Michael Healy Rae in row with Tralee local over plans to convert pub into apartments
Kerry TD Michael Healy Rae is facing further delay over his plans to convert a former pub in Tralee into apartments in the latest chapter in a long-running planning row with some local residents in the north Kerry town.
An appeal has been lodged with An Bord Pleanála against the recent decision of Kerry County Council to grant planning permission to the well-known TD for a change of use of the former Nancy Myles pub in Ballymulle, Tralee, Co Kerry to four apartments.
It is the second time in two years that the planning appeals authority has been asked to rule on Mr Healy Rae’s proposal to develop the site. Last year An Bord Pleanála overturned the council’s decision to approve the TD’s plans to convert the ground floor of the premises into four apartments.
Local residents had claimed the development would seriously injure residential amenities, depreciate other property values and set an unwelcome precedent for the area.
Neighbours also expressed concern that the building was prone to flooding and nearby lands suffered from Japanese knotwood, while the development would also add to traffic and parking problems in that part of Tralee.
In its ruling in November 2018 An Bord Pleanála said it was not satisfied that the design of the apartments was “of a satisfactory standard to meet the needs of future occupants of the proposed and existing residential units.”
The board said it had considered the restricted nature of the site and the “unresolved nature” of the future use of the area in the front of the building in reaching its decision.
Mr Healy Rae had originally sought planning permission for nine apartments on the site but faced strong local opposition with more than 20 parties objecting to the plans claiming they didn’t meet the required minimum floor space.
In his latest bid to secure planning permission after “going back to the drawing board”, Mr Healy Rae said he was addressing previous concerns over the lack of parking facilities for the new apartments by proposing to remove a wall at the back of the pub to create six parking spaces.
The TD aims to target the new apartments at professional people working in University Hospital Kerry in Tralee.
In the latest appeal, local resident, Michael Horgan said the TD, whom he described as a man with “a sizeable portfolio of rental properties”, was engaging in a “speculative application”. Mr Horgan said the subdivision of the existing premises into several apartments would depreciate the value of other properties in the area.
Mr Healy Rae complained to the council in November that a planning notice erected outside the premises, as required under planning legislation, kept being removed.
The TD was identified last year as the second wealthiest politician in Ireland in the Sunday Independent Political Rich List which estimated his wealth at €5.4m.
Mr Healy Rae is the Dáil’s biggest landlord with 14 rental properties in Kerry as well as 110 acres of farmland and a service station in his native village of Kilgarvan, according to the official Oireachtas register of members’ interests. An Bord Pleanala is due to rule on the case by April 20, 2020.
