Plan to build houses in Sneem refused
- This topic has 2 replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 18 years, 1 month ago by
.
- Posts
Today’s Irish Times reports that a housing development in Sneem Co Kerry has been turned down by An Bord Pleanála because the village has no proper public sewerage facilities. The board ruled the development would be “prejudicial to public health”. Appeals to the board noted that sewage from the village was being discharged “raw” into the Sneem River.
Kerry County Council had granted permission for 42 houses with treatment plant. The decision was appealed citing pressure on the village already by holiday home development – An Bord Pleanála turned down its inspector’s recommendation of the development.
It will be interesting to see how ABP rule on the neighbouring Parknasilla hotel development, where there is an appeal on a permission for a scheme of more than a hundred dwellings. Also, there are planning applications for a further several hundred houses in the Sneem village area.
Years ago there was a “rule of thumb†that planning would not be granted for any housing between the Ring of Kerry road and the sea in that area. In recent years – particularly since the development plan – that objective seems to have been forgotten.
KB2
Well,
The building continues apace, houses shooting up everywhere, (not many selling!) the caissons for the sewage plant are being put in place and the earthworks to raise it out of the tide are also happening. How any engineer can site a sewage plant marginally above HWL and up a long tidal estuary (Sneem River) is beyond me. Add to that the prevailing SW wind, blowing the stuff ashore when it has to be pumped out on the tide……
As it is, the eastern riverbank is where the present crud blows ashore, hence the organic aroma….. As for water being turned off at night, after the wet “summer” one has to wonder if there is anyone with a brain in KCC.
KBSneem residents complain of ‘atrocious smell’
Anne LuceyResidents of Sneem in Co Kerry have complained to the council of “an atrocious smell” from the village’s sewerage system.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern recently returned from holidays in nearby Parknasilla and was a familiar face in the village during the summer.
The council said “increased development” which includes hundreds of holiday homes and a large hotel, have put a strain on the water and sewerage system.
Water is also currently being turned off at night because of inadequate supply.
Artist Rosemary Bradshaw who lives in Sneem said the smell near the eastern edge of the village was very bad. Tourists as well as locals were complaining.
“We are living in near-third world conditions at the moment – it’s awful,” she said on local radio yesterday.
Sneem, one of the prettiest villages on Ring of Kerry is a former national winner of the Tidy Town’s competition.
A statement issued by the council yesterday said water engineers had identified the source of the smell as a “malfunctioning sewer pipe” which would be replaced.
“A waste-water treatment plant is currently being constructed in Sneem. When this is operational, it will alleviate any sewerage problems which may occur in the village,” the statement said.
Increased levels of development in the Sneem area had led to greater demands on the water supply.
“As a result, the supply in certain areas of Sneem is turned off at night in order to conserve water.”
© 2007 The Irish Times
It seems almost comical that in a 2007 (post) celtic tiger ireland, towns cannot be developed due to lack of public water…. especially after supposed ‘wet’ summers…. this is not only happening in Kerry but here in the midlands as well. I know two villages in Laois that will not allow any other evelopment until the public water system is upgraded due to lack of capacity in one, and water quality in the other. i also know another substantial town in north Kilkenny that will not allow any more dwellings due to the water capacity. The lack of capacity in this town was alerted to way back in 1999 and still nothing has happened…
i was involved in an application in a village in Tipperary in 1999 where the treatment system hadnt been upgraded since 1920……..
as i say, if it wasnt so tragic it would be comical……
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
