North Cyprus village guide · Güzelyurt

Yayla, Güzelyurt: land, development order and planning information

Yayla is a village in the Güzelyurt district of North Cyprus, part of Güzelyurt Municipality, covering about 9.4 km². All of its area is within the Chapter 96 area; the largest plan zone type is Chapter 96 (100%). About 5% lies within the Akdeniz SEPA. It is 53 km from Ercan Airport and 5 km from Güzelyurt town centre as the crow flies.

Yayla in orange. Hover over or tap the villages to see their names and key facts; click to open a village page. Boundaries are simplified.
Area9.4 km²
DistrictGüzelyurtNorth Cyprus
MunicipalityGüzelyurtmunicipality
Planning zone
?
In short: A regulation issued by the Town Planning Department for an area that controls building there. The area is divided into colour zones (yellow, blue, brown, green…); the permitted uses, density (floor area ratio), number of storeys and height for each colour are set out in the development order. For the exact rules, see the text published in the Official Gazette and ask the Town Planning Department.
Chapter 96 area100%
Environmental protection
?
In short: An area declared to protect natural and biological assets (sand dunes, turtle nesting beaches, wetlands, forest). Building inside is very restricted or prohibited; the rules come from the area's environmental protection plan and decisions of the relevant departments.
5%Akdeniz SEPA
Ercan Airport53 kmstraight line

Planning zone
?
In short: A regulation issued by the Town Planning Department for an area that controls building there. The area is divided into colour zones (yellow, blue, brown, green…); the permitted uses, density (floor area ratio), number of storeys and height for each colour are set out in the development order. For the exact rules, see the text published in the Official Gazette and ask the Town Planning Department.

Yayla village is entirely within the Chapter 96 area. In Chapter 96 areas the general building rules apply instead of a development order
?
In short: Where there is no development order or zoning plan, building is governed by the Streets and Buildings Regulation Law (Chapter 96 — Fasıl 96) and needs a permit from the competent authority, usually the municipality. Each application is assessed individually; road access, infrastructure and neighbouring uses matter.

Main plan zone types
?
In short: The type of zone in a development order or zoning plan that shows what land may be used for: housing development, agriculture, forest, tourism, coastal strip, development order colour zones and so on. Percentages show the approximate share within the boundary; the exact type for your plot is shown on the map with a point query.

The exact plan zone type, development order colour and map sheet of your plot are shown on the map with a point query.

Open the planning layer on the map

Shares are approximate (rounded to 5%). For building rules, the text of the development order published in the Official Gazette and the Town Planning Department prevail.

Special Environmental Protection Areas
?
In short: An area declared to protect natural and biological assets (sand dunes, turtle nesting beaches, wetlands, forest). Building inside is very restricted or prohibited; the rules come from the area's environmental protection plan and decisions of the relevant departments.

About 5% of Yayla village lies within the Akdeniz SEPA. Building in these areas is very restricted or prohibited; you can check on the map whether your plot is inside.

Map sheets
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In short: A sheet of the cadastral map. In North Cyprus, properties are referred to by the new sheet index or the old 1:5,000 index. It helps when you deal with the Land Registry (Tapu ve Kadastro Dairesi) or an architect.

The Yayla area spans about 13 sheets in the new sheet index and about 22 in the old 1:5,000 index. You can see the sheet number of your plot on the map with a point query.

Nearby amenities
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In short: The number of schools, health facilities, supermarkets, parks and service points recorded within this boundary in OpenStreetMap (the open world map kept up to date by volunteers). Coverage is good in towns; villages may have gaps. The distance from your plot to the nearest amenities is shown on the map.

Supermarket2
Park1
Mosque1

Points recorded in OpenStreetMap within Yayla village. The distance from your plot to the nearest school, supermarket, health centre and park, and a liveability score, are shown on the map with a point query.

Source: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Data is maintained by volunteers and may be incomplete, especially in villages.

Earthquake history
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In short: Earthquakes come from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) catalogue and fault traces from the GEM Global Active Faults Database. Cyprus is an earthquake zone because it lies near the Cyprus Arc, where the African and Anatolian plates meet; most of the largest earthquakes occur south of the island and offshore. For any building, a soil survey and the earthquake regulations in force prevail.

