Greece overcomes forestry setback to develop Athens coastal resort

Greece has won an appeal over objections from forestry officials to a major tourism project in Athens that forms part of its third international bailout, overcoming one of the obstacles to turning the site into one of Europe's biggest coastal resorts.

The 8 billion euro ($9.39 billion) project to develop the disused Elliniko airport site is being closely watched by Greece's European Union and International Monetary Fund lenders and potential investors in the crisis-hit country.

The project features prominently among privatization targets in the country's 86 billion euro aid package, the third since the crisis began in 2010.

Greek developer Lamda signed a 99-year lease with the state in 2014 for the 620-hectare (1,530-acre) area, once the site of Athens airport. But the project has faced delays, partly over a long-running row between developers and those...