Plans by boat repair company BJ Marine to relocate from Sir John Rogerson's Quay in Dublin to Howth are being opposed by local objectors.
Residents claim a large section of Howth Harbour would be infilled off the centre pier to provide the boat repair company with its new facilities and that the development would result in the loss of scenic views across the harbour.
Planning permission has already been granted to BJ Marine, which describes itself as "the last leisure business on the River Liffey", by Fingal County Council for the scheme.
This follows the dismissal of an appeal to An Bord Pleanála as invalid. But the infill of three-quarters of an acre needs a licence under the Foreshore Act.
The scheme includes a sales/service building, with a ridge height of five metres (16.5 feet), together with a service yard, pontoons and berthage for 15 boats on the amenity side of Howth's centre pier, as opposed to the fish port.
A spokesman for the objectors, Mr Leo Rickard, said they were calling on people to write to the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Mr Ahern, urging him not to grant a foreshore licence for the development.
But Mr Bernard Gallagher, managing director of BJ Marine, said he was at a loss to know why the group was objecting as his company's plans had the support of the local yacht club, chamber of commerce and Howth 2000 group.
He said BJ Marine was moving to Howth because it had been "evicted" by the Docklands Development Authority from its site on the campshire of Sir John Rogerson's Quay so that it could be developed as an amenity area.
Mr Gallagher said the authority had declined to accommodate the company's operations anywhere else in the Docklands area, so it had no option but to move out.
"We need a home somewhere, otherwise we would have to leave the country." Consideration was given to relocating to Bangor, Co Down, before settling for Howth, he said. "The building will be just over half the height of the lifeboat house and only a quarter the height of the ice house on the west pier."
Denying the objectors' claim that it constituted inappropriate industrial development, Mr Gallagher said there were photomontages to show that it "will interfere with nobody", nor with any views of importance over the harbour.
