Court cancels beach projects in ancient Lycian city

A court has ruled to cancel permits and tenders for public beach projects in Bostanlık and Alacasu bays within the ancient Lycian city of Phaselis in the southern province of Antalya.

The Culture and Tourism Ministry tendered the project in February 2023, and a private company started construction of two public beach projects in Alacasu and Bostanlık bays, which are "Grade 1 archaeological sites" within the borders of Phaselis in the Kemer district. Upon this development, some environmental organizations applied to the judiciary for the cancellation of the public beach projects, which included the construction of cafes, toilets and other infrastructures.

The court issued a stay of execution in April on the grounds that the execution of the works for the tender would cause "irreparable or impossible damages."

The company continued construction work, arguing that the court decision had nothing to do with the tender. The Antalya Branch of the Chamber of Architects and 14 environmentalists filed a second lawsuit for the annulment and stay of execution of the tender decision and the project subject to the tender for the construction of a public beach and a daily facility in the national park.

The Antalya Administrative Court has canceled both the tender for the Phaselis project and the decisions on construction work in the region.

"This project is harmful to the archaeological remains and endemic plants in the region," said lawyer Tuncay Koç, who represented the citizen plaintiffs. "The court rightly recognized the potential for destruction of the archaeological and natural features of these pristine bays."

In a statement made by the Antalya Branch of the Chamber of Architects, one of the plaintiffs, it was announced that the...