The permission was given, despite the fact that the inspector's report recommended that the project be refused on the basis that it did not allow for enough open space and would overly affect neighbouring properties.

Given that the intention of the project is to provide accommodation for local residents currently on the Dublin City Council housing list, it is perhaps surprising that the appellant in the case was the local residents' group, which argued that the scheme was essentially "over-development".

The association now has permission to develop 286 units including 48 two-bed live/work apartments as well as 1,693sq ms of commercial space and childcare facilities. The tallest building will be nine storeys high. Bernard Thompson of NABCO says he didn't expect the application would be appealed by local residents.

"I suppose it is inevitable a project like this will attract objections, " he says.

"This will be one of the biggest co-operative schemes in the city and in order to justify it we have had to include some private and commercial property as part of it."

There are now eight cooperative schemes around Dublin but Thompson says more are needed.

"The city council has a positive approach to cooperatives but there needs to be a more aggressive land acquisition policy, especially since it is forecast the state will need 75,000 more social housing units to meet demand."

Construction will begin shortly on East Wall and when the project is nearing completion, the council will approach people on the housing waiting list to see if they would be interested in joining a co-operative. "If you become a member of the co-op, it means you will be involved in the management of the scheme, " says Thompson.

"We run training seminars on how to run them and there is a well-established support network to help new co-operatives.

The intention is to provide people who can't afford their own home security of tenure and an opportunity of having a say in their own neighbourhoods."