TWO PLANNING officers with Kerry County Council were assaulted in the headquarters of the council by a man whose quarry had been closed down on foot of enforcement procedures taken some years previously, the District Court in Tralee heard yesterday.
Brian O'Connor (44), Moyderwell, Tralee, pleaded guilty to assaulting Kerry Barrett and Keith Parrott at Áras an Chontae in April 2007.
Supt Pat Sullivan said that at 9.45am on April 13th, 2007, Mr O'Connor entered the council offices in Tralee. He assaulted Mr Barrett by dragging him over a desk and tearing his shirt. Mr Parrott intervened and got a kick on his leg from Mr O'Connor.
Other members of the council had to restrain Mr O'Connor until gardaí arrived and arrested him, said Supt Sullivan.
Mr O'Connor had no previous convictions. His solicitor, Pádraig O'Connell, said the incident had its origins in a decision by the council to close his client's quarry "and his livelihood" in 1999.
The father of five was accompanied by his wife in court. He had at one stage been forced to live in a mobile home because of the council decision, Mr O'Connell said.
On the day in question, his client had gone there "with peace in his heart", but felt he had been treated with derision, the solicitor continued. Judge James O'Connor adjourned the matter to December 2009 and granted free legal aid to Mr O'Connor.
The Irish Times
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Showing posts with label kerry planners. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kerry planners. Show all posts
Thursday, 27 March 2008
Tuesday, 17 July 2007
It's no Kerry joke - they're praying for rain in Kenmare
A COMPLETE ban has been imposed on developments in Kenmare, one of Ireland's fastest-growing and most popular tourist towns, because of concerns about the town's water supply and quality.
Council officials have their fingers crossed that the summer's rain will continue in order to prevent a drought, a meeting of Kerry County Council heard yesterday.
In the decade since 'Fortune' magazine voted the heritage town one of the top destinations in the world to retire to - alongside London, Costa Rica, Hawaii and Florida - Kenmare has seen its population surge by 30pc.
Huge numbers of holiday and second home developments encircle the town.
Currently, plans for what is effectively a whole new town on the seaward side are before An Bord Pleanala and a decision is expected shortly.
However, Kenmare's water supply often turns out to be of poor muddy quality and there is not enough of it.
Now no developments and no housing schemes are being given planning permission because of the town's lack of water and lack of water treatment, director of water services, Oliver Ring told councillors yesterday. Development in Kenmare was "closed down", he said in reply to questions from mayor of Kerry, Cllr Michael Healy-Rae.
© Irish Independent
Council officials have their fingers crossed that the summer's rain will continue in order to prevent a drought, a meeting of Kerry County Council heard yesterday.
In the decade since 'Fortune' magazine voted the heritage town one of the top destinations in the world to retire to - alongside London, Costa Rica, Hawaii and Florida - Kenmare has seen its population surge by 30pc.
Huge numbers of holiday and second home developments encircle the town.
Currently, plans for what is effectively a whole new town on the seaward side are before An Bord Pleanala and a decision is expected shortly.
However, Kenmare's water supply often turns out to be of poor muddy quality and there is not enough of it.
Now no developments and no housing schemes are being given planning permission because of the town's lack of water and lack of water treatment, director of water services, Oliver Ring told councillors yesterday. Development in Kenmare was "closed down", he said in reply to questions from mayor of Kerry, Cllr Michael Healy-Rae.
© Irish Independent
Sunday, 15 July 2007
Councillor says Kerry planning policies far too stringent
ANGER with planning policies in Kerry is about to boil over, it was claimed yesterday.
Councillors said they were hoping for a new approach from recently appointed county manager Tom Curran, who met Fianna Fáil councillors on the issue before the annual meeting in Tralee two weeks ago.
Despite promises that favourable treatment would be given for one-off houses on family-owned land, people were still finding it extremely difficult to get planning permission, FF Cllr Michael Cahill warned.
