Concerns have been raised that a new housing development in Castleisland will be used solely for social housing.
Fine Gael councillor Bobby O’Connell raised the issue at the monthly meeting of Kerry County Council.
Planning permission was granted for almost 70 units on Killarney Road, Castleisland last year.
Cllr Bobby O’Connell says there are rumours that all of these units will be used for social and voluntary houses.
He says he’s a big problem with this, as the area has a lot of first-time buyers who can’t build their own home.
Cllr O’Connell claims this is disenfranchising such young people in the area, adding Castlesisland has employment and needs houses.
He says it’s not good policy and is bad planning, to allow all these units in one area to be social housing and says Kerry County Council needs to protect first-time buyers.
In response, Director of Services with the council Martin O’Donoghue said there’s been some interest from approved housing bodies (AHB) in this development, but there’s been no formal application.
He says if an AHB application comes into the council, it's obliged to quantify if it justifies pursuing it on the housing need alone; Mr O’Donoghue says if there’s sufficient need in the Castleisland area, the council’s obliged to support it on housing need capacity.
Martin O’Donoghue says the issue of infrastructural capacity for social housing in various areas was highlighted to councillors at a housing meeting last year.
