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Up to 172 landowners will be affected by compulsory purchase orders (CPOs), as Kerry County Council has closed the consultation stage of planning for the South Kerry Greenway.
Fragmentation concern
The number of affected landowners is slightly lower than was originally reported by the council, but local farmers are still concerned that the 32km greenway from Renard Point to Glenbeigh will cause farmland fragmentation.
The majority of objections relate to the utilisation of the CPO process
Some 150 farmers took part in an IFA protest outside Kerry County Council last month and IFA environment chair Thomas Cooney has called on the council to emulate Cavan County Council which confirmed that it will not use CPOs in any future greenway plans.
In a pre-planning application meeting with An Bord Pleanála at the end of July, Kerry County Council said “…the principle of a cycleway has been generally accepted, but that the majority of objections relate to the utilisation of the CPO process to facilitate the project”.
With pre-application complete, it is understood that the council has yet to lodge planning permission for the greenway.
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