Plans for a controversial scheme of 58 holiday homes and other facilities at Ventry Strand in Co Kerry have been firmly rejected by An Bord Pleanala, which cited the "cultural heritage of this Gaeltacht area".
Last year, Kerry County Council decided to grant planning permission to Mr Michael Kavanagh, a local quarry-owner, to build the proposed holiday homes as well as a bar, restaurant and leisure centre on a prominently located site outside Ventry.
The 50-acre site, located between the road to Dunquin and the coast, had been zoned for development by county councillors and already had a 1992 planning permission for a hotel and 60 holiday homes.
The Limerick-based architects, Murray O'Laoire, had argued that the latest scheme - which it designed - was much more sensitive to the landscape and would not constitute the "major visual intrusion" into the scenic amenity of Ventry claimed by objectors.
Those who appealed against the council's decision included Fis Fionn Tra, a local community group, the International Tourists and Friends of Ireland Association and An tAthair Padraig O Fiannachta.
Refusing permission, An Bord Pleanala said the proposed development "by reason of its nature, excessive scale, layout and proximity to the beach would seriously injure the amenities of the area" and "impact unduly on the ecology of the dune habitat".
The board also noted that it was the policy of Kerry County Council to locate holiday home schemes in existing towns and villages, where adequate infrastructure was available, and to ensure that tourism development was environmentally sustainable.
"It is considered that the proposed development, by reason of its location on a prominent coastal site outside the village of Ventry . . . would conflict with these policies and would have an adverse effect on the cultural heritage of this Gaeltacht area."
Mr Jim Long, the postmaster in Ventry, said the Fis Fionn Tra group was delighted with the decision because it "took on board all the concerns we expressed" at the oral hearing in Tralee at the end of March. "It restores your faith in the system."
However, he said the group would not give up its campaign until it had persuaded Kerry County Council to change the zoning of the site back to "prime special amenity" status to eliminate the threat of further developments.
Ms Cait O Ceallachain, the architect who co-ordinated the appeal, described An Bord Pleanala's decision as "a huge victory for the Gaeltacht" because this was the element which made the Ventry scheme different to other holiday home clusters.
"It was a David and Goliath struggle because we were really up against it. We had to overturn both the zoning of the site and the local authority's decision. Everyone told us we were nuts and we hadn't a chance, so I just can't get over it that we've won."
The decision was also welcomed by Friends of the Irish Environment, which said the scheme "would have altered the very language of a world famous visual landscape".
