Rights of Way to The Black Rock, between Ardfert and Ballyheigue

Red Waterlily

There's are notices up at Akeragh from the County Council proposing to have two rights of way removed from the County Map. These are the only two rights of way that give access to the beach and Big Rock on that side of the Akeragh River.

It's all there to see on the Kerry CoCo website under amendments to the Draft County Development Plan - right on the home page. Anyone who wants to have a say must do so before the 21st of November - that's pretty soon. Then it will go to a council vote. The Council propose to remove the rights of way from the map because there has been a formal claim that no public rights of Way ever existed there.

There's a meeting about it at the boathouse in Banna on this Tuesday the 11th of November.

Submissions/Observations may be made in either of the following two ways:
In writing to : Noelle O’Connor, Planning Policy Unit, Kerry County Council
By email to: devplan @ kerrycoco.ie

amadain

Thanks for HIGHLIGHTING the Kerry County Council website.

I would not have bothered looking up such notices (in this "appropriate place") unless you brought their website to my attention, again !
I also missed the newspaper notices/adverts that one usually passes over when reading the local rags.
Thank You again Messrs Red Waterlily.


REMOVAL OF RIGHTS OF WAY in Akeragh (may be pronounced 'ard-care-ock').

http://cdp.kerrycoco.ie/proposed-amendmentsmaterial-alterations-to-rights-of-way.html

This will remove ALL access to the Ballyheigue side of the beach from this point at Akeragh, in Ballinprior (both the long stonewall 'Pedestrian Lock-gate' access and also the 'Vehicle Bridge' access will be CLOSED to the public) with NO ALTERNATIVE access.

At least Full Access to Banna Beach will remain exactly as it is (for the moment) BUT those wishing to access onto the Black Rock must now walk from Ballyheigue village.

The 'rights of way' can be clearly seen on this map (they haven't changed in donkey's years).
https://www.google.com/maps/@52.3603839,-9.8396082,935m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en-IE

I have walked from Banna to Ballyheigue many times in the past.
Pity to see it go !

Red Waterlily

It's still only a proposal to remove them from the CDP Map just yet. And that proposal will be debated and voted on by the Council in February. People only have until November 21 to send in submissions and everyone is entitled to a voice. It's still a democratic process at this point. Here is a sample letter with all the right references that would certainly help. The rights of way were marked on the original draft KCDP but the proposal now is to take them out of the map. That's why we are objecting to the proposal.

To Noelle O’Connor
Planning Policy Unit
Kerry County Council
Rathas, Tralee, Co. Kerry
By email to: devplan @ kerrycoco.ie

Date ___________________

I wish to Object to the proposed amendments
to the Draft Kerry County Development plan 2015 – 2021
Reference: R.O.W. 3a and R.O.W. 3b From the Ballinprior Road (L10472) to Akeragh Beach and the Black Rock.

I want both of those rights of way to be marked clearly on the Kerry County Development Plan as Public Rights of Way.


Yours Sincerely,


Name ___________________________
Address __________________________________________________

Ciarrai76

amadain wrote: »

Thanks for HIGHLIGHTING the Kerry County Council website.

I would not have bothered looking up such notices (in this "appropriate place") unless you brought their website to my attention, again !
I also missed the newspaper notices/adverts that one usually passes over when reading the local rags.

Amadain, if you are referring to a MOD's decision not to allow the entire planning list for Kerry to be posted up, then please accept this and don't make 'smart' comments about it in other posts. Most people didn't want to read the entire planning list nor do they have any interest in it, therefore we closed the thread. MOD

Red Waterlily

Just a reminder to anyone who wants to preserve the public right to walk out to the Black Rock.... The deadline in Friday 21st November. Over a hundred people walked it today in the sunshine. Every voice counts.

amadain

There's a meeting about it at the boathouse in Banna on this Tuesday the 11th of November.

Red W,

How did that meeting go (unable to attend) ?????????

amadain

Red,

FYI

There seems to be some confusion about what KCC are actually doing here.
There is actually no proposal to close these Rights Of Way (ROW).

The only issue is, simply whether to include these 'recognised ROW' in the maps of the County Development Plan (CDP) 2015-2021.

The planners included ROW 3a and 3b in the original draft of the CDP that went to public consultation.
Have no doubt that this original proposal will be the one that is passed when the final vote on this is taken and all Councillors will be supporting the inclusion of ROW 3a and 3b in the maps of the CDP.

Red Waterlily

Yes, you're right that the council is proposing to leave them out of the CDP map - which will seriously undermine their status in the future. We are working to make the Council aware that they belong on the map. Stressful and upsetting as this has been, it has brought the local community together in a very positive way - the boathouse was packed both evenings and the walk on Sunday is covered in the Kerryman today. There's another walk at Three pm next Sunday.

Many many families in this area feel very deeply and very strongly about Akeragh and the Black rock. However the vote will be open to councilors from all over Kerry, not just the local representatives who know the place well. I hope you're right that the vote will put things back the way they always were. I hope people take a minute to contact the council before 5pm on Friday (21st Nov) using the reference numbers and the e mail address I gave in the earlier post. It's a democratic process. Thanks to those who have done it already.