1. The Resurvey Project of the
Department of Land and Surveys in Cyprus and
the Role of the Private Surveyors in the Cadastre
Dr Elikkos Elia
Senior Land Officer
November 29, 2012

2. The Cyprus Cadastral Map The Resurvey Project
Presentation Content
The Cyprus Cadastral Map
The Resurvey Project
Private Sector Involvement in Cadastral Surveys in Cyprus
Conclusion
Dr Elikkos Elia

3. The Cyprus Cadastral Map
The cadastral map together with the Land Registry constitutes the basis of the Cyprus Cadastral System.
The cadastral plans cover the extend of the whole island, and approximately 1,579,000 parcels appear today on the plans.
Today, there are 8,545 cadastral plans on scales from 1:500 up to 1:5000.
The first cadastral map series was created from 1904 to 1929 and it is being updated since then, with the applications-cases that are carried out.
Dr Elikkos Elia

4. Cyprus First Cadastral Map
Cyprus Geodetic Reference System
Map Projection: Cassini
Reference Spheroid: Clark 1858
33º 20’ E
35º N
0,0
Dr Elikkos Elia

5. 1914-1918 Chain Survey Plans on Scales 1:500, 1:1000, 1:1250, 1:2500
Unsound Chain Survey
Plans on Scale 1:2500
Plane Table Method
Plans on Scales 1:5000
Dr Elikkos Elia

6. Cyprus First Cadastral Map
Plan on scale 1:500 (chain survey)
Plan on scale 1:2500
(unsound survey)
Dr Elikkos Elia

7. Cyprus First Cadastral Map
Plans on scale 1:5000 (plane table)

8. Digital Cadastral Data Base
All the features shown on the cadastral plans have been digitized and edge-matched, creating the DCDB of the Cyprus Land Information System

9. Problems related to the First Cadastral Map
accuracy
update & maintenance
copy and reproduction
distribution
To overcome these problems the DLS set a strategic objective aiming to establish a fixed boundary coordinated cadastre system, through the resurvey project, which started in 1999.
Dr Elikkos Elia

10. New Geodetic Reference System in 1993
Reference Geodetic Datum : WGS 84
Map Projection: Local Transverse Mercator (LTM)
New Cadastral Plan scales: 1:1000, 1:2000, 1:5000

11. RESURVEY PROJECT – ADOPTION OF NEW PLANS
The resurvey project and the adoption of new plans are carried out according to the procedure described in article 50A of the Immovable Property (Tenure, Registration and Valuation) Law, Cap.224.
The Director of the DLS may order the adoption of new plans for any area.
Dr Elikkos Elia

12. W1 x Legal Cadastral Plan + W2 x Legal Parcel Area +
Resurvey Project
The determination, relocation and demarcation of the position of a parcel on a new cadastral plan, as a result of the resurvey project, require a complicated procedure (analysis), where a number of factors, having various relative weights (%), need to be taken into account. The determination of the position of the parcel is actually the weighted average of the following factors:
The difficulty in the whole process is to define the percentage (%) of the relative weight of each factor.
W1 x Legal Cadastral Plan +
W2 x Legal Parcel Area
W3 x Previous Legal Measurements
and Previous Applications +
W4 x Actual Land Tenure +
W5 x Actual Parcel Area +
W6 x Existing Topo or
Constructed Features
Weighted Average
Parcel Position =
Dr Elikkos Elia

13. RESURVEY PROJECT
The whole procedure of the determination of a boundary is not facilitated in cases where land disputes occur between the owners of neighboring parcels.
Dr Elikkos Elia

14. digitized legal cadastral planvs
1963 land tenure

15. digitized legal cadastral plan vs actual (current) land tenure

16. Legal measurements carried out in1967 for the subdivision of a parcel in two parcels with equal extends.
(The measurements do not result to equal extends).

17. Determination of the position of the parcels as a result of the analysis of the weighted average of all various factors
Dr Elikkos Elia

18. Proposed boundaries position
digitized legal cadastral plan vs
proposed cadastral plan

19. Resurvey Project RESURVEY PROJECT
Article 50A of the Immovable Property (Tenure, Registration and Valuation) Law Cap.224:
Any person who has a lawful interest in any immovable property situated within the resurveyed area may inspect the existing plan in use, the new plan to be adopted and a list showing the number and area of each parcel on the first and the corresponding number and area of a parcel on the second plan.
If any objection is submitted within 60 days from the publication, the Director shall notify his decision thereon by a notice served on the person objecting and on any other person whose lawful interests may be affected by the objection or the decision thereon. After the expiry of the period for objections, the Director shall proceed to adopt the new plan.
Dr Elikkos Elia

20. Resurvey Project
The result of the resurvey project is the adoption of new, accurate, digital cadastral plans …
… which formulate the basis of a fixed boundary coordinated cadastral system.
Dr Elikkos Elia

21. CYPRUS CADASTRAL MAP October 2012 260 plans 1:1000 (LTM)
906 plans 1:2500 (cassini-unsound)
211 plans 1:500 (cassini)
615 plans 1:1000 (cassini)
3383 plans 1:2500 (cassini)
1590 plans 1:5000 (cassini)
830 plans 1:1250 (cassini)
CYPRUS CADASTRAL MAP
October 2012
1,579,000 parcels
Dr Elikkos Elia

