North Inner City Major Public Housing Projects – July 2020 Update

Despite all the media and opposition commentary, good progress is being made in delivering new public housing across the North Inner City. Prior to the new Government coming to office last week, Fine Gael in office ensured that construction work had started in delivering:

⁃ 72 homes in Phase 1 of the Dominick Street project.

⁃ 30 homes in Sean Foster Place on North King Street.

⁃ 56 homes in Phase 1 of the O’Devaney Gardens Regeneration project.

⁃ 30 homes in Co-Operative Housing Ireland project on North King Street.

⁃ 22 homes in the Tuath Housing project in Ellis Court on Benburb Street.

⁃ 9 homes in the Clanmil Housing project on Dorset Street.

⁃ 4 homes in the Clanmil Housing project on Aughrim Street.

I have been continuing, for the last number of years, to pursue, both with Government and the City Council, the progress of redeveloping existing complexes in the North Inner City including;

⁃ Dorset Street / St. Mary’s Place complex,

⁃ Constitution Hill complex,

⁃ Matt Talbot Court,

⁃ Dunne Street / North Clarence Street,

⁃ Dominick Street West.

This week, I secured detailed updates on the progress being made on each and I want to share this information with you.

DORSET STREET / ST. MARY’S PLACE

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The Outgoing Minister for Housing, Eoghan Murphy TD, in late April confirmed that the Outgoing Fine Gael-led Government approved €65m in Stage I funding to build 158 homes in Dorset Street / St. Mary’s Place.

The regeneration proposal involves the full demolition of the existing complex in three phases and the construction of 158 quality new housing units:

Phase 1: Demolition of the existing St. Mary’s Place block and the construction of 8 apartments and 11 houses

Phase 2: Demolition of the 2nd and 3rd blocks of St. Mary’s Place and Dorset Street and the construction of 96 apartments

Phase 3: Demolition of the final existing block and crèche building and the construction of the remainder of the apartment units (43). DCC will provide a replacement crèche premises.

The detailed design stage which involves preparing a draft planning application will begin this month. I will be working with Councillor Colm O’Rourke and local Minister, Paschal Donohoe TD to ensure this project is advanced as quickly as possible.

CONSTITUTION HILL

Prior to the new Government coming to office, the outgoing Fine Gael-led administration approved €44.5m in initial funding for the building of 130 homes in the complex. 66 homes will be extended and retro-fitted with the remaining 64 homes being newly built. A commercial unit and crèche are also part of this redevelopment project. I understand that this project will involve 65x 2 bedroom apartments and at least 25x 3 bedroom apartments.

Officials are set to conclude a mini-competition to procure all the relevant disciplines required to advance the detailed design phase of the project. I have also asked officials in the City Council to sit down with householders in Constitution Hill before the end of this month to outline the process and the indicative timeline involved.

MATT TALBOT COURT

In advance of the Local Elections last year, I met regularly with Matt Talbot Court householders to discuss the proposed redevelopment of the complex in order to provide new and better housing for them and their families. I committed to working with them and ensure that the project is advanced. I can confirm that a funding application has been submitted to Government by the Council in the last number of weeks.

The initial funding application seeks support for:

⁃ The full demolition of the complex.

⁃ Construction of 92 new homes including:

⁃ 26x 1 bedroom apartments

⁃ 42x 2 bedroom apartments

⁃ 16X 3 bedroom apartments

⁃ 8x houses.

As and when the Stage I funding application is approved and the next stage in the process is set to begin, I will arrange for Housing officials to meet with Matt Talbot Court householders to outline how the redevelopment project will advance and how the City Council will deal with the issue of de-tenanting and the possible relocation of residents either permanently or temporarily during the construction phase.

DUNNE STREET / NORTH CLARENCE STREET

Dublin City Council is finalising a feasibility study for the redevelopment of the existing Dunne Street complex and the construction of new homes on the Depot site backing onto North Clarence Street. This work is to be completed by the end of August 2020, after which a Stage I funding application will be lodged with Government.

DOMINICK STREET WEST

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Options are currently being worked on by the Housing Department of Dublin City Council with regards the provision of new and better housing for the existing flat complex on Dominick Street. From information shared with me, I understand that seven separate development options are being examined, including retrofit and new build. It will be the end of the year before the various options are shortened further for the consideration of Councillors.

ESTATE RENEWAL PLAN

For many living in Council complexes across the North Inner City, I know that significant work is required to improve the environment in which you live. During the 2019 Local Election campaign, I said that, if re-elected, I would work to ensure the draft Estate Renewal Plan be advanced so that proposals for every complex would be prepared and that funding would be sought of Government for priority complexes. I can confirm that an audit of all 210 complexes across the city has been concluded. I will be meeting officials in the next week to ascertain the “prioritisation of complexes for upgrade and redevelopment based on need and potential of each site”. I will provide a comprehensive update afterwards.