“I’m bitterly disappointed. The guidelines issued by the former Minister for the Environment are not being applied in Kerry,” he said.
“I’m involved in up to 100 planning cases, some of which have been going on for years, and am annoyed at the way matters are being handled by officials.”
Latest information from the council shows wide variations in the rate of applications granted.
Killorglin electoral area has the highest rate of refusals. More than a quarter of applications there were turned down between January and May.
In that period, the council decided on just under 2,000 applications, 79% of which were granted.
In the Killarney area, 88% of applications were granted, compared to 83% in Dingle and 79% in Listowel.
Tralee had an approval rate of 76%, while Killorglin had the lowest, with 73%.
Mr Cahill, who is campaigning in the Seanad election, said he was travelling through every county and found Kerry had the most stringent planning policies.
Donal Hickey
© Irish Examiner
Councillors said they were hoping for a new approach from recently appointed county manager Tom Curran, who met Fianna Fáil councillors on the issue before the annual meeting in Tralee two weeks ago.
Despite promises that favourable treatment would be given for one-off houses on family-owned land, people were still finding it extremely difficult to get planning permission, FF Cllr Michael Cahill warned.
“I’m bitterly disappointed. The guidelines issued by the former Minister for the Environment are not being applied in Kerry,” he said.
“I’m involved in up to 100 planning cases, some of which have been going on for years, and am annoyed at the way matters are being handled by officials.”
Latest information from the council shows wide variations in the rate of applications granted.
Killorglin electoral area has the highest rate of refusals. More than a quarter of applications there were turned down between January and May.
In that period, the council decided on just under 2,000 applications, 79% of which were granted.
In the Killarney area, 88% of applications were granted, compared to 83% in Dingle and 79% in Listowel.
Tralee had an approval rate of 76%, while Killorglin had the lowest, with 73%.
Mr Cahill, who is campaigning in the Seanad election, said he was travelling through every county and found Kerry had the most stringent planning policies.
Donal Hickey
© Irish Examiner
Friday, 1 June 2007
Only 25% of rural one-off houses in Kerry refused
Only a quarter of applications for one-off rural houses were refused by Kerry County Council last year, according to figures just released.
The number of applications for individual houses, along with the number of housing developments being applied for outside the main urban areas in Kerry far exceeded the projections based on population needs.
The new figures coincide with a refusal by An Bord Pleanála for a 14-house development near the village of Dungeagan in Ballinskelligs Bay. The board said it refused the development to protect the rural landscape.
The village has become well-known for its gallery which serves the nearby Cill Rialaig artists' retreat centre at Bolus Head.
Last year, excluding Tralee, Killarney and Listowel, planning applications were decided upon for some 1,900 individual houses. Almost 75 per cent were granted, the rest refused.
An Bord Pleanála overturned an additional 65 individual houses after third-party appeals against grants of permission by the council. In all 169 appeals were made, with the board upholding the vast majority of the council's refusals.
In addition some 543 housing developments (of more than one house) were sought, more than half of which were granted.
According to the county development plan, the number of new houses projected to meet the increasing population demand outside the main towns last year was just over 700.
Anne Lucey
© 2007 The Irish Times
The number of applications for individual houses, along with the number of housing developments being applied for outside the main urban areas in Kerry far exceeded the projections based on population needs.
The new figures coincide with a refusal by An Bord Pleanála for a 14-house development near the village of Dungeagan in Ballinskelligs Bay. The board said it refused the development to protect the rural landscape.
The village has become well-known for its gallery which serves the nearby Cill Rialaig artists' retreat centre at Bolus Head.
Last year, excluding Tralee, Killarney and Listowel, planning applications were decided upon for some 1,900 individual houses. Almost 75 per cent were granted, the rest refused.
An Bord Pleanála overturned an additional 65 individual houses after third-party appeals against grants of permission by the council. In all 169 appeals were made, with the board upholding the vast majority of the council's refusals.
