Paddy Shovlin's Sandyford Gateway development, including a 23-storey tower, has been turned down by planners at Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.

Shovlin's Landmark Developments was seeking to build 565 residential units, shops, leisure facilities, a library and offices in eight blocks adjacent to the Beacon Clinic and Beacon Hotel.

The majority of the proposed buildings would have ranged in height from 14 to 18 storeys, while one residential building would have been 23 storeys high incorporating a sky garden.

The fact that 22 per cent of the apartments were one-bedroom and a further 12 were either of north-west orientation or facing internally was described as substandard by the planners.

The height and scale of the scheme was also criticised by planners, who said it would have resulted in an "abrupt transition" from Landmark's existing Beacon Court development.

The proposed scheme is "not readily capable of being absorbed into its physical context and would detract from the visual amenities of the area", according to the planners.

In particular, the "slab-like monolithic form" of the proposed office block came in for particular mention from planners, who said it was excessive and would block views from other residential blocks.

A proposed public open space at the scheme was described as "seriously substandard".

There were over 60 objectors to the scheme, including An Taisce, which argued that such a large development would put a "distinctive stamp" on the whole of the Sandyford Industrial Estate and would pre-empt all the studies currently being undertaken or proposed by the council.