The Kerry branch of An Taisce claims it has evidence that one-off rural housing being constructed in the county is not traditional, and most houses in scenic areas are being built as holiday homes and not for locals.
An Taisce research shows that at least 70 per cent of rural houses are built in linear fashion beside roads and not in the traditional cluster pattern, Dr Catherine McMullin, honorary planning officer, told the local group's a.g.m in Killarney.
While there is development on the county's main tourist roads such as the Ring of Kerry, much is taking place on rural by-roads and in many coastal areas. These roads are now "crowded" with houses, Dr McMullin said.
Kerry County Council recently said that more than twice the number of houses were being built than necessary for the permanent population. Over 4,000 one-off houses were applied for last year, and most got planning permission.
An Taisce claims it has established through visiting and mapping development on roads in 2004 that in scenic areas on average 60 per cent of houses were holiday homes, and in some townlands almost all the houses were holiday homes.
Dr McMullin expressed concern about the new county development plan which she said did not comply with the draft ministerial guidelines on rural housing published last year because it did not insist on a local connection or link. All it stipulated was permanent occupation, following lobbying by councillors.
Some applications were being forced through by councillors through the use of Section 140 powers, against the advice of council planners and engineers, the a.g.m heard.