Wexford County Council has been accused by An Taisce of defying the Government's spatial strategy by removing most restrictions on the development of housing in the countryside.
Members of the council recently voted through a series of amendments to the county plan, which would make it much easier for people - including outsiders - to get planning permission for rural one-off houses.
The amendments, which were tabled by the council's Fianna Fáil group, include the omission of any "local needs" requirement for new housing. This would open up Co Wexford to an influx of more affluent Dubliners seeking sites.
"It's going to be a free-for-all," Cllr Anna Fenlon of Fine Gael warned. "The prices of sites are going to go sky high and who is going to benefit? The landowners and the IRDA [Irish Rural Dwellers Association\]."
The IRDA had lobbied for the changes.
The amended plan says Wexford County Council "will facilitate the provision of single rural houses and cluster development in rural areas".
It will also allow development closer to road frontages and permit sharing of septic tanks.
While applicants for full planning permission would have to be the intended owner and first occupier of a house, this provision would not apply to applicants for outline permission - so landowners would be free to sell sites.
The period of occupancy for new homeowners would be limited to a maximum of five years, after which the houses could be sold on the open market. But even this requirement could be "mitigated in exceptional circumstances".
As for house design, variety is to be encouraged. Bungalows, dormer and two-storey houses would all be permitted, with applications assessed on their merits. Replacement houses are also to be allowed, with no "recent occupancy" rule.
A provision sterilising sensitive areas has been removed and the amended plan also provides for a review of all scenic routes where development is currently restricted. This review is to be tabled for councillors to discuss as soon as possible.
Mr Adrian Doyle, the council's director of services, said some of the amendments "completely contradict" planning advice and were contrary to Government guidelines on sustainable development, as well as the National Spatial Strategy.
An Taisce's heritage officer, Mr Ian Lumley, said the amended plan was in "clear defiance" of section 5.3.2 of the spatial strategy, which restricts housing in the countryside to applicants who can demonstrate a rural-generated need.
"It's all to do with landowners being able to sell sites," he said. "By removing any local needs requirement, these sites will become even more valuable. And, of course, it will be abused for holiday homes because of lack of enforcement."
