Kerry councillors slam ‘ridiculous’ government advice and back new business zone

By Alastair Tibbs, The Kerryman

Kerry councillors and council officials fought bitterly over the idea of a new business zone in Killarney, with one councillor calling government push-back “absolutely ridiculous”.

During a meeting this week, Councillors pushed through amendments to Killarney Municipal District’s (MD) planning map, despite resistance from Kerry County Council, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and the planning regulator.

The lure of a greenfield site north of the N22 on the outskirts of Killarney ignited the imagination of councillors who endowed the land with a variety of potential uses, including being home to a park and ride service to alleviate the “choc-a-bloc” town.

Councillors were particularly incensed by TII’s objections to the land’s business designation, the agency warning that it would pose a “significant challenge for accessibility and integration of the lands”.

Councillor Niall O’Callaghan was quick to point out that elected members had agreed with the TII to construct an access road to the site adjacent to Killarney Legion GAA Club around four years ago and nothing had been done.

“The TII have failed miserably in delivering what this council has agreed on. So how do we take on board this submission when they’ve failed miserably, that’s the facts,” he questioned.

“This idea that you can’t build here because of accessibility, that’s them shooting themselves in the foot.

“They’re absolutely ridiculous some of these submissions. It’s like somebody playing Subbuteo on a computer.”

While the Kerry County Council (KCC) warned that allowing development to begin potentially immediately was “premature”, and could result in an “absolute mess”, Cllr Callaghan emphasised access road plans had been laid out via the TII agreement years earlier and there was little risk of developers connecting plots in unwanted ways.

Councillor Marie Moloney supported retaining the business designation and suggested the location could be used for a park and ride scheme.

“If we had a park and ride, just think of the effect that could have,” she argued.

“It’s a known fact that Killarney is choc-a-bloc with cars, with parking issues and traffic jams at all times of the day.

“If we had a park and ride, the school pupils could be dropped there to get a bus to school and people going to work could park there and ride into town.”

Councillor John O’Donoghue also argued in favour of a business site, highlighting the benefits of attracting non-tourism revenue into Killarney.

“There isn’t any town in the world I’d rather live in, but it is a tourist town,” said Cllr O’Donoghue.

“If we can get a bit of enterprise into the town to diversify and not have all our eggs in one basket, then great.”

KCC replied that 77 hectares in the Killarney MD had been allocated to business use but only 11 hectares had been developed on, meaning the local authority still had enough land zoned for this use. This was also reasoned by the planning regulator.

KCC recommended that the site be allocated to strategic reserve to allow surrounding access to be developed first. Councillors unanimously voted to retain their original decision and keep the land for business use.