Locals object to Michael Healy-Rae’s plans to add 15 bedrooms to guest house

Locals have objected to plans by Michael Healy-Rae, the Kerry TD, to add 15 bedrooms to a guest house he owns in Tralee that is accommodating Ukrainian refugees.

A decision on Mr Healy-Rae’s planning application, which would also add extra kitchen and dining space to Rosemont on Oakpark Road, Tralee, has been postponed by Kerry County Council, which is seeking additional information on the politician’s plans before making its decision.

The proposed development would add five additional guest bedrooms on the ground floor, eight additional guest bedrooms on the first floor, and two additional guest bedrooms within the attic structure.

[ ‘Good person’ Michael Healy-Rae popular with Ukrainian tenants but still wants cap on numbers ]

However, a number of local residents have objected to the proposed plans, and have raised concerns over the extent of the development.

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In submissions to Kerry County Council, the group of objectors cited six issues behind their opposition: density, traffic, design, parking, the environment, and communal facilities.

The group also said the land on which the guest house was located was zoned for residential use under the Kerry Council Development Plan, and that Mr Healy-Rae’s plans went against that plan’s objective of “providing residential development and protecting and improving residential amenities”.

Kerry County Council has deferred its decision, and asked Mr Healy-Rae to provide more information on his redevelopment plans.

Mr Healy-Rae recently criticised planners in Kerry County Council for refusing planning permission for a 12-house development on public health grounds in Faha East, outside Killarney.

The TD’s Tralee guest house itself is currently being used to house a number of Ukrainian refugees. The Irish Times visited the guest house earlier this year, at a time when 13 refugees from southeast Ukraine were being housed there.

Department records show that the contract awarded to Mr Healy-Rae to house refugees was worth more than €160,000 last year. Despite providing refugee accommodation, the Independent TD remains supportive of calls for the Government to place a cap on refugee numbers being taken in by the State.

Mr Healy-Rae was contacted by The Irish Times for comment in relation to the planning application but he did not respond.