Latest news with #MartinGrady
Irish Independent
25-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Kerry councillors put millions in funding at risk as they vote against Áras Phádraig redevelopment
With significant funding from the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF), the redeveloped Áras Phádraig would have included a three-storey theatre, a six-storey HSE primary care centre, a public plaza and a revised entrance from Lewis Road. The site was purchased by Kerry County Council (KCC) from the Franciscan friars for €225,000 in December 2019. Interest was later sought from public bodies, to assist with its redevelopment, and the HSE was the only body to make an expression. Councillors have not been happy about the inclusion of the care centre in the proposed redevelopment, feeling it should be built on local HSE lands. They believe its creation would have led to the loss of 60 much-needed parking spaces and increased traffic congestion. Elected members were about to hear the KCC Chief Executive's Report, recommending that the redevelopment proceed despite more than 150 public submissions against it, when Killarney Mayor Martin Grady interjected. Mayor Grady told council officials that he wanted to make a proposal on behalf of all seven Killarney councillors. The Mayor proposed that KCC creates a new plan for Áras Phádraig that would include a new theatre and library facilities and also maintain the car park there. He proposed that the HSE primary care centre be built at the O'Connor Unit at the old St Finian's Hospital. In response, a council official told Mayor Grady that representatives were required to vote on the current redevelopment proposal under the Planning and Development Act. Councillors were told that if they did not vote, the redevelopment of Áras Phádraig would pass automatically. Killarney Municipal District manager, Angela McAllen, told elected members that there was risk with what they had proposed. Ms McAllen said substantial work had been done in an effort to get Áras Phádraig redeveloped. She said the redevelopment would represent a €47 million investment, ten times the council's investment of €4.4 million, and it would be worth €133 million to Killarney over 30 years. The manager said there is a risk that the URDF may not agree with the proposal. She also noted that there is no funding available for standalone theatres at the moment. Frank Hartnett, KCC director of roads & transportation, smart travel and public realm, said any change to the current proposal will more or less require a new application. And if the HSE is not on board, a new partner or stakeholder will be required to compliment the application. 'There is a significant risk that it would not be funded,' Mr Hartnett said. Independent councillor Niall 'Botty' O'Callaghan said that if elected members had the support of KCC management, they would be confident of keeping the URDF funding. Kerry Independent Alliance councillor John O'Donoghue said members had knowledge of what they could lose but are still going through with it. Cllr O'Donoghue said he hopes this gives an indication to how much thought had gone into their proposal. 'It's not something we are doing flippantly,' he said. 'We know very much what is involved.' Independent councillor Brendan Cronin said he accepted that KCC management are disappointed with the councillors' proposal, and acknowledged the 'huge amount' of work gone into the proposed redevelopment project. Cllr Cronin said the turning point for him was Killarney representatives' briefing with the HSE. He said a HSE representative was asked why the Áras Phádraig site was chosen for a primary care centre, and the health official replied that 'It was done before his time'. He said the HSE representative also outlined that the old St Finian's hospital site was being seen as a 'fallback position'. Labour councillor Marie Moloney said the public did not want the centre at Áras Phádraig. 'We came up with a proposal that we hope satisfies the URDF and the executive,' Cllr Moloney said. Fianna Fáil councillor Niall Kelleher suggested that the representatives' new proposal could be enhanced in order to secure funding with the help of KCC. 'We endeavour to work together with management to make this a reality,' he said. 'We really, not for one minute, take for granted the difficult position that this decision makes.' Independent councillor Maura Healy-Rae acknowledged the hard work of the council in preparing the proposal. She said, however, that councillors had to make a decision. Cllr Healy-Rae claimed 'misinformation' and 'inaccuracies' had circulated about the proposed redevelopment project. She said that it was clear from the meeting with the HSE official that the health service, which has landholdings around Killarney, was 'hedging their bets' by seeking to get a centre built as part of the Áras Phádraig redevelopment. 'We have taken a massive risk. We are hoping we will be able to maintain URDF funding,' the councillor said. MD manager Ms McAllen reassured councillors that she and her colleagues would do their best to keep the funding, and that they are committed to the redevelopment of Áras Phádraig. This was applauded by elected members, who officially put forward their joint proposal to the council. Councillors were then asked to make the required vote on the existing redevelopment proposal, inclusive of the HSE primary care centre. They were reminded that if they did not vote then the redevelopment project it would automatically get planning permission. All seven councillors voted against it. The councillors had voted earlier in the meeting to rescind the decision they made to approve planning permission for the redevelopment of Áras Phádraig in February.
