PLANNERS at Kerry County Council are still granting permission for the development of large estates in areas of the county which are already home to deserted ghost estates.

A report by the government-funded National Institute for Regional and Spatial Analysis ( NIRSA) shows that there are 21, socalled, 'ghost estates' across Kerry.

The NIRSA classifies a ghost estate as a development of ten houses or more in which 50 per cent or less of homes are occupied or completed.

According to the report there are two estates of 50plus houses, ten estates of 21 to 50 homes and nine 10to-20 house developments classified as ghost estates across the entire county.

The majority of these largely deserted and unfinished estates are in North Kerry and are primarily located near smaller towns.

Despite the preponderance of empty, or unfinished, housing developments the Council continues to grant permission for similar developments in areas already blighted by these ghost estates. In its report NIRSA identified Milltown, Cahersiveen and Barraduff as some of the worst affected regions in Kerry, containing two ghost estates each.

In the last six months the Planning Department of Kerry County Council has given permission for further large-scale estates in all three of these areas.

Last August permission was granted for a 25 house estate at Carhan Road Cahersiveen.

In October 2009 planning officers granted an extension of time for development to builders behind plans for a 38 house development at Knockavota in Milltown. Just last December planners gave the green light to a development of 17 apartments and 11 houses in Shronedarragh, Barraduff.

According to NIRSA there were 65,913 houses in Kerry in 2006 with a vacancy rate of 25 per cent. Despite this massive vacancy rate a further 8,114 house were built across Kerry between April 2006 and April 2009.

- SIMON BROUDER