Calls for changes to the 2012 Spatial Planning and National Roads guidelines are mounting, particularly in Kerry County. It’s understood that the guidelines published in 2012, recommend that planning authorities guard against a proliferation of roadside developments accessing national roads with speed limits over 50-60km/h.
However Kerry County is currently compiling the draft Kerry County Development Plan (2022-2028), which is currently open for public consultation. Submissions for the plan are accepted until Wednesday (23 February, 2022). But there appears to be conflicting statements regarding the plan, as Fianna Fáil councilor and deputy mayor of Kerry Michael Cahill says that it is not credible to expect that people who already own land should buy a site or sites elsewhere to build their home.
There should be room for amendments to the plan which should allow for an exemption for landowners’ families to the national policy, comments Cahill.
The councillor adds that it’s devaluing the land they already own and putting another obstacle in the way of providing more houses in this country, which is what everybody seems to be calling for. Cahills has raised his concerns by calling for an exemption on behalf of these ‘children of the land’ to allow them the right to create a home where they have lived since birth.
LSL News.