Another housing estate gets go-ahead despite infrastructural concerns

DESPITE concerns about inadequate roads, water and sewerage services in one of Kerry’s fastest developing villages, An Bord Pleanála has given the all-clear for another housing estate.

People living in Kilcummin, 5km from Killarney, argued there had been no improvement in infrastructure locally, even though of 130 new houses had been built there in two years.

An Bord Pleanála has granted planning permission to Matthew and Kay O’Connor for 21houses, two apartments, a shop unit and the relocation of a pub in Kilcummin, subject to 20 conditions.

One of the conditions is that work cannot start on the development until a long-awaited, new sewerage scheme is provided in Kilcummin, which is described in a local area planas a “dormitory village” for Killarney.

Objecting residents claimed extra traffic on narrow roads with bad bends around the area would lead to traffic hazards.

Also, they said Kilcummin was unsuitable for high density housing, pressure on the local water supply would intensify and the local primary school would not be able to take additional pupils.

They further maintained the relocation of the village pub would result in extra noise and disturbance for residents, especially late at night.

Residents also called for a better balance between housing development and the provision of facilities in Kilcummin.

However, Bord Pleanála senior planning inspector Mary Kennelly felt the development would not over-stretch amenities in Kilcummin and would be acceptable in relation to traffic safety and convenience.

The site is zoned for mixed use and residential purposes and the development would be in accordance with planning policies for the area, she stated.

Regarding the pub, Ms Kennelly said its relocation would tie in with wider objectives for the village and would outweigh any “slight increase” in noise and disturbance.

Meanwhile, Kerry County Council has confirmed an 8% drop in planning applications in 2007, marked by the slowdown in construction towards the end of the year.

There was a 10% fall in the number of applications for one-off houses — down from 2,302, in 2006, to 2,058.

Councillors in Kerry have been claiming for some time that it is now extremely difficult to obtain planning for one-off houses in rural areas of the county, even when applications are houses on family-owned land.