O’DEVANEY GARDENS – PROGRESS REPORT

WHAT IS THE CURRENT PLANNING STATUS OF THE O’DEVANEY GARDENS REDEVELOPMENT?
In 2010, Dublin City Council submitted a Planning Application seeking permission for the construction of 110 homes on the site formerly occupied by the recently demolished flats. Planning permission was finally granted by An Bord Pleanala for this part of the redevelopment in 2011. 50 homes are to be privately owned with the remainder being social or public housing. In total, the following mix will apply:

• 31x 2 storey terrace houses
• 25x 3 storey terrace houses
 13x 2 bedroom units
 34x 3 bedroom units
 9x 4 bedroom units
• 41x apartments in 4 storey blocks
 9x 1 bedroom units
 25x 2 bedroom units
 7x 3 bedroom units
• 7x 2 storey duplex units
• 6x 1 bedroom live work units.

FUNDING CONSTRUCTION OF PUBLIC HOUSING
In December 2016, local T.D. and Minister for Finance, Public Expenditure & Reform, Paschal Donohoe announced on behalf of the Government funding of €17.8m to allow construction begin on the first 56 public homes on the O’Devaney Gardens lands. In total €20.6m has now been provided by Government which has enabled the City Council to begin the tendering and procurement of a contractor to start work on these new homes. In recent weeks, Dublin City Council agreed contracts with CAREYS CONSTRUCTION Ltd to construct the first 56 homes on the vacant lands in O’Devaney Gardens bordered by Findlater Street and the North Circular Road. Careys Construction Ltd will begin work almost immediately with dilapidation surveys of homes closest to the construction site, so as to ensure in the event of damage occurring due to the building work, it can be measured.

LOCAL INFORMATION EVENING – JULY 3rd, ASHLING HOTEL
Prior to works beginning, the O’Devaney Gardens Consultative Forum, of which I am a Chair, have organised an Information Evening to provide local residents with information about the scale and duration of these initial works but also on what is planned for on the rest of the O’Devaney Gardens lands. You are therefore invited to attend this Information Evening in the Phoenix Suite of the Ashling Hotel from 7pm on TUESDAY JULY 3rd next.

WHAT IS PLANNED FOR THE REST OF THE O’DEVANEY GARDENS LANDS?
In January 2017, Dublin City Councillors agreed to revise the 2010 Master Plan which had set out how the O’Devaney Gardens lands would be developed by the Council in partnership with Government. The changes agreed by a majority of Councillors representing a variety of political parties and independents include:
• Building in total 584 homes, of which 50% will be owner-occupier, 30% public housing with the remaining 20%, a mix of affordable purchase and rental.
• The redevelopment will take place in partnership through the establishment of a Development Agreement between Dublin City Council, Government and a Private Developer or Developers.

Dublin City Council has since established a Public Procurement Process that is being used to ascertain the level of interest from private developers and contractors to build and fund this redevelopment. To date, five separate developers have been engaging with the City Council’s process and continue to do so. Over the next three to four months, the City Council will engage with each of the interested developers to flesh out proposals as how best to ensure the redevelopment is advanced in line with the changes made to the Master Plan by City Councillors in January 2017. As the Chairman of the most recent O’Devaney Gardens Consultative Forum meeting, it is anticipated that a Final Tender agreement between Dublin City Council and the preferred developer will be in place by the end of this year.

HOW YOU WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO HAVE YOUR SAY!
Once that tender has been agreed, the developer will be responsible for finalising a planning application that will be submitted directly to An Bord Pleanala for permission. Before that application is lodged, the Consultative Forum will meet with the developer to discuss and examine the draft planning application and as your local Councillor and a Chair of the Consultative Forum, I want to assure you that any application will ensure that this redevelopment does not take place in isolation from the rest of Stoneybatter, Infirmary Road, Arbour Hill and Montpelier. Therefore, many opportunities for local consultation and public engagement will be arranged so that local residents will have an opportunity to have their say in what is being planned, well in advance of a planning application being lodged.

TURNING OF THE FIRST SOD – COME ALONG!
The collapse of the O’Devaney Gardens Public Private Partnership in 2008 marked the beginning of our economic collapse as a country. Now, after many years of work between residents in O’Devaney Gardens, across Stoneybatter, Infirmary Road, Montpelier, Councillors, officials and Government, we are at a stage where construction of new housing in O’Devaney is beginning. Almost 600 homes will be built in a mix of public and private, houses and apartments as well as community, retail and recreation facilities in the lands just off Infirmary Road. To mark the beginning of construction, the first sod will be turned by An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar T.D. along with the Lord Mayor, myself, Minister Donohoe and others on Wednesday, July 4th. If you are free to attend, please come along! I have always said that the redevelopment of the O’Devaney Gardens lands must not take in isolation from the rest of Stoneybatter, Arbour Hill, Infirmary Road and Montpelier because the building of almost 600 homes will have an effect on us all. As a local resident and your LOCAL Councillor, I will work to keep you fully updated of developments on the lands but also how it is through the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loans or Dublin City Council that you or your family member may one day be able to live in homes built there.

DO YOU REQUIRE FURTHER INFORMATION?
If you require any additional information or clarification on the works planned on the O’Devaney Gardens lands or have any questions about the details outlined above, please come back to me and I will endeavour to answer any enquiries that you may have.