Development at Belcekız Beach Has Been Brought Before the Grand National Assembly
Gizem Özcan, a lawyer and member of parliament representing Muğla, spoke out against construction at Belcekız Beach in Ölüdeniz, Fethiye, that violates permits and regulations.
This article was translated automatically from Turkish. Türkçe orijinal ›
Özcan, who brought her concerns to the Parliament’s agenda, submitted a written question to Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, requesting a written response.
Muğla MP Gizem Özcan, noting that Belcekız Beach in Fethiye’s Ölüdeniz is a world-famous beach stretching 3 kilometers in length, emphasized that Belcekız Beach is situated within the boundaries of the Fethiye-Göcek Special Environmental Protection Area. Noting that Belcekız Beach is operated by MUÇEV, Özcan said, “Belcekız Beach was leased to Kırtur this month. The walking paths and green park areas in front of the beach are also included in the leased area. At Ölüdeniz Belcekız Beach, the issue of construction work being carried out on the beach—including cafes operated by a private company under a concession permit and a goods receiving depot—was addressed while the summer season continues,” she said.
“ANY USE OF THE COASTLINE IS AGAINST THE LAW”
Emphasizing that Belcekız Beach cannot be discussed without addressing Babadağ and the sport of paragliding, Özcan stated the following: “Belcekız Beach, where paragliders launching from Babadağ make their landings, cannot be managed according to conventional tourism practices while ignoring its natural beauty and its status as a world-leading landing site for paragliding. Any decision regarding Belcekız Beach must take into account the paragliding takeoff and landing routes and require measures to be taken accordingly. Furthermore, it is an absolute necessity to cancel the development roads, tourism areas, and green spaces located seaward of the shoreline boundary in the current zoning plan and reclassify them as shoreline, while the sections of the shoreline boundary located landward must be rezoned in accordance with the Coastal Zone Law and its implementing regulations. “Until the aforementioned zoning plan revisions are completed and enter into force, any project approvals, coastal regulations, allocation/leasing transactions, and any other use of the coastline that would permit construction along the Belcekız coastline are unlawful.”
3 QUESTIONS
FROM ÖZCAN TO MINISTER ERSOY FOR A WRITTEN RESPONSE
Gizem Özcan, a lawyer and Member of Parliament from Muğla, submitted the following questions in writing to Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, requesting a written response:
• Is it true that, despite the company having permits for five snack bars, each measuring 6 square meters, it has built and operated restaurants, each measuring 294 square meters?
• Will the necessary actions be taken regarding businesses alleged to have constructed structures in violation of laws and regulations and to have unlawfully used coastal areas?
• Will the unlawful coastal developments and illegal construction in Belcekız be halted, suspending ongoing projects, reviewing existing and previously issued permits, taking appropriate action if any violations are found, and initiating the necessary administrative and legal proceedings against those responsible?
