Members of St. John's city council have approved a proposal to construct two new buildings at the east end of Duckworth Street, while bypassing the recommendations of a commissioner who held public hearings on the controversial proposal.

Councillors unanimously voted to ignore commissioner Marie Ryan, who recommended lowering the building set to be built near Hill O' Chips from six storeys to five.

Ryan's report catalogued a long list of complaints from neighbours and others who felt that that character of Duckworth Street east would be damaged by the Light House project.

In addition to a hotel on the south side of Duckworth Street, the project includes a separate building across the street — on the grounds of a former fire station — that will contain a parking garage and condominiums.

At Tuesday evening's weekly meeting, councillors voted to stick with the plan for the Light House project that they had approved in February.