MOVES by politicians to rezone large tracts of land for housing near Adare are still on hold following the intervention of Limerick County Council planners.
The elected members of the council who have the power to rezone land favour opening up more sites near the village for housing.
However, the council officials ordered a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) fearing over-development could environmentally damage the picture postcard heritage village.
One prized half-acre site was sold last year near the village for €1.3 million.
Auctioneers say an acre located within 10 minutes walk of the village would be worth up to €1m — twice the going rate in adjoining villages.
Councillor Richard Butler who along with other local councils favours rezoning said: “If you starve a community of development land, you will increase the price of it. The council are creating an expensive market which it should not be. Locals are being blown out of the market.
“Even 12 of the local hurling team have to live outside Adare. Young couples form Adare have to move to places such as Newcastle West as they can’t get sites and due to the lack of housing land houses are too expensive when they do come on the market. We are supporting the rezoning of three separate parcels of land.”
He said the council planners were using the SEA as “a stalling mechanism”.
The elected members have an agreement if representatives from one electoral area back a rezoning proposal, all the other councillors support the proposal.
Among those eager to cash in on local land values is the GAA club.
The club has applied to the council to have its five acre playing ground re-zoned for housing.
The plan is to sell it off and use the money to build a bigger facility further out.
Due to increased membership the club says it has a space crisis in its present location.
Limerick County Council planners do not want to see the population of Adare — at 1,300 — rise beyond 3,000 so that the village does not lose its traditional character.
At present the council owns 20 aces of undeveloped land in Adare and does not want any new rezoning to go beyond 75 acres.
The elected members will not be able to press ahead with their proposals until the Strategic Environmental Assessment is finalised and submitted to County Hall for consideration.
Irish Examiner
Showing posts with label re-zoning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label re-zoning. Show all posts
Tuesday, 26 June 2007
Tuesday, 17 April 2007
Church joins race for rezoned land at bishop's residence
THE Catholic Church has joined the scramble to profit from new land designations in the Ennis area after a review of the local development plan.
Millions of euro could be earned if shops and other business outlets are allowed to develop on the land that currently houses the Ennis residence of the Bishop of Killaloe, Dr Willie Walsh. In a surprise move, the St Flannan's (Killaloe) Diocesan Trust is seeking to allow building on eight acres of prime development land at Bishop Walsh's Westbourne residence.
It is currently zoned as "other settlement land" but the Church wants it rezoned for mixed use development in order to allow residential, commercial and retail activities take place at the site. But planners say that the site is an Architectural Conservation Area (ACA) and that the dwelling, Westbourne House, is a protected structure.
A report points out that the site is within walking distance of community facilities, schools, retail and commercial services.
It goes on: "It should be noted that there is no identified need for additional zoned lands to meet the future needs forecast for the new plan period."
Gordon Deegan
Irish Independent
Millions of euro could be earned if shops and other business outlets are allowed to develop on the land that currently houses the Ennis residence of the Bishop of Killaloe, Dr Willie Walsh. In a surprise move, the St Flannan's (Killaloe) Diocesan Trust is seeking to allow building on eight acres of prime development land at Bishop Walsh's Westbourne residence.
It is currently zoned as "other settlement land" but the Church wants it rezoned for mixed use development in order to allow residential, commercial and retail activities take place at the site. But planners say that the site is an Architectural Conservation Area (ACA) and that the dwelling, Westbourne House, is a protected structure.
A report points out that the site is within walking distance of community facilities, schools, retail and commercial services.
It goes on: "It should be noted that there is no identified need for additional zoned lands to meet the future needs forecast for the new plan period."
Gordon Deegan
Irish Independent
Thursday, 12 April 2007
Rezoning prompts fears for character of idyllic tourist village
A GOLD rush type sale of house sites in Adare has forced Limerick County Council to order an environmental study amid fears that overdevelopment could damage one of the country’s idyllic tourism villages.
