The national planning body has refused permission for an outdoor activity centre in North Kerry.
Thomas Flahive sought planning to create an activity centre over 6.5 hectares near Lisselton, off the R553 Listowel to Ballybunion road.
An Coimisiún Pleanála said this was not an appropriate location for the facility, and the planning application lacked sufficient detail.
The activity centre was to cater for archery, bubble soccer, cyclocross, karting, paintballing and obstacle racing, with activities daily from 10am to 5pm, and five to ten staff daily on site.
Kerry County Council had refused planning permission initially for three reasons; first, that the location was inappropriate because it was outside an established settlement or town, and would set an undesirable precedent for similar developments in rural areas.
The council also concluded the activity centre would seriously injure the amenities and depreciate value of properties in the vicinity, and that noise levels may impact properties in the area.
Mr Flahive appealed this decision to An Coimisiún Pleanála, and said his proposal represents a well-considered, site-appropriate, and sustainable form of rural tourism.
He submitted the nature of the proposal is that it inherently requires a rural setting, and attempting to locate it in an urban setting would undermine its purpose.
He said it was specifically designed to integrate into its rural context, and it would not detract from the visual amenity of the area, nor would the noise affect residential properties.
An Coimisiún Pleanála’s inspector wrote that the development can be considered a commercial facility serving the tourism sector, and these are specifically ringfenced for urban areas in the county development plan.
The inspector acknowledged the location may be appropriate, but the planning application lacked details, such as detailed drawings for the facilities needed for archery, bubble soccer, cyclocross, karting, paintballing, or racing activities.
The national planning body backed Kerry County Council’s original decision, and refused planning for the activity centre.
