The Sunday Tribune has learned that the offer was made in writing by the company behind the 250m Opera Centre retail development in Limerick city, which is currently awaiting a decision from the planning appeals body, An Bord Pleanala.

The project was granted planning permission by Limerick city council but was subsequently appealed to An Bord Pleanala by architect Cait Ni Cheallachain and three others. At least two of the other appellants have withdrawn their objection but told the Sunday Tribune that they did not receive money from the company to do so. Ni Cheallachain refused the offer and is pursuing her appeal to the planning body.

The offer was made in a letter signed by Belfast-based businessman Suneil Sharma, who is also a member of the Northern Ireland policing board and who last year received an MBE. Sharma is chief executive of Regeneration Developments Ltd, the company behind the Opera Centre development.

In correspondence seen by the Sunday Tribune, the company sought to have the appeal process halted on the basis that it would adversely affect the chance of proceeding with the development. An internal memo to Sharma states: "Unless we can come to some agreement which enables [the architect] to withdraw her appeal, we will be unable to proceed with the development. . . there is no time for the appeal to run its course."

A spokesman for Sharma yesterday said that he was not available for comment.

Attempts to contact Sharma at his Belfast home this weekend were also unsuccessful.

The appeal against plans to construct the shopping centre complex in the heart of Limerick city is expected to be adjudicated on this week by An Bord Pleanala. The eight-acre complex at Rutland Street will, if permission is approved, comprise a shopping mall with 300,000sq ft of retail space on four floors. Along with numerous retail units, the development will feature extensive pub and restaurant facilities and an iconic 'sky bridge' which will connect the centre to a nearby multistorey car park.

The project, spearheaded by Regeneration Developments Ltd, a Belfast company owned by Indian businessman Suneil Sharma, will take two years to complete. Five hundred jobs are expected to be created during construction and 1,000 fulltime positions will need to be filled when the shopping complex is complete.

The Opera shopping centre project also involves the restoration of the birthplace of internationally-famous singing star Catherine Hayes who was born at 4 Patrick Street in 1818. The building will be converted into a museum celebrating the life of the diva and will be administered by the Limerick Civic Trust.

Ni Cheallachain is objecting to the proposed development, citing the destruction of historic buildings in what is an Architectural Conservation Area.

"I'm not anti-development:

I'm in favour of development.

My beef isn't with the developers, it's with Limerick City Council, " she told the Sunday Tribune.

"Basically, the council is asking developers to justify demolition. Developers will always justify demolition. I do feel very strongly that too much of Limerick's architectural heritage is being lost.

The council is allowing developers build what they like.

There's no-one in there arguing for the retention of historic properties."

In a detailed submission to An Bord Pleanala, the architect, who is also a member of the Irish Georgian Society, points out that the developer's own conservation consultant, David Slattery, advised that the possible adverse impact of the development on the existing streetscape could be lessened by retaining seven buildings subsequently earmarked for demolition.

Denis Leonard of Limerick Civic Trust said this was the third concerted effort to redevelop what had become a neglected part of the city.

"Like most of Limerick, I hope the project wins approval.

"You can be very purist about this and say the Georgian buildings need to be restored. In the real world, that's not going to happen.

The Georgian-style buildings built 200 years ago are small and it is not practical to restore them, particularly given their current condition.

What you do is try to keep the best of the heritage and then work around it. You have to be practical."

Local auctioneer, Pat Kearney, who, over several years, put together the Opera Centre project, has described the proposed development as "a shopping Mecca".