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Dublin city councillors are set to block a proposal to build skyscrapers in the capital at a council meeting today.

The draft of the Dublin City Development Plan 2016-2022 suggests raising height limits up to 28 metres in the inner city, up to 2 metres near stations and up to 16 metres in the rest of the city.

Dublin's Chamber of Commerce say building skyscrapers could solve the housing crisis and urban sprawl as well as giving the economy a boost.

But councillors say that high rise buildings could put the character of Dublin city at risk.

At the meeting 11 motions from councillors seek to reduce these heights, arguing that low-rise heights are more suited to the traditional style of the city.

City council chief executive, Owen Keegan told The Irish Times that the current restrictions are too severe.

He said:"Reducing the definition of of 'low-rise' to the height of typical Georgian buildings . . . would have severe repercussions across the city in terms of employment, competitiveness, housing provision, together with critical infrastructure such as transport and hostels."

However, Independent councillor Nial Ring told The Irish Daily Mail:

"I have put a motion forward that building height be capped at 20 metres."

"We have to get the balance right in terms of quality of life.

"Dublin has very narrow streets that are not suited to high-rise buildings. The docklands will soon have a huge amount of new housing. there will be 2,700 new apartments there and 3,000 in the former Irish Glass Bottle site.

"We do have a housing crisis and we do need to build but not at the expense of our city's character. Dublin is a low-rise city, not a sprawling Manhattan."

If the plan is confirmed, the new height restrictions will come into effect in November.