Celeb hotelier gets go-ahead for safari-style ‘glamping park’

Celebrity hotelier John Brennan looks set to see his dream of developing a luxurious, safari-style camping park in Kerry come true after An Bord Pleanála withdrew an appeal.

The At Your Service presenter wants to develop the “glamping park” at Dromquinna, located near Kenmare.

Last year, county councillors in Kerry, with the support of management, unanimously backed the project and contravened their own development plan to allow Brennan to build the park in woodland alongside a sensitive coastline in the grounds of a protected 19th century manor house.

The plan involves setting up pitches for large motor homes and restoring the manor house to its original design.

Planning permission for the camping and recreational vehicle park in woodland around on Kenmare Bay required the contravention of the county development plan as it prohibits coastline caravan parks.

A problem also arose about its location off a national secondary road, and the National Roads Authority voiced concern at council level about caravans turning off the N70 Ring of Kerry into Dromquinna.

A third party, Patrick Henderson, of Faha had appealed the council’s decision to permission to An Bord Pleanála.

He said he had worries about the glamping aspect of the plans and their impact on the curtilage, walled garden, and boundary walls of the Victorian manor overlooking Kenmare Bay.

The appeal has since been withdrawn.

Brennan co-owns the nearby Kenmare Park Hotel with his brother Francis, who also stars in the RTÉ television series.

He said 35 jobs will now be safeguarded by the decision and that the number will probably be expanded.

“It’s the best Christmas and new year present Kenmare could have as it means so many bednights and a huge spin-off for the entire community,” Brennan said.

“We catered for 6,000 wedding guests last year and each guest stayed, on average, two nights in local hotels.”

Honeymooners from the US and continental recreational vehicle drivers will be attracted to the new glamping site, he added.

Brennan and wife Gwen bought the manor and its 36 acres from AIB in 2011 for a reported €2.25m.

In recent years it had changed hands a number of times and at one stage had an asking price of €12m.