University to be built on protected area: Report

ISTANBUL

A private university is to be built on a previously protected forest area in the Beykoz district of Istanbul, after a construction firm received special permission from the Environment and Urbanization Ministry, opposing a decision made by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) to keep the area protected from construction.

Kalyon Real Estate, the construction firm leading the third Istanbul airport project, will build the university after being issued a construction permit by the ministry, thus revoking a decision made by the İBB to close the area to construction, daily Cumhuriyet reported May 25.

The İBB was previously asked to issue a construction permit for the construction of apartment buildings on the area, No. 355 land parcel of Beykoz’s Elmalı neighborhood, in January, 2013. The İBB said the area had “vital importance for environmental sustainability” and any construction in the area should be carefully planned with this in mind. 

Two years after the İBB rejected the application, Kalyon Real Estate asked that the land parcels No. 355 and 356 be declared “areas for private education institutions.”

The environment ministry voided the İBB’s rejection on May 21, declaring that education institutions could be built on the parcels.

Former CEO of Kalyon Real Estate Hasan Kalyoncu was allegedly involved in the second wave of the Dec. 25, 2013, graft probe.