Architect succeeds in 5-year bid to build houses but not as holiday homes

A CLARE County Council policy of not allowing holiday homes to be built at tourist resorts “is akin to preventing the construction of a factory in an industrial estate”.

Businessman and architect Tom Byrne made the comment after his five-year long bid to build a terraced housing block overlooking Kilkee bay finally succeeded in the face of local opposition.

However, the development is conditional upon the homes only being used as principal places of permanent residence. The condition is in line with council policy. But Mr Byrne said yesterday it was perplexing, as Kilkee’s population was dropping and tourism was its only industry.