A half-acre site was sold in the last year for €1.3 million. Local landowners, including the village GAA club, are sitting on tens of millions in potential assets following a move by Limerick County Council to rezone land near the village for housing.
However, planners in Limerick County Council have ordered a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), fearing overdevelopment could damage the character of the village and put undue pressure on water, sewerage and other services. The study will take up to nine months.
Local auctioneer John Giltinane said: “A one-acre site zoned for housing within ten minutes’ walk of the village could make up to €1m. Housing land in Adare is worth twice that in other villages in the general area.”
The local GAA club has applied to Limerick County Council to have its five-acre ground rezoned from recreation to development.
Many club members want to sell up and move to a bigger site further from the village due to the inadequate facilities at the club grounds at Black Abbey road.
Tom Healy, who heads the club’s assets subcommittee, said they have a space crisis and need more room for their hurling, football and camogie teams.
Any decision on selling would rest with the 250 members of the club.
Mr Healy said: “To sell and move would not be sacrilege, but it would allow us plan for the future. We will have to buy land anyway to provide more training facilities. I think it would be preferable to have all our facilities on one new site, rather than holding on to the present playing pitch and buying a second elsewhere to help with training.”
Tom Enright, director of housing with Limerick County Council, said they are obliged to initiate an SEA, given the scale of the rezoning sought by the council’s elected member.
Mr Enright said: “The village at present has a population of around 1,300. We need to retain the character of the village and to achieve that we feel the population should not increase above 2,500 to 3,000. Any expansion should retain the character of the village as it is a very traditionally designed village and one of the most attractive in the country and a major tourism attraction.”
The council owns 20 acres of undeveloped housing land in the village and feels rezoning should not go beyond 75 acres.
The Irish Examiner
A half-acre site was sold in the last year for €1.3 million. Local landowners, including the village GAA club, are sitting on tens of millions in potential assets following a move by Limerick County Council to rezone land near the village for housing.
However, planners in Limerick County Council have ordered a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), fearing overdevelopment could damage the character of the village and put undue pressure on water, sewerage and other services. The study will take up to nine months.
Local auctioneer John Giltinane said: “A one-acre site zoned for housing within ten minutes’ walk of the village could make up to €1m. Housing land in Adare is worth twice that in other villages in the general area.”
The local GAA club has applied to Limerick County Council to have its five-acre ground rezoned from recreation to development.
Many club members want to sell up and move to a bigger site further from the village due to the inadequate facilities at the club grounds at Black Abbey road.
Tom Healy, who heads the club’s assets subcommittee, said they have a space crisis and need more room for their hurling, football and camogie teams.
Any decision on selling would rest with the 250 members of the club.
Mr Healy said: “To sell and move would not be sacrilege, but it would allow us plan for the future. We will have to buy land anyway to provide more training facilities. I think it would be preferable to have all our facilities on one new site, rather than holding on to the present playing pitch and buying a second elsewhere to help with training.”
Tom Enright, director of housing with Limerick County Council, said they are obliged to initiate an SEA, given the scale of the rezoning sought by the council’s elected member.
Mr Enright said: “The village at present has a population of around 1,300. We need to retain the character of the village and to achieve that we feel the population should not increase above 2,500 to 3,000. Any expansion should retain the character of the village as it is a very traditionally designed village and one of the most attractive in the country and a major tourism attraction.”
The council owns 20 acres of undeveloped housing land in the village and feels rezoning should not go beyond 75 acres.
The Irish Examiner
Thursday, 4 January 2007
Kerry County Council and zoning a deadly combination
The Irish Examiner has this today:
DESPITE strong warnings from county manager Martin Riordan and senior planning officials, councillors in Kerry are continuing to rezone an excess amount of land for housing, planners have claimed.
Mr Riordan warned the council could be sued in regard to future planning decisions, as land for hundreds more houses than will be needed has been rezoned around villages in the Tralee/Killarney hub.