In addition some 543 housing developments (of more than one house) were sought, more than half of which were granted.
According to the county development plan, the number of new houses projected to meet the increasing population demand outside the main towns last year was just over 700.
Anne Lucey
© 2007 The Irish Times
Only 25% of rural one-off houses in Kerry refused
Only a quarter of applications for one-off rural houses were refused by Kerry County Council last year, according to figures just released.
The number of applications for individual houses, along with the number of housing developments being applied for outside the main urban areas in Kerry far exceeded the projections based on population needs.
The new figures coincide with a refusal by An Bord Pleanála for a 14-house development near the village of Dungeagan in Ballinskelligs Bay. The board said it refused the development to protect the rural landscape.
The village has become well-known for its gallery which serves the nearby Cill Rialaig artists' retreat centre at Bolus Head.
Last year, excluding Tralee, Killarney and Listowel, planning applications were decided upon for some 1,900 individual houses. Almost 75 per cent were granted, the rest refused.
An Bord Pleanála overturned an additional 65 individual houses after third-party appeals against grants of permission by the council. In all 169 appeals were made, with the board upholding the vast majority of the council's refusals.
In addition some 543 housing developments (of more than one house) were sought, more than half of which were granted.
According to the county development plan, the number of new houses projected to meet the increasing population demand outside the main towns last year was just over 700.
Anne Lucey
© 2007 The Irish Times
The number of applications for individual houses, along with the number of housing developments being applied for outside the main urban areas in Kerry far exceeded the projections based on population needs.
The new figures coincide with a refusal by An Bord Pleanála for a 14-house development near the village of Dungeagan in Ballinskelligs Bay. The board said it refused the development to protect the rural landscape.
The village has become well-known for its gallery which serves the nearby Cill Rialaig artists' retreat centre at Bolus Head.
Last year, excluding Tralee, Killarney and Listowel, planning applications were decided upon for some 1,900 individual houses. Almost 75 per cent were granted, the rest refused.
An Bord Pleanála overturned an additional 65 individual houses after third-party appeals against grants of permission by the council. In all 169 appeals were made, with the board upholding the vast majority of the council's refusals.
In addition some 543 housing developments (of more than one house) were sought, more than half of which were granted.
According to the county development plan, the number of new houses projected to meet the increasing population demand outside the main towns last year was just over 700.
Anne Lucey
© 2007 The Irish Times
Saturday, 10 March 2007
Residents oppose Banna caravan park
A decision by Kerry County Council to grant planning permission for a large caravan park near Banna Strand has been greeted with dismay by local residents who had objected in large numbers to the proposal.
The council has decided to grant planning permission to Liam and Linda West of West's Caravan and Camping Park, Killorglin, for a caravan park with 161 static units along with a shop, launderette and other facilities including a wastewater treatment plant and constructed wetland at Banna Mountain, Ardfert. The site is around 37 acres in size.
Widening of the public road, which leads to the blue flag beach, and a service road to the park have also been approved. The application incorporates a smaller 20 unit adjoining caravan park owned by the Wests .
Mr West, who has been in the caravan park business for 33 years, has defended the caravan park and said it will be spacious and constructed to the highest modern standards.
He said a full environmental impact study had been carried out at his expense.
The caravan park would be built over a large site and was needed for tourism. This was a prime location, alongside the beach, and some 20 acres of the caravan park were on high ground.
However, local residents, some 40 of whom had lodged individual objections to the application, said the site was in reality "a lake", and the area's fragile environment would be disturbed.
Residents say there are already enough caravan parks in the area and permanent houses are vastly outnumbered by large mobile homes.
