DUBLIN 1 MATTERS – January 2024

MAGDALEN LAUNDRY SITE REDEVELOPMENT – Update

As YOUR local Councillor, I chair a Working Group including City Councillors, Council officials and OPW Architects that focuses on the preparation of a Master Plan for the redevelopment of the former Magdalen Laundry site. This Working Group set three key objectives to guide this project, namely ‘cradle to Third Level education’, quality senior citizens’ housing and an appropriate remembrance facility and archive. The Government supports this project and has set aside funding to enable this redevelopment to advance through the planning process and to construction.

As Chair of the Working Group, I want to update you on the status of the project, what has been approved to date, the facilities to be provided and the next steps in advancing this project.

Best Wishes,

Ray

WHAT IS THE MASTER PLAN FOR THIS SITE?

The redevelopment of the site will ultimately see a National Centre for Research and Remembrance Campus. The OPW has developed a draft strategic Master Plan which informs the design of the various buildings and other aspects of the redevelopment. Through the provision of senior citizens’ public housing, community and educational facilities, this project will provide job opportunities, specialised supports for children, and third level educational facilities locally. Coupled with a garden of reflection and an archive, the redeveloped site will provide an appropriate place to remember those affected and mistreated in Magdalen facilities.

There are four key aspects of the redeveloped site, which include:

A. National Centre for Research and Remembrance Museum and Archive

The Museum and Archive comprise of the restoration and remodelling of the existing convent blocks and chapel, along with a new high-quality building designed to enclose the Garden of Reflection. The new buildings will accommodate a purpose-built archival repository / storage space at basement level, along with public reading rooms, conservation laboratories, and other technical spaces at the upper levels. A variety of exhibition spaces, lecture space, office spaces and reception area will be housed, mostly within the existing convent and laundry building blocks.

B. The Educational Facility

The new multi storey multi-functional Educational Facility will comprise of large and small teaching rooms, study spaces, specialist teaching spaces, offices and social spaces that will support further and higher education.

C. Community, Family and Parenting Support Facilities

On the Scots Church site, a new two storey building has been designed to sit behind and incorporate the protected façade, which will be carefully restored. The Dispensary building on Railway Street, will be extended and repurposed into dedicated spaces for the delivery of family and parenting supports, to include teaching and play spaces, offices, meeting rooms, workshop space and external play areas. Through the provision of dedicated, child-centred design, purpose-built facilities both buildings will support the delivery of targeted parenting and afterschool support services for people in the area.

D. Senior Citizens’ Housing

The purpose-built housing for senior citizens will be built along Railway Street portion of the site. 25 apartments for older people and more vulnerable persons will incorporate assisted living technology and enhanced age-friendly supports. They will be larger than normal senior citizens’ housing and the building will range in height of between five and seven storeys.

WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS IN ADVANCING THIS PROJECT?

In order for a planning application to be lodged, ownership of the site will be transferred to the Office of Public Works (OPW) and it is hoped that this will take place over the next eight weeks. Before that, there are issues that need to be addressed, including the provision of alternative premises for the Crinan Youth Project among other issues. Once these matters have been resolved, Dublin City Councillors will be asked to formally approve the transfer of site ownership to the OPW. Following completion of this legal process, I expect a formal planning application detailing the draft Master Plan, will be lodged with the Planning Department of Dublin City Council by the summer.

I am incredibly excited by this project. I have spent a lot of time working on it with officials, the Council, the OPW and Government colleagues to ensure this project is progressed through planning and onto construction. This redevelopment project is being treated with the highest priority by the City Council and Government alike! Attached below, is an image of the draft Master Plan, showing where and how everything is to be located and built on site. A clearer image of the plan below is available at www.RayMcAdam.com.

OTHER LOCAL NEWS:

• Works on the former Rutland Street National School are proceeding at pace. The key objectives for this project include:
  • Refurbishment of a fine local building.
  • Provision of modern, fit for purpose, state of the art facilities for youth, community, cultural and education services.
  • Deliver a new Civic Centre for the wider North Inner City Area – housing services, public domain, environmental services and intercultural supports.
  • Development of business incubation spaces, shared office space on site to encourage entrepreneurship / small business development in the area.
• Choice Based Lettings Update:
  • Dublin City Council is currently advertising 18 new homes for allocation through the scheme of Choice Based Lettings, some of which will be available for senior citizens. These units are located in Area H, and they include Ballybough Court, Ballybough House, Summerhill Court, Summerhill Place, St. Mary’s Court, Ferrymans Crossing, Courtney Place, North Great Clarence Street and Brendan Behan Court. Contact me if you want an application form before the deadline, which is February 16^th next.