22. Systematic and Sporadic Resurvey

23. Private Sector Involvement in Cadastral Surveys in Cyprus
Dr Elikkos Elia

24. Private Sector Involvement in Cadastral Surveys
In many countries, Private Land Surveyors can carry out cadastral surveys, and in most of the cases they need a license to do so.
In a few countries, such as Sweden, The Netherlands and Finland, private land surveyors do not have a direct involvement and act mainly as consultants or undertake special projects.
In other countries, such as Czech Republic, Hungary and New Zealand, cadastral surveys are carried out exclusively by private surveyors.
Source:
Dr Elikkos Elia

25. Number of Professional Land Surveyors
Germany*
23,000
Poland
16,700
Australia
3,500
Bulgaria
2,333
Hungary
1,700
Lithuania
1,516
Czech Republic
1,500
Belgium*
950
Sweden, New Zealand*
600
Switzerland*
500
Finland
400
Denmark, The Netherlands
300
Latvia
173
Cyprus
100
Number of Professional Land Surveyors
(The proportion of the time that they actually commit for cadastral matters vary from 40% to 100%)
* The report submitted in 2003
Source: - FIG
Dr Elikkos Elia

26. The surveyors in Cyprus have been graduated mainly from the following Universities:
National Technical University of Athens
School of Rural and Surveying Engineering
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
School of Rural and Surveying Engineering
Budapest University of Technology & Economics
Faculty of Civil Engineering
Cyprus University of Technology
Department of Civil Engineering & Geomatics
(…expected in 2013….)

27. Private Sector Involvement in Cadastral Surveys in Cyprus
In Cyprus, the involvement of private land surveyors began in 1992, for a specific type of cadastral applications regarding land divisions and horizontal (strata) divisions. The demarcation of the external boundary for these applications was carried out at that time by governmental surveyors.
A small number of applications were carried out by private surveyors until 2007 when the Cadastral Survey Law was enforced.
Dr Elikkos Elia

28. The Cadastral Surveys Law was actually enforced on the 2.2.2007.
In 2006, the Cyprus Cadastral Survey Council was established and the first Cadastral Surveyors Register was created.
The Cadastral Surveys Law was actually enforced on the
Dr Elikkos Elia

29. Becoming a Cadastral Surveyor…
Any person may be included in the Cadastral Surveyors Register if he/she:
is a member of the Scientific Technical Chamber of Cyprus in the Rural and Surveying Engineering Branch,
has at least one year experience in the field of cadastral surveying.
Today, 87 Private Surveyors and 14 Civil Servants are registered as Cadastral Surveyors.
Dr Elikkos Elia

30. Current working status of Professional Surveyors in Cyprus
Dr Elikkos Elia

31. Cadastral field surveys carried out by
private surveyors
Applicants to any District Land Office of the Land and Surveys Department, requiring cadastral field surveys, have the option to choose between a governmental or a private licensed surveyor. Such works include the field surveys for:
land demarcations
vertical or horizontal (strata) property divisions
boundary readjustments
boundary amalgamations
street widening and building or other property registrations.
Dr Elikkos Elia

32. Cadastral field surveys carried out by
private surveyors
In any case, whether the work is undertaken by a private or a governmental surveyor, the applicant has to pay the required fee to the Land and Surveys Department. If the applicant chooses to proceed with a private licensed surveyor, the applicant has to personally agree with the Private Surveyor for an additional fee and sign a contract provided by the Cyprus Scientific and Technical Chamber. In all cases the field work is checked by the DLS staff who has also the responsibility to update the cadastral plan and the databases of the Land Information System.
Dr Elikkos Elia

33. Examples of Fees Paid to the DLS
Application
Undertaken by DLS
Field work by private licensed surveyor
Land demarcation
Up to 6 BTPs
From 7 to 12 BTPs
More than 13 BTPs
€50 for each BTP
€30 for each BTP
€20 for each BTP
€15 for each BTP
€10 for each BTP
€6 for each BTP
Land parcel division or boundary readjustment
€110 for each new created parcel
€35 for each new created parcel
Building (strata) division
€100 for each new created unit
€30 for each new created unit
Boundary dispute
€160 for each involved parcel
Not carried out by private surveyors
Dr Elikkos Elia

34. Cyprus Positioning System (CYPOS)
The cadastral field surveying works are supported today by the Cyprus Positioning System.
Seven permanent GNSS network stations.
Users: DLS, private surveyors, other engineers, departments, organizations and citizens.
Annual fee = €200+VAT
Dr Elikkos Elia

35. Applications undertaken by governmental & private surveyors
Dr Elikkos Elia

36. Applications carried out by governmental and
private surveyors in 2006
Total:11.234
DLS:
Private:
Dr Elikkos Elia

37. Applications carried out by governmental and
private surveyors in 2011
Total:
DLS:
Private:
Dr Elikkos Elia

38. CONCLUSION
The resurvey project aims to prepare new digital cadastral plans with high accuracy and reliability, providing a fundamental infrastructure to the databases of the Land Information System, the Cadastre and to the broader Land Administration System. In the areas where the resurvey project was completed, governmental or private surveyors can carry out cadastral surveys rapidly, efficiently and without ambiguities. It is recognized that more effort should be placed to accelerate and finish this project.
The private surveyors have an important and active role in the field of cadastral surveying in Cyprus. Today the citizens have the option to choose between the DLS or a private licensed surveyor to carry out a cadastral survey. With the completion of the resurvey project, it will be easier for the Government to pass all cadastral field works to the private sector.
Dr Elikkos Elia