COUNCIL PLANS TO BUILD 10 HOMES IN KENMARE IN 2019

...meanwhile, nearby private development remains on hold as council imposes planning condition that Kenmare treatment plant must be upgraded first

KERRY County Council is to proceed with plans to build 10 more houses in Kenmare next year subject to the Department of Environment’s approval.

This is part of an extension to Ard Bhearna Housing Estate in the town, where 22 houses are almost complete.

The news that Kerry County Council (KCC) is to build more houses in the town comes despite a decision by the local authority to halt a planned private development until a new Water Treatment Plant is built, an issue raised at a recent district meeting.

On August 24, the council granted Dolent Properties permission to build 50 two-storey homes at The Parsonage, Bell Height in Kenmare.

While the development was given the greenlight, one of the conditions – in bold, underlined text on the permission notice – states that no development can take place until a capacity upgrade is completed to the planned Kenmare Waste Water Treatment Plant. This is not expected for a number of years.

At Friday’s meeting of the South and West Municipal District, Cllr Johnny Healy Rae had a motion before the council on the planned council houses for the town.

In response, the council stated that it intended to submit stage one approval to the Department for 10 more houses by the end of this year, and it is hoped that construction will commence in June 2019. But Cllr Healy Rae queried this move given the private development conditions which had been imposed on the Bell Height development. He added that the planned development had been appealed to An Bord Pleanála.

Responding to Cllr Healy Rae’s query, Director of Housing John Breen said the council is in discussions with Irish Water about the planned news houses for the town.