‘Impossible unless you are very wealthy’ – Mayor calls for easing of planning rules

Buying or building a house in Killarney has become almost impossible for ordinary workers and families, Mayor of Killarney Cllr John O'Donoghue has warned.

Speaking at Monday's Kerry County Council meeting in Tralee, Cllr O'Donoghue called for urgent clarity on new rural planning guidelines, stating that local residents are being squeezed out of the market entirely.
He pointed out that severe restrictions across the Killarney Municipal District, including three national roads where housebuilding is curtailed and the boundary of the National Park, have severely limited rural planning permissions. At the same time, sky-high property prices in the town centre have priced out workers who do not qualify for social housing but cannot afford local market rates.
Addressing council officials, Cllr O’Donoghue called for an update on how upcoming rural planning guidelines will be interpreted in Kerry:
“These new planning guidelines will affect Kerry more than most counties so it is vital we receive clarity as soon as possible. My own feelings on rural planning are well versed at this stage. Within our own MD in Killarney, house building is very hamstrung by the fact that we have three National Roads on which housebuilding is curtailed, as well as our magnificent National Park. Under the current guidelines, housebuilding is difficult in the countryside, and buying in Killarney is almost impossible unless you are very wealthy.
“The reality in Killarney is that unless you qualify for social housing, or are very wealthy, you can’t buy within the town and you can’t build in the countryside unless you fit a very specific metric leaving you with nowhere to go. I’m not suggesting we have a free for all, but some easing in the guidelines would be very welcome. I’m requesting that as soon as the Council feel they are in a position to do so, that we immediately receive an update on what it will mean for us, and so we can have an input into its interpretation.”
The Mayor pressed the council executive to ensure local representatives have a direct say in how the new national framework is applied locally to help relieve the housing lock-out facing local people.