# Negative opinions block new Santorini stay and Halkidiki hotel upgrade

> Cycladic antiquities authority and Central Macedonia regional council raised objections to two hospitality projects.

- **Section:** New hotels
- **Published:** 2026-09-23
- **Publisher:** Voyage (https://thevoyage.gr)
- **Type:** our own summary of someone else’s reporting
- **Source:** Tornos News — https://tornosnews.gr/featured/santorini-kai-chalkidiki-freno-se-dyo-katalymata-gia-domisi-nero-kai-adeiodotise.html

Two separate hospitality projects in Santorini and Halkidiki have run into obstacles during the licensing process. In Santorini, the Cycladic Antiquities Authority did not approve a plan for furnished tourist residences in Akrotiri, reportedly owned by Epifanios Sigalas. The request had been submitted in September 2024 and received preliminary building permit approval in November of the same year, while the Local Monuments Council of the South Aegean had unanimously endorsed it in June 2026.

The Antiquities Authority cited a suspension on issuing building permits for this category of accommodation, extended until the end of the year. It also raised questions about the plot's buildability, noting that its frontage on the municipal road was smaller than required, and pointed out that the property lies within a designated archaeological site.

In Halkidiki, the Central Macedonia Regional Council unanimously issued a negative opinion on the Environmental Impact Study for upgrading the former LESSE hotel in Chaniotis, which after renovation now operates as a 5-star property under the name Zeus Kassandra Lagoon, with 88 rooms and 156 beds. The project developer is listed as MADISON POINT S.A., with KASSANDRA LAGOON S.A. established as universal successor since June 2026.

The authority identified discrepancies in the plot's area, in its zoning status—with permitted construction of 1,895 sq.m versus an actual built area of 4,699.28 sq.m—and in water supply issues, as the study estimates annual consumption of 16,576.20 cubic meters while the Municipality of Kassandra notes that supply is not fully guaranteed during peak periods.

The Regional Council adopted the negative recommendation, clarifying that the project may be reconsidered following submission of a new, corrected environmental study.

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This summary was written by Voyage based on reporting by Tornos News. The full article is at https://tornosnews.gr/featured/santorini-kai-chalkidiki-freno-se-dyo-katalymata-gia-domisi-nero-kai-adeiodotise.html. Canonical URL of this page: https://thevoyage.gr/en/a/negative-opinions-block-new-santorini-stay-and-halkidiki-hotel-upgrade