Jennifer Guinness, wife of the late banker John Guinness, has lost her first party appeal to An Bord Pleanála to build a house on lands attached to her home on the illustrious Ceanchor Road, Howth, Co Dublin - despite a bord inspector recommending that permission be granted.

Mrs Guinness, who lives at Ceanchor House, challenged Fingal County Council's decision to refuse outline permission for a house with a biocycle wastewater treatment system on a 3.74-acre site on her 20 acre lands.

An Bord Pleanála ruled that the development would set an inappropriate precedent for future development given that the maximum density under the Howth Special Amenity Area Order is two dwellings per hectare.

It said the field in which the proposed house is located is indicated as an area of cultural importance to be protected under the Howth Special Amenity Area order.

"The proposed development would materially interfere with and alter the character of this field which is an important element in the landscape character at this location," says the decision.

This went against the recommendation of the inspector who said in his report: "It is true that if, one stands at the top of the field, there are views of the sea to the south.

"However, these views are not of importance to the public."

He said the proposed house would be concealed behind existing high hedge and would be unnoticed by the few people who use this section of Ceanchor Road. "I fail to see where the public interest is involved in maintaining the open character of a field that practically no one will ever see."