He described some cases of rezoning as leapfrogging on a “grand scale”, saying it was his duty to issue a formal warning that the council could be sued by developers if An Bord Pleanála refused planning permission for the rezoned land.
An Taisce claimed some of the rezonings were for the benefit of the landowners and developers rather than the community, while Independent Councillor Brendan Cronin said it was time for planning decisions to be taken out of councillors’ hands.
Senior planning engineer Tom Sheehy pointed out that the rural village of Kilcummin, near Killarney, would become bigger than the town of Dingle if all land in the area zoned for development was built on. He said Kilcummin already had enough land zoned for the equivalent of 532 houses, or 1,600 people.
But councillors decided, on the proposal of South Kerry Independent Alliance Cllr Michael Gleeson, to rezone another parcel of land, near Kilcummin, which could potentially provide housing for 500 people.
Mr Riordan strongly advised against this rezoning.
However, Independent Cllr Michael Healy-Rae said young people could no longer afford to purchase houses in towns like Killarney and Kenmare. Kilcummin was a suitable area for affordable housing, which was badly needed, he maintained.
Mr Sheehy described as outrageous another rezoning near Beaufort, Killarney.
This rezoning, led by Fine Gael Cllr John O’Connor and Fianna Fáil Cllr Colin Miller, involved seven acres at the foot of the MacGillycuddy Reeks. The land is beside a church and school, but does not form part of Beaufort village.
Mr Sheehy showed a five-minute video of the distance between the village and the land, which, he said, was at least half a mile down a narrow road. There were no footpaths and no lighting.
Mr O’Connor said there were other housing developments in the area and the proposal would include a childcare and educational facility and a playground. There was a need for housing in the area alongside a church and school, he felt.
The Tralee/Killarney hub area includes 20 villages surrounding the towns and is a designated development hub under the national spatial strategy.
DESPITE strong warnings from county manager Martin Riordan and senior planning officials, councillors in Kerry are continuing to rezone an excess amount of land for housing, planners have claimed.
Mr Riordan warned the council could be sued in regard to future planning decisions, as land for hundreds more houses than will be needed has been rezoned around villages in the Tralee/Killarney hub.
He described some cases of rezoning as leapfrogging on a “grand scale”, saying it was his duty to issue a formal warning that the council could be sued by developers if An Bord Pleanála refused planning permission for the rezoned land.
An Taisce claimed some of the rezonings were for the benefit of the landowners and developers rather than the community, while Independent Councillor Brendan Cronin said it was time for planning decisions to be taken out of councillors’ hands.
Senior planning engineer Tom Sheehy pointed out that the rural village of Kilcummin, near Killarney, would become bigger than the town of Dingle if all land in the area zoned for development was built on. He said Kilcummin already had enough land zoned for the equivalent of 532 houses, or 1,600 people.
But councillors decided, on the proposal of South Kerry Independent Alliance Cllr Michael Gleeson, to rezone another parcel of land, near Kilcummin, which could potentially provide housing for 500 people.
Mr Riordan strongly advised against this rezoning.
However, Independent Cllr Michael Healy-Rae said young people could no longer afford to purchase houses in towns like Killarney and Kenmare. Kilcummin was a suitable area for affordable housing, which was badly needed, he maintained.
Mr Sheehy described as outrageous another rezoning near Beaufort, Killarney.
This rezoning, led by Fine Gael Cllr John O’Connor and Fianna Fáil Cllr Colin Miller, involved seven acres at the foot of the MacGillycuddy Reeks. The land is beside a church and school, but does not form part of Beaufort village.
Mr Sheehy showed a five-minute video of the distance between the village and the land, which, he said, was at least half a mile down a narrow road. There were no footpaths and no lighting.
Mr O’Connor said there were other housing developments in the area and the proposal would include a childcare and educational facility and a playground. There was a need for housing in the area alongside a church and school, he felt.
The Tralee/Killarney hub area includes 20 villages surrounding the towns and is a designated development hub under the national spatial strategy.
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