Environmental activists have welcomed the suspension of a controversial five-star hotel project on Milos’s world-famous “moon beach,” a site celebrated for its striking volcanic landscape and turquoise waters, according to the guardian.com.
Local authorities on the Cycladic island announced that the building permit had been revoked by the planning department after inspections revealed irregularities.
“It was found that not all required approvals and supporting documentation had been submitted,” the municipal council said. “No construction will proceed without full compliance with laws and environmental requirements.”
The decision followed mounting protests after excavators were spotted at the site earlier this year. Plans had envisioned villas and pools built into the white pumice rocks, sparking fears of irreversible damage.
For conservationists, the ruling is encouraging but insufficient. “The decision is undeniably good news but in reality it is only a small step in the right direction,” said Dimitris Vayanos, head of Save Ios. “There is huge pressure from various stakeholders to build these islands to death. Right now, there are about 50 hotels being constructed in Milos.”
Tourism has soared in Greece, drawing 36.1 million visitors last year—nearly four times the population. Investors, both foreign and domestic, have fueled a construction boom across the Cyclades since the 2010 debt crisis, often overwhelming local infrastructure and ecosystems.
Vayanos warned: “The Cyclades are especially vulnerable because they are so small … This whole business started at the beginning of the crisis in 2010 when shepherds and farmers began selling off plots to investors.”
WWF Greece echoed those concerns. Calling the Milos ruling “the tip of the iceberg,” its director Demetres Karavellas said: “On many Greek islands, an unchecked construction frenzy is erasing the landscape before our eyes.”
Source: the guardian.com
