Over 430 letters of objection or observations regarding the redevelopment of Dún Laoghaire golf club, the largest housing development proposed for the council area, have been received by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.

Cosgrave Developments' plans for an initial 856 homes on the southern part of the golf club lands have been met with significant local opposition. Future development on the 78-acre golf course will result in a total of 1,700 homes.

Density, traffic and the loss of green space are the top concerns of the majority of objectors to the scheme.

With three other golf club redevelopments in the air at the moment (Foxrock, Killiney and Clontarf), all eyes will be on the council's decision due at the end of the month.

The development of the lands will result in a population increase of 5,000 people, equivalent to a major Irish town, according to the Combined Residents to Save Open Space, an umbrella group for 43 residents' groups in the area, which has called on the council to refuse the application.

The group says consideration of any planning application for the site in the absence of a local area plan is "both premature and invalid".

"It is inconceivable that a development or proposal the size of a large town could be parachuted into Dún Laoghaire without a local area plan having been prepared," the group argues.

Carriglea Gardens and Kill Avenue Residents' Association have called for a school to be provided by the developer on the site, pointing out that all three local schools are now full. Peter Readman from Highthorn Woods criticised the provision of social housing at the scheme.

The commitment to 20 per cent social housing is "reassuring" he said in his letter to the council, however the location of the vast majority of the social housing units in one area close to the Mounttown Junction will create a "social housing ghetto" he said.

The provision of public open space should be upped from 20 to 25 per cent, according to Liam Sellers from the Glenageary Road.

"This area is facing the loss of a considerable green lung asset and the opportunity to save some of this space for public use will likely never present again," he states.

The golf course was bought by the developers in exchange for a new 300-acre course in Co Wicklow and a cash payment of around €20 million.