Who is designing the new town?
The marina will reshape the coastline and add almost 20 stremma of new land. The question is: who is shaping the new Mantouki — the town’s Local Urban Plan or the marina’s investment plan?
The discussion about the boatyards risks obscuring the bigger issue. Because in Mantouki, this is not simply a matter of moving a few workshops to make way for a marina. The coastline is going to change — and with it, an entire part of the town.
The mega-yacht marina investment provides for almost 20 stremma of land reclamation and a total land area of around 39 stremma. The plans include hotel, dining, retail, office, sports and parking facilities. In other words, this is a new urban hub, attached to Mantouki and just a stone’s throw from the town.
And this is where the real question begins.
At the same time, the Local Urban Plan (LUP) for the Municipality of Central Corfu is being prepared. The scenarios we know about are still at an early stage. The planning team was, of course, aware of the TAIPED plans and, when the scenarios were presented in summer 2025, the sub-concession agreement had already been signed. It was subsequently ratified by Parliament as well.
Today, however, the next, more detailed proposal has not been made public, so we do not know how the LUP intends to address the new reality created by the marina.
And this is not a minor detail for urban planners.
We need to know what is envisaged for the boatyard area once the boatyards leave. What will happen to the parking area opposite the Emporiko Kentro? How will public access to the waterfront be safeguarded? How will the nearly 20 new stremma of land be connected to Mantouki? And will it really be only 20 new stremma? Where does the town end and the marina begin? And what about the Spilia concession?
Because otherwise, there is a risk that the opposite of what should be happening will take place: instead of the major investment being incorporated into the town’s planning, the city will be forced to adapt, after the fact, to the investment’s plans.
Lamda is entitled to know what it can build under its agreement. The Municipality, however, has a different obligation: to know — and to tell its citizens — what kind of town will exist around this investment.
That is why, before fences go up and before the boatyards head for Potamos, it would be a good idea to see the next LUP map.
Because that is where the new Mantouki should be found.
Not only in the marina’s plans.
GIORGOS KATSAITIS
