Objections delaying social housing, says Dublin City Council

Numerous social housing projects, including to house homeless families, face delays due to "significant objections" from locals, according to a briefing note drawn up by Dublin City Council.

Among the 16 projects are five to provide modular homes for homeless families currently staying in hotels and B&Bs. Also included are projects by the Peter McVerry Trust, Dublin Simon, Tuath Housing and Respond! Housing.

They are listed on a note provided to the office of Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly, seen by The Irish Times.

It indicates that plans by the Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE) to provide up to 500 modular homes, to take homeless families out of hotels and B&Bs, face serious delays because of objections from local residents.

Significant objections

Among the first tranche of sites, where 153 modular homes are planned, are St Helena’s Drive in Finglas, Belcamp in Darndale, Mourne Road in Crumlin,

Cherry Orchard

in Ballyfermot and Poppintree in Ballymun. All are facing “significant objections”, according to the list.

Local residents have mounted campaigns against the plans in all areas, contacting councillors, who are in turn bringing their concerns to DRHE. It is understood DRHE is in turn is expending considerable time liaising with those councillors representing these views, thus delaying delivery.

Some 22 modular homes at the Ballymun site were to be in place before Christmas and may not be completed until next month.

Concerns have been raised in all areas that the dwellings will become permanent, as well as about the siting of more social housing in areas where there are already high concentrations. It is intended that all units of modular housing be in place by the end of the year.

Appeal for support

Speaking on

RTÉ

radio yesterday

Cathal Morgan

, DRHE director, appealed for public support. “While we’re waiting for housing supply to kick in – for the love of God, please can everyone get behind modular housing? We need to get people behind that,” he said.

Other projects hampered by objections include St Agatha's Court in the North Strand area, where the Peter McVerry Trust has long planned to convert and add to a derelict building of 12 bedsits, to turn it into 11 units of accommodation for single adults. A spokesman said the main concerns from locals had been about tenant selection and increased demands on overstretched local resources.

Some 18 months after the trust secured funding from the department, work is due to begin on St Agatha’s next month. Community engagement is to continue, said the spokesman.

Other projects significantly delayed by objections include Longfields House at Fitzwilliam Square in Dublin 2, a Dublin Simon project; a sheltered housing scheme for older people in Ballybough, planned by Oaklee Housing; and Orchard Lawns, a 72-unit housing project by Co-operative Housing Ireland in Cherry Orchard.