Irish Independent
04-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Kerry town in danger of losing its character – ‘There has been some questionable things around'
Kerryman Killarney town centre is in danger of losing its character unless rules are introduced to govern the appearance of shopfronts, the Mayor has claimed. Mayor Martin Grady has called on Kerry County Council to formulate a policy to ensure conformity in the appearance of shopfronts in the Killarney area. The Mayor, speaking at last Friday's Municipal District meeting, said planning permission is not required to make alterations to a shopfront. This is unless a 'change the use' is desired at the premises. 'So in other words, somebody can come along, apply for change of use, and in five months' time they can look around and do what they want to the shopfront,' Mayor Grady said. 'I think it's very wrong.' 'There is many exemptions. Somebody said there is not enough restrictions. 'People can hardly hang a flower basket outside of their houses in the countryside or inside in town. 'Yet, we have the town centre and you can have a neon light, paint the shop front whichever colour you wish, you can have all sorts of paraphernalia inside the window for sale. I think it's wrong. 'Look, I just feel we are going to lose our character in the town on this. So look if the council ourselves can do something on this, if not write a letter to the Minister to make a change.' Independent councillor Maura Healy-Rae seconded the Mayor's proposal. 'There has been some questionable things around the town,' Cllr Healy-Rae said. ADVERTISEMENT The council's response to the Mayor's proposal stated that it has published detailed 'Shopfront Design Guidelines'. These guidelines include advice and guidance in respect of materials and colours to be used, signage, lighting, advertising and the relationship between a shopfront and adjacent structures. The guidelines can be inspected on the Kerry County council website. A council official indicated to Mayor Grady that the guidelines outlined currently do not have to be adhered to by law. The official said the appearance of shopfronts is being looked at nationally through new planning regulations and acts. He suggested the council will have 'more leverage' to take action on the appearance of frontages under new laws. The Planning and Development Act 2024 states that a planning authority may, in some cases, prepare a draft scheme setting out objectives for streetscape developments including the co-ordination and upgrading of shop frontages.
Irish Independent
28-04-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Three major Kerry infrastructural projects to go through planning again due to error
The local authority, in response to media queries, said that an error where submissions from the public were not taken into account during the planning process has led to four infrastructural projects be re-examined. They have also issued an apology for the inconvenience caused. Three of the projects have go back to the beginning of the planning process while the fourth will see the completion of an updated report. The three projects that will have to go through the entire planning process are the redevelopment of Áras Phádraig, Lewis Road, Killarney and public realm improvements at Kenmare Place and Main Street, Killarney, both in the Killarney Municipal District, and safety improvement works at Abbeydorney junction in the Listowel Municipal District. The fourth project impacted is the N22 MD O'Shea Roundabout to Ballycasheen Road upgrade & L3907 Ballycasheen Road Active Travel Project, in the Killarney Municipal District. 'Following an internal procedural checking process by Kerry County Council, it was found that in four separate instances there were a number of submissions, made through our online public consultation portal, which had not been taken into account during the Part 8 development process. Each of these proposed projects will require to be brought back to the respective Municipal Districts for consideration,' their statement said. 'In relation to three of the four projects, it will be necessary to re-commence the public consultation process and these projects will be re-advertised in the coming weeks. The re-commencement of the Part 8 process is to ensure that all submissions / observations received are taken into consideration for each project. Any person or body that made a submission under the original public consultation process will be updated on the re-advertisement process,' the council continued. The Áras Phádraig project has already caused controversy given that councillors voted to allow the HSE to develop a primary care centre on the site amid several submissions objecting to this part of the proposal. Cllr Martin Grady, who did not vote on the original planning process, said that he will be voting against the project when it comes before councillors again as he says the local authority 'should not be giving away our assets'. The redevelopment of the landmark site would also see the loss of parking spaces – another major issue for councillors and the public including for Cllr Grady who says that the town can't afford to lose one space.
