A decision by Clare County Council to grant planning permission for a hotel on the seafront in Ballyvaughan has been criticised by the Ballyvaughan Community Development Group and the Green Party.
The group chairman, Mr Michael Greene, yesterday said the group had appointed a consultant to prepare its appeal. He said the community was compiling a 25-year development plan with the council and the decision pre-empted that.
"The plan sees the need for a hotel in the village, but not at this sensitive location," he said, and the development would put the seafront "in jeopardy".
Plans to develop a 42-bedroom hotel were lodged with the council in December 1997, but after the council expressed concern, Megcourt Development Ltd submitted new plans, reducing its size to 20 bedrooms.
The council has also granted outline planning permission for 10 holiday homes on the same site, despite objections from An Taisce, Leinster MEP Ms Nuala Ahern, VOICE and Friends of the Irish Environment (FIE).
A spokesman for the Clare Green Party said: "It is extraordinary that, despite the concerns expressed by the local community over the past two years, the council have not seen fit to impose any restriction on the use of these houses as holiday homes. Ballyvaughan is overrun with holiday homes and this can be clearly seen in the winter months."
He said the council had disregarded the proper development of the village in granting permission for a two-storey hotel on the seafront.
"As has been continuously pointed out to the planners, only a single-storey or dormer structure would fit in with the other buildings on Ballyvaughan promenade. This is certainly a bad decision." He said the Green Party would also be appealing the council decision.