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Mixed reaction after refusal of Port Road development

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By Sean Moriarty

Residents living in the Port Road area believe that An Bórd Pleanála’s decision to refuse planning permission for a large scale development in the area is a “smokescreen” and is “an easy avenue for the developer to appeal”.

Portal Asset Holdings want to build 228 residential units consisting of 76 houses and 152 apartments, crèche and all associated site works between Port Road and St Margaret’s Road.

The project has not been widely welcomed by residents or elected members of Killarney Municipal District despite a chronic housing shortage in the town.

Last week, An Bórd Pleanála refused planning permission for the development as it felt that construction works would interfere with a colony of Lesser Horseshoe Bats in the area.  

However, a survey conducted by the Killarney Advertiser found that the majority of Killarney people are in favour of the development and that the needs of the people should take precedence over the well-being of bats.

OBJECTIONS

Residents of the Millwood area made 50 different complaints to An Bórd Pleanála after previously raising concerns in April of this year when the planning application was first lodged.

Some issues included a folly stream that will drain directly from the new development into the Lakes of Killarney, additional traffic congestion in an already heavily congested area, poor flood risk assessment and concerns over tampering with the highly invasive Japanese knotweed.

They say their concerns were completely overlooked and that the decision to refuse planning will be easily overturned in an appeal.

“This [the bats] is a smoke screen, the reason for refusal is very weak and provides an easy avenue for the developer to appeal. They will only have to argue one reason to push through the development as opposed to addressing the inaccuracies in the application and fundamental issues that are long-standing in Killarney like traffic on Port Road and protecting the National Park,” said a statement by Millwood Residents Association issued to the Killarney Advertiser.

“As residents, there are other valid factors that should be addressed or dealt with in more detail in the 109 page inspector’s report. They merely gave tokenism to the concerns of the people who live adjacent to the site and the community at large who know the area, a better onsite assessment should be undertaken and engagement with the park people.”

HOUSING SHORTAGE

The lack of available housing is a huge issue in Killarney, two years ago the town was declared a Rent Pressure Zone and earlier this year Kerry County Council clamped down on operators of short term rental properties aimed at tourists in an effort to free up units for residents and workers.

“I am totally at a loss to understand the thinking behind this latest outrageous decision by An Bord Pleanála. We are in the middle of a massive housing crisis. Killarney is a Rent Pressure Zone and Kerry as a whole is crying out for more housing,” Kerry County Councillor Michael Cahill told the Killarney Advertiser.

“I have warned before that An Bórd Pleanála is not fit for purpose and I am now calling on the Minister for Justice and the Minister for Housing to disband An Bórd Pleanála immediately and review this decision on behalf of the people of Kerry and ensure fair play for all. This housing crisis will never be solved if we are to be ruled by people who do not understand the needs of their fellow human beings.”

Before the issue was referred to An Bórd Pleanála residents of the Port Road area were opposed to the development. They believe that a project of this size is not suitable for many reasons. They say that the development is oversized and out of character with the area, that the proposed pedestrian access to Millwood Estate would create a security risk for existing residents, that the already congested Port Road will face further congestion from new traffic, and a number of single-storey dwellings in Millwood will be faced with large two storey dwellings overlooking them, leading to a loss of privacy.

The development also caused anger at the May meeting of the Killarney Municipal District meeting.
At that time Kerry County Council recommended that planning permission be granted for the controversial development on Port Road despite widespread objections from elected councillors.

Senior planner Damien Ginty gave a presentation on various issues and concerns connected with the application at the May meeting.

The 30-page report outlined the pros and cons on why the development should or should not go ahead.

“The proposed development provides a mix of housing sizes and types to facilitate a wide demographic of housing need, but in particular provides an increased number of small units which typifies housing demand in Killarney and the surrounding area,” stated the report. “It is recommended that permission be granted for the proposed development.”

Mr Ginty’s report was met with anger from all seven elected councillors. They were unanimous in their calls that such a large development should not go ahead in the area.
And while they all admitted that Killarney urgently needs more houses they felt that there were too many local issues to allow this particular development go ahead in its current format.

SURVEY

As a follow up the Killarney Advertiser surveyed readers and asked: “Do you agree with An Bórd Pleanála refusing planning permission for 228 units off Park Road?”

A total of 75.41 percent of respondents disagreed with the decision while the remaining 24.51 percent backed the decision.

Last week’s news story attracted a lot of attention on the Killarney Advertiser’s social media channels.

