A proposal to build an apartment and retail development with a nine-storey tower at the Iceland site on Lower George's Street in Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin has met with opposition in the area, Edel Morgan reports

Eight appeals were lodged to An Bord Pleanála on foot of planning permission granted to Anglo Construction Ltd to demolish 117-121 Lower George's Street and 17-18 George's Place and build 85 apartments and two retail buildings.

Six of the appeals were from residents of Wellington Street, George's Place and Crofton Road who were concerned about overlooking, overshadowing and a lack of car-parking.

One resident of Wellington Street said she realised just how "enormous" the proposed development would be when the Dún Laoghaire West Residents Association flew a large balloon to the height of 28.4 metres over the Iceland car-park site.

She questioned why the building was being called "landmark". "One has to ask, is this landmark status just a peg to hang enormous and huge buildings on?"

In his appeal, a resident of 10 Wellington Street said he hired an eight foot crane at his own expense "positioned at strategic heights and locations of the proposed development to simulate the vistas from balconies and roof gardens". He said that overlooking from the proposed apartments would constitute "a complete removal" of his privacy.

The building would be 16 metres from the boundary wall of rear gardens behind Wellington Street and there would be a particular problem with overlooking from eight balconies on the south-east elevation.

His appeal said that locals were already dependent on on-street car-parking, and the proposed provision of one space per unit in the apartment development was inadequate.

Both auctioneer Desmond McCabe and Dún Laoghaire Business Association complained that the commercial element of the scheme is insufficient and would affect the viability of the main shopping street.