SOCIAL Democrats leader Holly Cairns has been granted planning permission by Cork County Council to build a 243sqm home on her family’s farm at Church Cross, Skibbereen.
The application to build the house, and install a wastewater treatment system at Ardagh, was submitted by Daly Barry and Associates on behalf of the party leader on August 29th last.
Cork County Council granted planning permission on December 7th last, which allows the TD to build a large two-storey, three-bed house on the land. In support of the planning application,
Holly’s mother Madeleine McKeever wrote to Cork County Council to say she had given Holly permission to build on the family farm.
In her application, Holly Cairns also notified the Council that the 12-hectare farm has been in the ownership of her mother since 1987. In support of her application to build locally, she pointed out that she has lived locally for most of her life and attended the local playschool, national school, and Schull Community College.
The Social Democrat leader informed the Council that she had personally worked on the farm from 2016 to 2020.
As part of the planning process, the applicant was asked if there were other exceptional circumstances that would support her case for a dwelling at this rural location, and Holly Cairns replied: ‘When my mother retires I will have responsibility for the livestock and will need to live nearby.’