The chairman of the Banna-Carrahan Residents Association, Walter Sheehan, said the large park and works would "wreck an already fragile environment". There are three caravan parks already in Banna, one of which is substantial. Some of the submissions pointed to the previous planning history of the applicant in which enforcement proceedings were begun by the county council over interference with sensitive sand dunes some years ago. Restoration of the dunes had been undertaken by the developer following negotiations with the county council, but re-planting with marram grasses and so on had only been "partially successful" in undoing the damage, a council spokesman said yesterday. Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism John O'Donoghue has also come in for criticism. Mr O'Donoghue is listed on council files as having made representations on behalf of the developers for an original, larger proposal for the site last July, which sought planning for 245 units and lodges as well as 10 holiday homes. That proposal was withdrawn last August and this latest one submitted in January.
Councillor Toireasa Ferris said that given the damage done to sand dunes previously, it ill behoved a Minister with responsibility for tourism to support an application resisted by local residents.
"As a Minister there was an onus upon him to make himself aware of everything to do with the planning application he was making representations for and where there was a history of contempt for planning laws. He should not have got involved in this planning application," Ms Ferris said.
A spokesman for Mr O'Donoghue said he made "no representation" on the current application. On the previous application he merely "wrote on behalf of the applicant to ask for an update". This was not a representation.
Councillor Michael Healy-Rae said yesterday that he supported the application. He had looked at the site and it was a suitable location for a caravan park.
The decision can now be appealed to An Bord Pleanála and local residents are to decide on whether to do this next week.
Anne Lucey
© 2007 The Irish Times
The council has decided to grant planning permission to Liam and Linda West of West's Caravan and Camping Park, Killorglin, for a caravan park with 161 static units along with a shop, launderette and other facilities including a wastewater treatment plant and constructed wetland at Banna Mountain, Ardfert. The site is around 37 acres in size.
Widening of the public road, which leads to the blue flag beach, and a service road to the park have also been approved. The application incorporates a smaller 20 unit adjoining caravan park owned by the Wests .
Mr West, who has been in the caravan park business for 33 years, has defended the caravan park and said it will be spacious and constructed to the highest modern standards.
He said a full environmental impact study had been carried out at his expense.
The caravan park would be built over a large site and was needed for tourism. This was a prime location, alongside the beach, and some 20 acres of the caravan park were on high ground.
However, local residents, some 40 of whom had lodged individual objections to the application, said the site was in reality "a lake", and the area's fragile environment would be disturbed.
Residents say there are already enough caravan parks in the area and permanent houses are vastly outnumbered by large mobile homes.
The chairman of the Banna-Carrahan Residents Association, Walter Sheehan, said the large park and works would "wreck an already fragile environment". There are three caravan parks already in Banna, one of which is substantial. Some of the submissions pointed to the previous planning history of the applicant in which enforcement proceedings were begun by the county council over interference with sensitive sand dunes some years ago. Restoration of the dunes had been undertaken by the developer following negotiations with the county council, but re-planting with marram grasses and so on had only been "partially successful" in undoing the damage, a council spokesman said yesterday. Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism John O'Donoghue has also come in for criticism. Mr O'Donoghue is listed on council files as having made representations on behalf of the developers for an original, larger proposal for the site last July, which sought planning for 245 units and lodges as well as 10 holiday homes. That proposal was withdrawn last August and this latest one submitted in January.
Councillor Toireasa Ferris said that given the damage done to sand dunes previously, it ill behoved a Minister with responsibility for tourism to support an application resisted by local residents.
"As a Minister there was an onus upon him to make himself aware of everything to do with the planning application he was making representations for and where there was a history of contempt for planning laws. He should not have got involved in this planning application," Ms Ferris said.
A spokesman for Mr O'Donoghue said he made "no representation" on the current application. On the previous application he merely "wrote on behalf of the applicant to ask for an update". This was not a representation.
Councillor Michael Healy-Rae said yesterday that he supported the application. He had looked at the site and it was a suitable location for a caravan park.
The decision can now be appealed to An Bord Pleanála and local residents are to decide on whether to do this next week.
