Glenageary residents say they will appeal planning permission granted to the developer who paid €5 million for Traverslea on Lower Glenageary Road, Co Dublin for a four-storey apartment development on a two-acre site to its rear.

Traverslea, a six-bedroom Victorian House on nearly four acres, was built in 1880 for Ivy Hone, a sister of artist Nathaniel Hone and was the home of business and honorary consul for Malta, Neil Judd, until his death in October 2001.

Developers Bernard Costello and Liam Maye were granted planning permission by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council for 32 two-bedroom apartments and four three-bedroom apartments in a three and four-storey block on a two-acre portion of Traverslea's grounds. They are also proposing car-parking for 57 cars and to widen the gateway of Traverslea, which is a protected structure, by relocating the existing brick piers.

Glengara Park Residents Association say that numbers 43 to 52 Glengara Park will be overlooked by the development and it would be within a few metres of the gardens of numbers 43 and 44 "thus depriving them of their privacy and light, as the proposed structure would overlook them to an unacceptable degree".

Residents maintain the entrance to Traverslea should not be altered and the proposed apartments are out of keeping with Traverslea House.

Residents also dispute a report on the trees in the grounds of the garden.

"Our expert opinion disputes the Arboretum report on the health of trees that are proposed to be removed. Our expert is further concerned at the close proximity of some of the trees to the proposed building. The root structure of these good trees could be fatally undermined within a short period of time."