Planning free-for-all a threat to tourism

DESPITE claims that it’s impossible to get planning permission to build in the countryside, the reality in Kerry and Cork is that between 80% and 90% of applications are approved.

In fact, in 2006 in Kerry we built 10 times more houses than the local population needed. Yet vested interests continue to exaggerate the difficulties of getting planning permission.

What’s really happening here is that particular interests want to sell land at real estate prices and fill the countryside with houses, regardless of the impact on scenery, water quality, agricultural land prices, car dependency, proper public transport and the wider public interest.