Planning row breaks out between parish priest and locals in Limerick village

The Journal

13 hours ago

A PLANNING ROW has broken out between a priest and a residents' group over the seeking of retrospective planning permission for changes to a church in a Limerick village.
Local residents have lodged an appeal with An Coimisiún Pleanála against a recent decision of Limerick City and County Council to grant retention permission to Fr Tim Wrenn, the parish priest of Kilcornan, Co Limerick for floodlights installed at the village's Catholic church.
Stonehall-Kilcornan & District Residents' Group maintains the council's decision to grant retention permission for the floodlights is 'legally flawed' and 'contrary to proper planning.'
The group claims the council failed to comply with national and EU wildlife legislation over the failure to require surveys of bats and other protected species to be carried out.
The residents have also complained that the floodlights illuminate rooms in a neighbouring property and have an overbearing impact while its occupants have experienced sleep disturbance and a loss of residential amenity, especially privacy.
However, a consultant engineer representing Fr Wrenn claimed the floodlights have been in existence for more than 16 years.
Council planners said the floodlighting at the church, which consists of four sets of lights approximately 4 metres in height, was 'relatively small in scale' and does not detract from the setting/character of the protected structure.
The objection by Stonehall-Kilcornan & District Residents' arose as a result of an application by Fr Wrenn for retention permission for several works carried out within the church grounds, including an opening in a dry-stone boundary wall.
The parish priest has also sought approval for the retention of the floodlight and a concrete base behind the church as well as permission to complete an associated meeting room.
Fr Wrenn told Limerick City and County Council there was no adequate space within the confines of the church building for private meetings with him.
The priest claimed the location of the detached meeting room behind the church had been decided as the best area.
He explained it would only ever be available for use in the presence of the local parish priest or his representative and would not be open to the public on an ongoing basis.
In a split decision, however, the council rejected such proposals and only gave permission for the floodlights to be retained.
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Council planners described the design of the proposed meeting room as being 'of low architectural quality' and having 'the appearance of a small mobile home.'
They recommended that a revised design was necessary because the existing design was considered inappropriate in a setting adjacent to a protected structure.
Council planners noted that no details had been provided which indicated the works already undertaken had been carried out under the supervision 'of a qualified professional with specialised conservation expertise.'
A council conservation officer also suggested that the stone wall should be reinstated.
Kilcornan Catholic Church, which was constructed in 1828, is a protected structure and is described as 'a fine example of early 19th Century Gothic Revival architecture.'
The planning application for retention permission was made by Fr Wrenn after the council issued a warning letter to the Limerick Diocesan Office in March 2025 over unauthorised works within the church grounds.
The residents' group claimed the changes raised significant concerns about the protection of built heritage and biodiversity as well as compliance with planning policy.
It also questioned the authority of the parish priest to lodge the planning application on behalf of the beneficial owners of the church which they claim is the Diocese of Limerick.
They noted Fr Wrenn – a member of the Salesian order who returned to Ireland in 2024 after spending 37 years working in South Africa – had indicated in planning application forms that he was the owner of the building.
The opponents claim there was further unauthorised development of bathroom/washroom facilities with an associated septic tank in a small shed within the grounds of the church for which there is no record of planning permission.
Similarly, the group allege that an unauthorised boundary structure was erected on a commonage area located to the east of the church in early autumn 2023.
The group's secretary, Patrick Fleming, claimed it removed established rights of way for residents as well as representing a potential hazard for road users.
They took issue with claims by the parish priest's consultant engineer that the commonage area had been acquired from an unnamed landowner as a gift to alleviate parking on the public road.
Dr Fleming claimed the unauthorised lighting degraded 'the tranquillity and aesthetic values of this heritage asset' and its intensity was likely to negatively impact on nocturnal wildlife.
A ruling by An Coimisiún Pleanála on the appeal is expected in early December 2025.
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