Time to take a stand against urban sprawl

I WISH to appraise your readers of the current development threat to Kenmare, Co Kerry, and warn every other small town lest a similar fate awaits.

As a ‘heritage’ town, Kenmare assumed it would be spared the ravages of change. Wrong. While planning applications for large-scale developments of a kind that would fundamentally change the nature of the town were recently refused permission by Kerry County Council, they are subject to appeal.

Kenmare is now raising upwards of €120,000 to fight this issue before An Bord Pleanála — and we will probably have to do it again next year.

It is strongly contended by local businesses and residents alike that the present ‘local area plans’ fail to provide a basis for managing development locally. The urban sprawl stemming from piecemeal residential permissions granted in recent years (well beyond local housing needs identified by county councils) is mute testimony to this.

Larger individual developments (like the Peninsula in Kenmare) have exposed notable failures by the planning authorities to prepare adequate master plans integrating new development into the existing physical fabric and social structure.

All our towns are too precious for development to be builder-led and profit-driven. Communities must work with local planning authorities to address these issues so that future major development proposals evolve in a form relevant to the needs of our towns.

Such changes merit the support of all politicians. Elections are imminent — let’s catch their attention.

Kenmare is fighting back. With the local and national support we are receiving, we are growing in strength. But beware, unless you act now, your community could be next.

John Joe O’Brien

Chairman

Kenmare Peninsula

Action Group

Geragh

Bonane

Kenmare

Co Kerry