“I have a relatively new build in Glenflesk, the bats come out at night, swoop and dive around the house, having a field day. No doubt with the insects drawn by the light, they don’t bother me, I don’t bother them, we coexist just fine,” said one commentator. “You’d hardly know the bats are there. They’ll have to go back to the drawing board, the proposed development should have been vastly reduced in size because of infrastructural reasons anyway.”

Another reader said: “Solving the housing crisis should be the number one priority for our county and country - not giving in to green fanaticism. This is a crazy decision.” A third added:
"Maybe the size was out of scale and a solution could have been found. But let’s not hear crocodile tears from anyone involved in this decision re ‘the housing crisis’.”

A SECOND DEVELOPMENT

Meanwhile, in August a separate developer was granted planning permission for a three-story apartment block and 10 houses on a site adjacent to Portal Asset Holdings’ site and that the latter developer has objected to the second development as they feel it is too close to their proposed development on their land.

“This is the pot calling the kettle black,” said one Millwood resident.

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Kerry coaches firm honoured with All-Ireland title

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Kerry Coaches named All-Ireland All-Star Bus & Coach Company of the Year 2025

Killarney-based Kerry Coaches has been named All-Ireland All-Star Bus & Coach Company of the Year 2025 by the All-Ireland Business Foundation. This recognition also marks Kerry Coaches’ second Business All-Star Accreditation, having received its first accolade in 2024.

Founded in 1957, Kerry Coaches has established itself as a leader in the Irish transport industry, known for its exceptional service and commitment to quality.  With a fleet of over 100 modern chauffeur vehicles, mini-buses and coaches the company provides a wide range of transport services, including corporate travel, executive golf transportation and bespoke tours throughout Ireland and Scotland.

 Speaking on the achievement, Mike Buckley, Director of Kerry Coaches, said:

“We are incredibly proud to receive this national recognition from the All-Ireland Business Foundation. It’s a true reflection of the dedication, professionalism, and passion shown by every member of our team. Our mission has always been to deliver exceptional travel experiences, and this award reaffirms our position as a leader in the industry.”

Announcing the news of Kerry Coaches’ achievement, Deputy Chair of AIBF’s Adjudication Board, Kieran Ring, said: “It is my pleasure to commend Kerry Coaches for its outstanding performance in achieving the Business All-Star accreditation. After a thorough review, the firm has been honoured with All-Ireland All-Star Bus & Coach Company Of The Year 2025. Kerry Coaches is distinguished not only for its superior fleet but also for its exceptional team, some of whom have been with the company for over 25 years. This seasoned team brings an extraordinary level of knowledge and expertise, ensuring that every client experience is exceptional.”         

Managing   Director   of   the   All-Ireland   Business   Foundation, Kapil   Khanna, said:  “The accreditation, which is now held by over 700 firms, is needed by the thousands of small and medium businesses which operate to their own standards but have nothing to measure them by.”

He   added: “We   evaluate   a   company’s   background, trustworthiness and performance, and we speak to customers, employees and vendors. We also anonymously approach the company as a customer and report back on the experience. The business goes through at least two interviews and is scored on every part of the process against set metrics.”

About The All-Ireland Business Foundation

The All-Ireland Business Foundation is an autonomous national accreditation body tasked with enterprise development and the promotion of Best-in-Class Irish businesses.

As the accreditation body for the Business All-Star mark, the AIBF recognises Best-In-Class Irish 

businesses.   Companies   that   merit   recognition   based   on   an   independent   audit   of   their performance, reputation, and customer-centricity.

Business All-Star Accreditation Is The Nation’s Symbol Of Trust. Currently, there are over 700 

companies that are accredited by AIBF. Since 2014, over 5000 companies have participated in their programmes.

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Trainee Blacksmith forging a career at Muckross Traditional Farms

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Phillip Pestor-Young, a trainee blacksmith from County Kildare, is currently gaining experience under Master Blacksmith Tom Allison at Muckross Traditional Farms.

Pestor-Young is enrolled in the All-Ireland Heritage Skills Programme. This programme is a cross-border educational initiative by the King’s Foundation, The Heritage Council, and the Historic Environment Division in Northern Ireland. 

Prior to moving to Ireland in 2019, Phillip trained as an engineer and fabricator in the UK. He is now developing his blacksmithing skills in Kerry.

For more information on the program, visit https://kings-foundation.org/study/all-ireland-heritage-skills-programme/.

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