M5+ earthquakes (since 1900)1within the boundary or 10 km of it
Largest earthquakeM5.520.04.1921
Nearest active fault trace32 kmfrom the centre point

Since 1900, 1 earthquakes of magnitude 5 or above have been recorded within Yayla village or 10 km of it; the largest was M5.5 in 1921. Cyprus is an earthquake zone because of the Cyprus Arc, which runs south of the island; the distance from your plot to the nearest fault and nearby earthquakes are shown on the map.

Source: USGS earthquake catalogue, GEM Global Active Faults Database (CC BY-SA 4.0). For any building, a soil survey and the earthquake regulations in force prevail.

Transport

Ercan Airport53 kmthe only airport with scheduled flights
Nearest passenger port39 kmKyrenia Tourist Harbour
Nicosia39 kmcapital, city centre
District centre5 kmto Güzelyurt town centre

Distances are straight-line and measured from a representative point in the middle of Yayla; road distances are longer. Scheduled civil flights use Ercan; ferries to Türkiye sail from Kyrenia Tourist Harbour and Famagusta Port.

Looking for land in Yayla?

Tell us the area, plot size and budget you have in mind. With your consent, we pass your request to a registered estate agent in North Cyprus who knows the area. Free, no account needed — just confirm your e-mail.

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Buying land: title deed, permission, planning
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In short: In North Cyprus the title deed is called a koçan. Turkish title, equivalent title and allocation title deeds carry different legal risks; before buying, have the type and history of the deed checked against the Land Registry records and get advice from an independent lawyer.

Title deed types in North Cyprus · Buying land in North Cyprus · All guides

Neighbouring villages

Aydınköy Güneşköy Güzelyurt town centre

Güzelyurt Municipality settlements

Akçay Aşağıbostancı Aydınköy Gayretköy Güneşköy Güzelyurt town centre Kalkanlı Mevlevi Serhatköy Şahinler Yukarıbostancı Yuvacık Zümrütköy

Frequently asked questions

Which development order covers Yayla?

Yayla is entirely within the Chapter 96 area. The exact building rules are in the official text of the development order; the plan zone type of your plot is shown on the ParselX map with a point query.

What plan zones are there in Yayla?

According to our planning data, the largest plan zone types are: Chapter 96 (100%).

Is Yayla in a Special Environmental Protection Area?

About 5% of Yayla lies within the Akdeniz SEPA. Building is very restricted in these areas; the ParselX map shows whether your plot is inside.

Which municipality is Yayla part of?

Yayla is part of Güzelyurt Municipality in the Güzelyurt district. Other settlements of the same municipality: Akçay, Aşağıbostancı, Aydınköy, Gayretköy, Güneşköy, Güzelyurt, Kalkanlı, Mevlevi, Serhatköy, Şahinler, Yukarıbostancı, Yuvacık.

How far is Yayla from Ercan Airport?

About 53 km as the crow flies. The nearest passenger port is Kyrenia Tourist Harbour (39 km), and Nicosia city centre is 39 km away.

What should I check when buying land in Yayla?

Have the title deed type (Turkish, equivalent or allocation) checked against the Land Registry records; foreign buyers need Council of Ministers permission. See the plot's development order zone, plan zone type and SEPA status on the ParselX map, and confirm the exact building rules with the municipality and the Town Planning Department.

Is Yayla in an earthquake zone?

Cyprus is an earthquake zone because of the Cyprus Arc south of the island. Since 1900, 1 earthquakes of magnitude 5 or above have been recorded within Yayla or 10 km of it; the largest was M5.5 in 1921. A soil survey and the earthquake regulations apply to any building.

See the planning status of your plot in Yayla

Open the North Cyprus workspace on the map: upload your plot as KML, draw it or tap the map to see the development order zone, plan zone type, SEPA, map sheet, amenities and earthquake data on one screen.

Open on the map

Sources: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — administrative boundaries and amenities; ParselX North Cyprus planning database — development order and zoning plan areas, plan zones, SEPAs; USGS and GEM — earthquakes and active faults. Data compiled on 29 September 2026. Boundaries are simplified. This page is for information only; for official transactions the records of the Land Registry, the Town Planning Department and the municipality prevail.