Hermes Airports has submitted an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for the expansion project of Paphos Airport to the environmental authority.
As noted, no relocation or land acquisition is required for any of the airport development projects, while the aim is to serve approximately 5 million passengers annually.
The proposed expansion works for Phase 2 of Paphos International Airport are expected to take approximately 18 months, from site preparation and excavation to testing and operation of the new airport facilities.
The works will include the following:
- Construction of an additional section of the southern parallel taxiway, with all necessary lighting and safety requirements.
- Expansion of the existing terminal to provide sufficient capacity for annual traffic of five million passengers.
The expansion activities will be carried out entirely within the existing airport boundaries.
The expansion project of Paphos International Airport will contribute to the development prospects of exchanges between Cyprus and the rest of the world.
The ESIA examined the potential impacts of the proposed airport development projects on the living and natural environment, the local and regional economy, and the broader project area. Both beneficial and adverse impacts, short-term and long-term, were considered.
Where mitigation measures to eliminate or reduce potentially adverse impacts were identified, these were incorporated into the project design.
The prior consultation process highlighted several issues and concerns. Areas of concern include aviation noise, particularly regarding the potential increase in the number and frequency of flights; health concerns, especially relating to potential impacts on local air quality, which may lead to respiratory problems for some individuals in the local community; and general concerns that the overall quality of life for area residents will deteriorate if the airport is developed.
Overall, however, there is an understanding that the project will bring positive changes and long-term benefits to Cyprus, particularly in relation to tourism. Moreover, there was significant positive feedback regarding the public consultation process.
Paphos Airport is located in the Paphos plain, an area with relatively mild terrain, situated between the Mediterranean Sea and the hills to the northeast. The airport is in an ecological area known as the Paphos plain, a narrow coastal plain south of the Limassol-Paphos highway, bordered by the Diarizos River to the east and the Ezousa River to the west. The project area is 100 meters from the Natura 2000 area designated as the Special Protection Area (SPA) of the Ezousa, Xeros, and Diarizos river estuaries.
This study comes just days after a similar report was submitted by Hermes Airports to the environmental authority, addressing the environmental and social impacts (ESIA) of the planned expansion of Larnaca Airport.
Source: Stockwatch