The fate of the large-scale investment in the abandoned community of Trozena now hinges on a new meeting with the Department of Environment, as authorities work to clarify the requirements still standing in the way of licensing.
The investor, his advisers, the project’s architects and planners, the community leader of Arsos-Trozena, and officials from the District Local Government Organisation (DLGO) Limassol met on Wednesday (15/7), where the development’s master plan, already submitted to authorities, was presented. According to information obtained by Phileleftheros, those present decided that a further meeting with the Department of Environment should follow. The investor has also written again to the department, asking it to specify exactly which requirements remain outstanding before the necessary permits can be issued.
Meanwhile, the continuing delay has brought work at the site to a complete halt. Seven workers have already been laid off, and there are fears more jobs will be lost without progress soon.
Representatives of the investment told the meeting they had already met the requirements set by the relevant authorities, particularly the Department of Environment. According to the same information, the investor and his advisers say three separate environmental studies have been submitted to date, and argue every request from the department has been satisfied. They say any further study would carry substantial cost and take more than a year to complete, since the required data collection must span all four seasons.
Master plan and environmental requirements
The master plan, according to our information, appears at this stage to satisfy DLGO’s urban planning requirements. It includes a winery, restaurant, reception areas and offices, parking and camping facilities, all within the core of the Trozena community. DLGO had previously asked, with the Department of Environment’s agreement, for a single, unified master plan so both authorities could assess the development jointly. The department’s evaluation of that master plan is now the main outstanding issue.
Next steps
The Wednesday meeting decided that a further session should bring in Department of Environment officials together with the scientists who carried out the project’s environmental studies, to clarify what is still required and set out next steps. Notably, according to journalistic information, DLGO does not appear to have identified serious urban planning issues that would justify further delay.
Impact on Arsos families
Of the roughly 15 Arsos families who had been working at the site, some have returned temporarily to agricultural work, mainly in the vineyards, to secure their income while the delay continues.
The investor’s position
The investor is against carrying out a new environmental study, arguing it would cause significant delay and additional cost, which he estimates at around €100,000. He and his advisers maintain that about 90% of the development lies within the community’s existing core and a residential zone, despite the area also falling within the Natura 2000 network. They consider the ongoing requirements disproportionate, arguing that a Cypriot homeowner carrying out a comparable renovation would not face similar studies.
They are pressing for the licensing process to be accelerated, saying they have already submitted all required documentation and complied with the guidance given by the relevant authorities. A few days ago they sent a written letter to the Department of Environment asking it to specify exactly what additional material is needed beyond what has already been submitted. The letter was copied to DLGO Limassol and the Game Fund Service, since one of the central issues under review is the development’s impact on protected species in the area, including the Bonelli’s eagle, the long-legged buzzard and the Cyprus warbler, as well as questions over lighting and electrification.
The investment’s final course will depend on the Department of Environment’s decision on whether the material submitted meets the environmental requirements needed for the project to proceed.
Off the public radar since the election
Trozena was at the centre of public debate ahead of the recent election, after reports and social media posts triggered strong reactions over the planned investment. Some argued the issue had been exploited politically, with debate centring mainly on claims that the area was being turned into a “ghetto” by Israelis.
Two months on, the issue appears to have faded from public attention, even though few people knew exactly where Trozena was despite the intensity of the reaction on social media. The investor, Uriel Curtis, has repeatedly told media his goal is to revive the abandoned community, which he said he “fell in love with at first sight.”
Environmental protection issues remain central to the licensing process and are the main factor that will determine whether the project is ultimately licensed and works can resume.
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