Planning rows set to continue

CONTROVERSIES over planning and housing look set to continue in An Daingean in 2007.

People living in the Goat Street area fear that further attempts will be made to build houses on a green area inside an existing estate.

Kerry County Council has refused planning permission for apartments and houses, but an appeal may be lodged with An Bord Pleanála.

Close to 200 acres have already been zoned for housing in An Daingean, with many more holiday homes on the way.

Despite warnings from senior council planners that An Daingean is over-zoned for housing, local councillors have continued to vote for additional rezonings on the edge of the town.

A rash of rezonings is opposed by the An Daingean Sustainable Development Group, which has called for the removal of rezoning powers from councillors.

Group spokesman Sean Brosnan said the town boundaries were being extended to include large areas outside An Daingean — areas where previous applications had been refused or withdrawn.

“Both Fáilte Ireland and the spatial planning section of the Department of the Environment objected to this sprawl,” he said.

“Perhaps the most grotesque aspect of this is that it now seems that if rezoned land is refused permission on sound planning principles, the council could be liable to compensation by the applicants.”

Mr Brosnan said councillors’ behaviour in appeasing the interests of landowners should end immediately.

He also suggested that where professional planning advice was ignored, irresponsible councillors should foot the bill.

Similar concerns about overdevelopment are also being expressed in Kenmare, where a number of meetings have been held to oppose major retail and housing developments.