PLANS FOR the long-awaited €60 million regeneration of the Dublin City Council flat complexes at O’Devaney Gardens and Dominick Street have been lodged with An Bord Pleanála.
The dilapidated estates were two of five schemes in the city which were to have been redeveloped under a public-private partnership (PPP) deal between developer Bernard McNamara and Dublin City Council.
The deal with Mr McNamara collapsed in May 2008 following the downturn in the property market. Attempts were made throughout that summer to rescue the schemes but these were unsuccessful and the council formally terminated its relationship with the developer in August 2008.
The following December the council announced it would rebuild the social housing in the three largest estates – St Michael’s, O’Devaney Gardens and Dominick Street. The other two proposed developments at Infirmary Road and Seán McDermott Street were not existing social housing complexes with residents needing rehousing, and the schemes have been shelved.
The council expects to spend around €32 million over a 10-year period to build around 200 houses and flats on the site of O’Devaney Gardens, a 1950s flat complex near the Phoenix Park. The application being made to An Bord Pleanála today is 110 units. The buildings, 60 of which will be social units and 50 of which will be private housing, will be between two and four storeys in height. A public park is also included in the application.
At Dominick Street, the 1970s flats are to be replaced by 120 social units over a 10-year period at a cost of about €27 million. The current application is for 58 apartments and duplex units ranging in height from two to six storeys. The plans also include a community centre, a civic plaza and a new street. Both developments must go now through the planning process with An Bord Pleanála. The period for observations or objections to be made in relation to either development will not start until January 10th and will run for six weeks.
While the plot for the new apartments at Dominick Street has been cleared, demolition is ongoing at O’Devaney Gardens, which was the scene of riots following the collapse of the PPP scheme in 2008. Violent incidents reached their peak in August when fighting after a wedding led to the attendance of several dozen gardaí at the complex.
