Rural housing eligibility
Who can build a house in the Kerry countryside?
To build a new one-off house in the Kerry countryside, applicants must demonstrate an exceptional rural-generated housing need based on social or economic links to the local area. This requires meeting specific criteria such as local agricultural/marine employment, family landownership ties, or long-term residency, with rules varying slightly depending on the designated rural area category.
Who may qualify
Farmers and farm family members(Pages 77-78 (KCDP 5-12 a, KCDP 5-13 a))
Farmers, their sons and daughters, or a favoured niece or nephew (where the farmer has no family of their own) wishing to build a first home for their permanent occupation on the family farm.
Full-time farm managers(Pages 77-78 (KCDP 5-12 b, KCDP 5-13 b))
Persons taking over the ownership and full-time running of a farm who wish to build a first home for permanent occupation on the farm, where no existing dwelling is available and the house is linked to active management.
Farming or marine workers(Page 78 (KCDP 5-12 c, KCDP 5-13 c))
Other persons working full-time in farming or the marine sector for a period of over seven years in the local rural area where they work, proposing to build a first home for their permanent occupation.
Landowners and children (Significant Urban Influence areas)(Page 78 (KCDP 5-12 d))
Landowners, including their sons and daughters, wishing to build a first home for their permanent occupation on the landholding associated with their principal family residence for a minimum of ten years prior to the planning application.
Landowners and children (Urban Influence areas)(Page 78 (KCDP 5-13 d))
Landowners, including their sons and daughters, wishing to build a first home for their permanent occupation on the landholding associated with their principal family residence for a minimum of seven years prior to the planning application.
Long-term local residents(Page 78 (KCDP 5-12 e, KCDP 5-13 e))
Persons who have spent a substantial period of their lives (defined as over seven years) living in the local rural area in which they propose to build a first home for their permanent occupation.
Rules by rural area type
The county is split into area types with different rules.
Rural Areas under Significant Urban Influence
Applicants must demonstrate an exceptional rural-generated housing need based on local social or economic links. Requires a 10-year residency threshold for landowners and their children.
Rural Areas under Urban Influence
Applicants must demonstrate an exceptional rural-generated housing need based on local social or economic links. Requires a 7-year residency threshold for landowners and their children.
Other Rural Areas
Demand for permanent residential development is accommodated as it arises, subject to good planning practices regarding design, location, wastewater treatment, and landscape/environmental protection.
Conditions attached
- All permissions granted for rural housing are subject to an occupancy condition restricting the use of the dwelling to the applicant or members of their immediate family as a primary permanent residence for a period of seven years from the date of first occupancy.
- The proposed home must be for use as a primary permanent place of residence.
- Preference must be given to the renovation, restoration, alteration, or extension of existing structures on the landholding before constructing a new house.
- The Council may seek Section 47 agreements to regulate housing development in rural areas on the edges of urban zones that are deemed to be overdeveloped.
Who typically does not qualify
- Persons seeking to build one-off holiday homes or second homes in the rural landscape (these must be located in established settlements in towns or villages instead).
- Applicants who cannot establish a genuine social or economic exceptional need to reside in rural areas under urban influence.
- Those seeking to build a second or subsequent rural house, as eligibility criteria consistently specify the dwelling must be a 'first home' for permanent occupation.