in the case of repetitive work).

In these circumstances, promises and the willingness of locals to help may meet the Authority's objections. A more serious consideration however is section 4A of the Streets' and Buildings' Regulations. This amendment of the Law states that, in certain cases, no building permit will be granted to plots of land which are the result of field subdivision. Therefore, the derivation of the site's title must be examined and verified by the District Lands' Office.

If there is a building on the plot you are buying, ask for the building permit in order to make sure that the structure is not illegal, as well as to ascertain the terms and conditions of the building.Please note that most of the above problems do not exist in case you buy a building site (as opposed to a plot of land/field). Even if the title deed registers the property as a building site, however, it is recommended that you go through the motions of checking the various prerequisites for development.