Anne Lucey
© 2007 The Irish Times
Councillors perform U-turn in Aghadoe rezoning plan
KERRY county councillors have done a major U-turn on a vexed rezoning issue, following intense pressure from an angry community.
Councillors who voted recently to rezone a four-acre site for a storage depot, in the scenic Aghadoe area, near Killarney, have buckled under pressure from local residents.
The councillors told a public meeting of the Aghadoe Residents’ Group on Tuesday night that they would not be supporting the rezoning when it comes for a final decision, on April 2.
Present at the residents’ meeting were Fine Gael’s Tom Sheahan, who proposed the rezoning in January, and Independent Michael Healy-Rae, who seconded.
Up to 90 people were at the meeting and residents’ group spokesman Michael Rosney yesterday said they were “absolutely delighted” with the outcome.
“The councillors who changed their stance spoke out strongly against the rezoning. They probably voted for it initially because they didn’t have full information, or were not aware of the feelings of local residents,” he stated.
Mr Rosney also said 25 of the 27 members of Kerry County Council, who had been directly contacted by the residents, were now against the rezoning.
County councillors at Tuesday night’s meeting included Independent Danny Healy-Rae and Fianna Fáil’s Tom Fleming, who both had voted for the rezoning, and Fianna Fáil’s Colin Miller and Independent Brendan Cronin, who had both voted against it.
There, too, were Labour TD Breda Moynihan Cronin and Killarney Labour town councillor Sean O’Grady, who also spoke against the rezoning.
Mr Rosney said the case highlighted flaws in the zoning system. He said councillors were often voting on zonings about which they did not have enough information and were not aware of implications.
“Nobody in the Aghadoe area seemed to know anything about the rezoning of this land for a storage depot until it actually came before the council for a vote,” Mr Rosney said.
Councillors in Kerry regularly ignore the advice of senior planners on zoning and planning issues and, reportedly, sometimes vote to rezone parcels they have not seen and know little about.
The stance taken by the Aghadoe residents may force councillors to examine proposed zonings more closely.
Donal Hickey
© Irish Examiner
Councillors who voted recently to rezone a four-acre site for a storage depot, in the scenic Aghadoe area, near Killarney, have buckled under pressure from local residents.
The councillors told a public meeting of the Aghadoe Residents’ Group on Tuesday night that they would not be supporting the rezoning when it comes for a final decision, on April 2.
Present at the residents’ meeting were Fine Gael’s Tom Sheahan, who proposed the rezoning in January, and Independent Michael Healy-Rae, who seconded.
Up to 90 people were at the meeting and residents’ group spokesman Michael Rosney yesterday said they were “absolutely delighted” with the outcome.
“The councillors who changed their stance spoke out strongly against the rezoning. They probably voted for it initially because they didn’t have full information, or were not aware of the feelings of local residents,” he stated.
Mr Rosney also said 25 of the 27 members of Kerry County Council, who had been directly contacted by the residents, were now against the rezoning.
County councillors at Tuesday night’s meeting included Independent Danny Healy-Rae and Fianna Fáil’s Tom Fleming, who both had voted for the rezoning, and Fianna Fáil’s Colin Miller and Independent Brendan Cronin, who had both voted against it.
There, too, were Labour TD Breda Moynihan Cronin and Killarney Labour town councillor Sean O’Grady, who also spoke against the rezoning.
Mr Rosney said the case highlighted flaws in the zoning system. He said councillors were often voting on zonings about which they did not have enough information and were not aware of implications.
“Nobody in the Aghadoe area seemed to know anything about the rezoning of this land for a storage depot until it actually came before the council for a vote,” Mr Rosney said.
Councillors in Kerry regularly ignore the advice of senior planners on zoning and planning issues and, reportedly, sometimes vote to rezone parcels they have not seen and know little about.
The stance taken by the Aghadoe residents may force councillors to examine proposed zonings more closely.
Donal Hickey
© Irish Examiner
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