Furore erupts over Waterville car-park plan Parking shortage in tourism gem is causing havoc

PROPOSALS for a new car park in Waterville village are causing concern locally, due to the potential loss of a portion of the scenic green area in the village to facilitate the development.

A new site in the centre of the village, on council-owned land, has been identified by Kerry County Council as a possible car park for the tourist village.

Currently the large volume of buses and cars are causing traffic chaos during the summer months in Waterville, and it is feared that many tourists are not stopping in the picturesque village due to its lack of parking.

A new car park has been sought for many years to cater for the increasing tourist numbers, and with many businesses in the village leading these calls.

The current car park, close to the IRD building in the village, caters for buses and cars but the mix of vehicles makes bus parking difficult, and many buses now park along the main street, blocking the views in the village and causing traffic congestion during the summer.

The local authority has submitted a grant application under the town and village renewal scheme for the car-park development, which will be located across from the local pharmacy.

Funding is also sought for lighting along the promenade, as well as funding to resurface and re-line the existing car park.

However, The Kerryman understands that the proposal, which is still at a very early stage, is causing some furore in the village, with fears that part of the green area will be removed to faciliate the development.

The green area currently being examined for the car park has recently been used by the GAA club for underage training, but prior to that was unused. While it is owned by the council, it is close to a private residence.

The Kerryman understands that only a small section of the green area, approximately a quarter of an acre on the two-acre site, will be used for parking, and the remaining area will be continue to be a green area. Plans are still at an early stage and are dependent on funding from the town and village renewal scheme, which will be announced in November.

If funding is granted, plans will be drawn up and planning permission will be sought for the development.

The public will be invited to make their submissions during the planning process.

A campaign group, Waterville SOS (Save our Seafront), is online, but the group declined to comment on the situation.