Killarney housing project gets green light with homes ring-fenced for individual buyers

The development will have four-bed houses, three-bed houses, town houses in a range of sizes as well as one- and two-bed apartments

The permission from An Coimisiún Pleanála sets out how all relevant residential units are restricted 'to first occupation by individual purchasers, that is, those not being a corporate entity, and/or by those eligible for the occupation of social and/or affordable housing, including cost rental housing'. File picture: iStock

A large-scale housing development on Ross Road within the Killarney town boundary, has been given the go-ahead by An Coimisiún Pleanála, and is being ring-fenced for individual purchasers.

The condition attached to the permission restricts the sale to individuals and prohibits corporations from purchasing the housing.

The project by Homeland Projects Ltd is on a 3.8 hectare infill site surrounded by housing. The project consists of 10 four-bed houses, 55 three-bed houses, over 50 town houses in a range of sizes as well as one- and two-bed apartments.

The proposed development also includes a creche with capacity to accommodate 102 children. 

It had attracted several third-party objections centring on density, traffic congestion, impact on local biodiversity and capacity of the nearby Killarney Waste water treatment plant.

The boundary between existing properties and the new units was also of concern.

Permission with conditions

Kerry County Council gave permission saying it suited the need for a wide demographic of housing need and provided for an increased number of small units, reflecting the housing demand in Killarney.

As well as existing residential estates the development is alongside the Killarney racecourse and Ross Golf Course. A dedicated cycleway and walkway by the Flesk River links Muckross House and Ross Castle and the Demesne area of the Killarney National Park.

A number of revisions form part of the conditions. These include the re-positioning of windows facing existing housing.

Corporations are restricted from purchasing the Ross Road houses, in a condition likely to be widely welcomed.

Public representatives have vigorously complained that only social housing is being built in Killarney and a whole cohort are being pushed out to outlying villages with football clubs and other longstanding Killarney institutions suffering a dramatic drop in numbers.

It is also the case in Killarney that multiple houses are regularly snapped up by companies for let.

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The permission sets out how, under Section 47 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, all relevant residential units are restricted “to first occupation by individual purchasers, that is, those not being a corporate entity, and/or by those eligible for the occupation of social and/or affordable housing, including cost rental housing”.

Exceptions are where after two years the houses are not able to be sold and then there will have to be an agreement with the local authority.

The reason for the condition is “in order to ensure an adequate choice and supply of housing, including affordable housing, in the common good,” the planning body said in its decision.