Heated discussions on the decision of the church in Paphos to built a church in the public gardens next to the municipality, are continuing stronger now that the municipality has set a final day for filing objections.
The UK government's advisor on architecture, urban design and public space [http://www.cabe.org.uk] in its advice document with the title "Green space strategies a good practice guide" lists the benefits of having green spaces in an urban environment, which include:
In addition, any newly planted trees will need 50 to 70 years to be replaced and with the worsening climate conditions in our part of the world, this will not be an easy task.
The area around the municipality is already congested and as the proposed church of this size will draw large numbers of worshipers upon operation, there will be a tremendous increase of traffic in the area.
Similar problems to this, already exist in other towns in Cyprus.
The town planning code of the area around the proposed site is very restrictive for this purpose and a special permit will be needed to accommodate such a structure which already exceeds 5 times the building coefficient of the area.
It is obvious that once this is completed demands will quickly be raised by the residents of the area for increased parking spaces. In that case it is sure that the remaining green area will be converted to a parking space as there will be no alternative.
The best solution for the city of Paphos would be the upgrading of the garden with modern facilities and new plants so that citizens will be able to enjoy the benefits listed at the beginning of this document.
On one hand Paphos is not noted for its green spaces and on the other hand the area suffers from bad air quality in which green spaces play an important role.
The UK government's advisor on architecture, urban design and public space [http://www.cabe.org.uk] in its advice document with the title "Green space strategies a good practice guide" lists the benefits of having green spaces in an urban environment, which include:
- reinforcing local identity and enhancing the physical character of an area, so shaping existing and future development
- maintaining the visual amenity and increasing the attractiveness of a locality to create a sense of civic pride
- raising property values and aiding urban regeneration and Neighborhood Renewal
- boosting the economic potential of tourism, leisure and cultural activities
- securing external funding and focusing capital and revenue expenditure cost-effectively providing a wide variety of cultural, social and community facilities, including seasonal activities such as fairs, festivals and concerts
- protecting the historical, cultural and archaeological heritage
- illustrating the contribution to health agendas eg. Reducing stress levels, by providing formal and informal recreational facilities
- providing popular outdoor educational facilities for schools and academic institutions
- improving physical and social inclusion including accessibility, particularly for young, disabled and older people
- offering alternative routes for circulation, including networks for walking and cycling and safer routes to school
- raising air quality and moderating extremes of temperature
- protecting and enhancing levels of biodiversity and ecological habitats
- providing environmental infrastructure to improve water quality and flood control.
In addition, any newly planted trees will need 50 to 70 years to be replaced and with the worsening climate conditions in our part of the world, this will not be an easy task.
The area around the municipality is already congested and as the proposed church of this size will draw large numbers of worshipers upon operation, there will be a tremendous increase of traffic in the area.
Similar problems to this, already exist in other towns in Cyprus.
The town planning code of the area around the proposed site is very restrictive for this purpose and a special permit will be needed to accommodate such a structure which already exceeds 5 times the building coefficient of the area.
It is obvious that once this is completed demands will quickly be raised by the residents of the area for increased parking spaces. In that case it is sure that the remaining green area will be converted to a parking space as there will be no alternative.
The best solution for the city of Paphos would be the upgrading of the garden with modern facilities and new plants so that citizens will be able to enjoy the benefits listed at the beginning of this document.
On one hand Paphos is not noted for its green spaces and on the other hand the area suffers from bad air quality in which green spaces play an important role.
Σχόλια