CONSTRUCTION AND PLANNING IN NORTH CYPRUS

There are certain constructions laws in North Cyprus that must be adhered to if you are planning to buy land and then build a property on it: Outside the Municipal boundaries, there are restrictions on the area that one can build on in Northern Cyprus (20% of the land area), and a height restriction of two storey.

There are good architects and engineers who will plan and design your Northern Cyprus villa at reasonable rates. Once the plans have been lodged with the District Office, work may commence. Building costs vary, depending on finishing, from £250 per m2 upwards.

Most buildings are constructed in the reinforced concrete frame system that is prevalent in the Mediterranean countries including North Cyprus. Buildings tend to be over-specified, but this can only be an advantage to the property buyer. Materials are readily available from Turkey, Germany, Italy, Spain and UK.

When buying 'off-plan' property in North Cyprus, most constructors allow you to sell on the contract after approximately 25% of the property price has been paid, allowing investors to observe the market and then sell-on to make a profit which, in Northern Cyprus, is not liable to capital gains tax.

Again, the longer a property buyer leaves it and makes extra payments, the higher the profit will be. One has to be aware of such perils and look for a trust able construction company.

CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS
All construction activity is subject to a building permit issued by the District Office or Municipality in North Cyprus. Before obtaining the building permit all prepared plans and drawings must be signed by an accredited architect and must then be submitted for a visa by the

Chamber of Architects and Civil Engineers.
The Building Permit process requires a full set of electrical drawings that must be followed exactly. Construction standards vary so it is a good idea to buy from a North Cyprus company with an established reputation and member to the Cyprus Turkish Building Contractors association.

Before making a purchase decision on something yet to be built, you should examine examples of completed work by the builder involved.