‘Huge financial loss for owners of land’

A CALL went out yesterday for compensation for the owners of land that forms a buffer zone around a weather station outside Caherciveen, because they can never develop or build on it.

A tract of land surrounding Valentia Observatory has been rendered “sterile” following a decision by Kerry County Council not to rezone it for residential, commercial or leisure uses.

The Dept of the Environment and the Office of Public Works (OPW) had made a strong case to the council not to rezone the land because any development could have a “serious impact” on work at the observatory.

But Caherciveen Fianna Fáil councillor Paul O’Donoghue said landowners would be at a huge financial loss and they should be compensated.

“Their land has been effectively made sterile for development,” he said.

Mr O’Donoghue said he was disappointed Met Éireann had not come forward when the plan was made public for the first time, some months ago.

Since 1865, the observatory has been carrying out weather measurements and other scientific monitoring. It also provides data to the Irish Aviation Authority and the Air Corps.

The rezoning of the land was proposed in a new local area plan for Caherciveen, which came before Kerry County Council this week.

However, the council decided not to rezone after considering submissions from the observatory, some Government departments and services dependant on scientific information from the observatory.