‘Not our policy to accept cash in lieu of social housing’

ONLY in exceptional circumstances will cash be accepted from developers in lieu of affordable housing, Kerry County Council insisted yesterday.

It had been claimed that developers in Kerry were getting around planning laws by paying money instead of allocating 20% of new homes for social and affordable housing.

The council, which has more than 1,000 applicants on its housing list, last year negotiated the delivery of only 15 such homes from developers.

Senior housing officer Liam Quinlan said 30 social and affordable houses were on stream this year.

It has been disclosed that, nationally, developers are paying over €1 million a month to avoid their social housing obligations.

The issue was also raised at a meeting of Killarney Town Council, by Independent councillor Michael Courtney, who asked if the council was willing to accept money from developers.

Town clerk Michael O’Leary said accepting cash was not the council’s preferred option.

“There’s just one instance that I know of where cash was accepted. It’s not our policy to accept cash,’ he added.

A second attempt by Listowel Town Council, meanwhile, to rezone 42 acres of land in the town, has been opposed by town council officials.

The owner of the property in question may now have to take legal action to get the land rezoned, a town council meeting heard.

Councillors want to rezone 9.62 acres from agricultural to commercial and 32.4 acres to residential use.

Town manager John Breen, however, has pointed to more than 500 acres of land already zoned for residential use in Listowel - enough for 4,000 houses.

He also said there were “infrastructure issues” with the proposed site.

Mr Breen asked councillors to wait until the town development plan is finalised - as this might allow for the rezoning.

In the meantime, he is to take legal advice on the matter.