Hotelier ‘not to develop park’

Hotelier John Brennan has been warned by Kerry County Council not to develop a luxury camping and caravan park on the grounds of a 19th century manor hotel, near Kenmare, until an appeal to An Bord Pleanála is finalised.

Mr Brennan’s proposal to develop the luxury safari tent and caravan park and facilities at Dromquinna was voted through at a meeting of the council in March.

Planning permission for the “glamping” — a portmanteau of “glamorous” and “camping” — or tent park and recreational vehicle park, in woodland around the protected New England-style manor house, on Kenmare Bay, required a material contravention of the county development plan. This was because of the sensitive coastal site and also because of works to the National Secondary Road.

Council management also recommended approval.

However, a third party, Patrick Henderson, of Faha, Killarney, appealed the grant of permission on a number of grounds, principally to do with the potential impact of any development on the protected structure, its grounds and boundary walls, and road entrance.

Mr Henderson now alleges the glamping part of the operation is up and running and other works to do with infrastructure for the caravan and glamping park are being undertaken, even though it is under appeal.

Photographs and a review of the camping experience on Tripadvisor.com over Easter have been forwarded to the council’s planning enforcement officers.

Mr Brennan yesterday insisted that he has not done anything illegal. The Dromquinna hotel and boathouse lakeside restaurant is operating under a previous existing planning permission, and the hotel licences had been re-instated in Killarney Circuit Court in March, he said. The hotel had bookings for 36 weddings, he added.

It was also doubtful if the safari tents, which are temporary structures, needed permission in the first place.

“I have not broken any law,” Mr Brennan said.

“Everyone locally is 100% supportive of this project. The boathouse is employing 15 people.”

Mr Brennan co-owns the luxury Kenmare Park Hotel with his brother Francis, and the pair star in the At Your Service series on RTÉ1.

Mr Brennan and his wife Gwen bought Dromquinna last April for a reported €2.25m from AIB. It had an asking price of €12m at the height of the boom.

The council has warned Mr Brennan that while he received planning from the council, it is under appeal and no works are to be undertaken until the appeal is finalised. That appeal is not due for decision until July.