Planning zone
An area in a development plan with its own rules on permitted uses, building density, coverage, floors and height. A plot's zone decides what can be built on it.
Updated 12 Oct 2026How it works
Under the Town and Country Planning Law of 1972, land in Cyprus is covered by development plans prepared by the Department of Town Planning and Housing:
- Local Plans for the main towns and areas under strong development pressure;
- Area Schemes for smaller areas that need more detailed planning;
- the Policy Statement (Δήλωση Πολιτικής), which applies in villages and the countryside where there is no Local Plan or Area Scheme.
Each plan divides land into zones marked with a code, such as Κα6 or Η2. Κα zones are residential zones in the Local Plans; Η zones are residential zones, mainly in villages covered by the Policy Statement. Other codes include agricultural (Γ) and protection (Ζ) zones. For each zone, the plan sets the permitted uses and the maximum building density, coverage ratio, number of floors and height.
Why it matters when you buy
The zone largely sets what a plot is worth. Two plots of the same size can allow very different amounts of building, and agricultural or protection zones allow very little. A plot can also fall in two zones, and plans are revised from time to time.
You can see a plot's zone on the map of the DLS Portal, which shows planning zones from Town Planning data. The binding rules are in the development plan itself, and the planning authority, usually the district's EOA, can confirm them.