Council deal sees hotel get ‘town centre’ rezoning

THE multi-million euro Gleneagle Hotel complex, in Killarney, is to be rezoned in a compromise agreed by Killarney Town Council.

A year ago, a controversial “town centre’’ zoning had been sought for the 20-acre property, but Killarney Town Council has decided to zone the property for “tourism and associated facilities.

The zoning is substantially the same as what had been sought originally, but excludes office headquarters, major retail outlets and financial institutions.

The rezoning was agreed unanimously at Monday night’s town council meeting, on the proposal of Fianna Fáil’s Brian O’Leary.

Two councillors under investigation by the Standards in Public Office Commission, arising from the rezoning, left the meeting while the issue was being discussed and voted on.

Fianna Fáil councillor Patrick O’Donoghue, who is also managing director of the Gleneagle Hotel, and Fine Gael councillor Sheila Casey, an employee of the hotel group, are due to come before a Commission ethics hearing in Dublin, on March 26.

Despite strong advice from council management, the council voted last March to grant town-centre zoning to the property, which includes the Gleneagle and Brehon Hotels, the National Events Centre (INEC), several apartment blocks and a pitch and putt course along the banks of the river Flesk.

But, town manager Tom Curran told the council, in April, he could not go along with town centre zoning, which would be “inappropriate” for a property located more than a mile from the centre from Killarney.

Planners also said a precedent could be created for other out-of-town developments and that the commercial heart could be torn out of the town centre.

However, in the latest development, at Monday night’s meeting, town clerk Michael O’Leary recommended granting the “tourism and associated facilities’’ zoning.

This zoning will allow for hotels, guesthouses, holiday homes, apartments, pubs, restaurants, conference facilities, a neighbourhood retail centre, leisure facilities, swimming pool, museums and theatres.

Major retail outlets, as well as fast food/takeaway outlets will not be permitted. Also, no development will be allowed a 25-metre strip along the banks of the River Flesk.

In a submission, Catherine McMullin, of An Taisce (Kerry), said the Gleneagle lands were in a very sensitive location beside the Flesk.

‘’The river itself and the adjoining river bank is a Special Area of Conservation and needs to be protected from polluting matter. It is, therefore, undesirable to allow development close to it,’’ she said. All six councillors present voted for the rezoning.