Auctioneer Ken McDonald recently criticised the planning appeals body for acting contrary to government housing policy by refusing permission for numerous apartment schemes on the south side of the city, thereby prolonging the continued rise in house prices.

The decision to grant Dorville Homes and O'Malley Construction permission to build over 500 apartments and a creche facility at Gort Mhuire, at the junction of Ballinteer Road and Wyckham Way, will help ease the supply shortage.

Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown Co Council granted permission to the development last June, but residents appealed on concern about the proposed height of some of the buildings in the scheme.

The original application was for 541 apartments in three blocks ranging in height from three to 10 storeys. An Bord Pleanala decided that a 10-storey building would be out of keeping with the low-rise character of the area and ordered a reduction to eight storeys.

The board also ordered that certain single-aspect units in the various blocks should be amalgamated into adjoining units to create larger apartments with more than one aspect.

The inspector's report noted that the single-aspect units would provide a poor quality environment for the future occupiers in relation to the availability of sunlight and the view from the apartments.