Controversial South Kerry Greenway planning hearing to take almost two weeks

An oral hearing into the controversial South Kerry Greenway is expected to take almost two weeks.

As well as an application for planning, Kerry County Council is also seeking the go-ahead to compulsorily purchase lands from the almost 200 landowners on the 32km route which is largely - though not exclusively - along the former railway line between Glenbeigh and Renard outside Cahersiveen.

There is to be a three-metre wide paved surface. In addition, car parks are to be constructed and old tunnels and bridges are to be restored.

The proposal for a cycleway and walkway for South Kerry was expected to be the jewel in the crown of the Department of Transport’s National Greenway strategy in 2014, in the run-up to the local elections. However it has run into difficulty because of the decision to move to compulsorily purchase farmers' lands.

Signs saying “Greenway Yes, CPO No” have appeared along sections of the Ring of Kerry tourism route.

The council has said the proposal is a key economic driver for the region and it has no choice but to force the sale via the CPO instrument after it failed to reach agreement over the past five years with all 197 landowners along the route. Some 222 pieces of land measuring between 0.001 hectares to over 0.2 hectares are involved in the CPO.

The Irish Farmers Association is objecting strongly, fearing the use of the CPO for a greenway will act as a precedent for other projects in the rest of the country.

It says the CPO instrument should be reserved for major infrastructure projects and not used for greenways.

“Kerry County Council is also seeking to impose a compulsory purchase order on impacted landowners, using the powers of the Housing Act 1966, which to date have not been used for recreational routes such as greenways,” it has submitted to An Bord Pleanála.

TII, Failte Ireland and An Taisce are expected to make contributions along with over a dozen observers from the worlds of politics, business and cycling. Around 40 objectors are also listed.

The hearing into both the planning and CPO applications, is to take place in Tralee at the Manor West Hotel and it is scheduled to begin on October 8 and run until October 18.