A 400 sq m villa and three smaller ones have been situated on the rocks above the beach of Vlychada, Santorini,
since 2016. These buildings will be incorporated into the planned investment in the plots that extend behind the existing buildings. [santorinimagazine.gr]
A company is seeking state approval to build a hotel and tourist complex with 103 villas on non-buildable land beside Vlychada beach in Santorini, reviving controversy over past violations.
The firm illegally drilled into the area’s famed protected geological formations in 2016 to create an underground hotel space, a case later confirmed by environmental inspectors.
The Environment Ministry has asked that the project’s public consultation be paused until Santorini’s planning framework is completed, delaying but not derailing the investment. Labeled strategic, the investment proceeds through a planning framework allowing exemptions from zoning rules.
The 11.2-hectare site, owned by Athinaion Gi AE, already includes four villas built in 2015-16. The “Santorini Valvis Volcanic Spa” would include surface and underground villas, private pools, a spa, hotel facilities, a winery complex and parking.
The study claims the resort will respect and highlight the volcanic landscape, though critics note the company’s prior breach.
