THE RISK taken by developers in acquiring sites from the State in return for providing affordable homes has been underlined by a Bord Pleanála decision to refuse permission for a major scheme in Harcourt Terrace in Dublin.
The proposed development by the Durkan Group would have replaced Harcourt Terrace Garda station and the old Film Censor's office with two apartment buildings and two office blocks, ranging in height from four to nine storeys.
In return for acquiring development rights, Durkan agreed to provide 408 affordable homes at six locations in west Dublin - a deal hailed as showing the potential for such land swaps by Des Geraghty, chairman of the Affordable Homes Partnership.
These deals are quite different to the public-private partnership (PPP) arrangements made by Dublin City Council with developer Bernard McNamara that collapsed last week.
John O'Connor, chief executive of the Affordable Homes Partnership, confirmed yesterday that the deal involving the Harcourt Terrace site was not subject to planning permission. "It was Durkans' risk, so it's unfortunate from their point of view."
He said all 408 affordable homes built by the group had been handed over and occupied. "I'm sure they will lodge a revised application for the site and that they'll get permission for some level of development - maybe not what they wanted."
An Bord Pleanála upheld appeals by local residents and An Taisce, saying the scheme "would fail to respect its context" and would "adversely impact on the setting" of a unique Regency terrace on the opposite side of Harcourt Terrace.
It also said the proposed development "would not be of the standard required to justify the removal of the existing Garda station" - an unlisted two-storey building that the board's planning inspector, Jane Dennehy, said was worthy of retention.
"I consider the two buildings, which date from the 1940s, to be fully viable and structurally sound. The Garda station is of special value and . . . the interior relatively unaltered, with terrazzo flooring, joinery and fittings fully intact and in good condition."
The Department of the Environment, in its observations on the appeal, also suggested that any future proposals for developing the 0.87-acre site should take account of the need for recognition of the "architectural significance" of the Garda station.
An Bord Pleanála noted that the site lies within a designated residential conservation area in the current Dublin city development plan, saying any scheme would require "a very high quality of design in context with its architectural surroundings".
The proposed nine-storey office block on the Grand Canal frontage of the site would "seriously injure the amenities of the area and of property in the vicinity".
Even though the city council's planners - in their decision last August to approve the Durkan scheme - had reduced the block by two storeys, the board's inspector said this would "not overcome the inappropriateness of the proposed development".
The council received more than 20 objections, including one from An Taisce, which said the scheme would need to be revised to take account of "the unique and sensitive environment of Harcourt Terrace and the scale and pattern of development on the Grand Canal".
Durkan had maintained that its "high-quality scheme" would address the shortfall of accommodation, both residential and offices, in the Dublin area by developing an "under-utilised brownfield site . . . in accordance with proper planning and sustainable development".
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Showing posts with label affordable housing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label affordable housing. Show all posts
Tuesday, 27 May 2008
Monday, 19 May 2008
Dublin private-public housing plans collapse
Dublin City Council confirmed today that plans to build thousands of housing units in partnership with developer Bernard McNamara, have collapsed.
The six public-private partnership (PPP) projects were worth over €900 million. The council said it was looking at new funding options following the announcement that McNamara Construction are not to proceed with the regeneration plans.
"Current economic climate and the substantial changes that have taken place in the residential housing sector recently, have rendered these projects unviable, from the private partner's perspective, as the PPP concept was partly based on the sale of private units to fund the cost of new social and affordable units being provided free to Dublin City Council," said the council in a statement.
"Dublin City Council s priority now is its tenants and the City Council will explore its options for regenerating these areas and providing the social and affordable housing for its tenants," it added.
The largest affected project is the €265 million redevelopment of St Michael's Estate in Inchicore, which has been in planning since 2001. Seven of the 11 tower blocks have already been demolished ahead of the planned project.
The €180 million regeneration of O'Devaney Gardens in Dublin 7, for which contracts had been signed, is also affected as are similar projects on Dominic Street, ConventLands in Sean McDermott Street, and Infirmary Road, also in Inchicore.
Public Private Partnerships were adopted by Dublin City Council as a way of modernising its public housing stock. The Partnership process was based upon the council developing its land bank using the private partner's finance,arising from the sale of the remaining apartments to the general public, and their development expertise to deliver high quality, mixed-tenure, sustainable neighbourhoods.
"We will be meeting immediately with the three Regeneration Boards involved in St Michael's Estate, O'Devaney Gardens and Dominic Street to explore all options and put an alternative plan in place that will deliver the social housing we need in these areas," said Ciaran McNamara, assistant City manager, Dublin City Council.
"It is possible that the City Council could invite Tenders to develop Phase 1 of St Michael s Estate immediately, where we already have planning permission for 138 new social homes. We already plan to put a proposal to the July meeting of Dublin City Council to demolish four vacant blocks in O'Devaney Gardens and if approved, we will go to Tender to get them demolished," he added.
Mr McNamara said the remaining projects would have to be examined with a view to developing the most appropriate action.
"The regeneration of these five areas is very important to the City Council and we will be using our best endeavours to see how best it can be achieved. "While this is a setback we could do without, the City Council is confident we will be still able to provide high quality social and affordable housing, possibly over a longer time span," said Mr McNamara.
Opposition parties this afternoon described the collapse of the public-private partnerships as a blow to people living in the affected areas.
The Labour Party said that Dublin City council must ensure that a new plan is put in place so that the much-needed social housing and community facilities are still provided.
Fine Gael also called on the council to redouble its efforts to find the finance necessary to make sure that the regeneration plans get back on track.
The party's housing spokesman Terence Flanagan called on the Government to re-examine direct provision of social and affordable units to ensure that the most vulnerable in Dublin have access to proper housing.
Separately, Sinn Féin housing spokesperson Aengus Ó Snodaigh said the Government should step into the gap created by the loss of McNamara builders to ensure that the housing units were built.
"A change in Government policy is required to ban the use of Public Private Partnerships for such basic requirements as public housing projects,” said Ó Snodaigh
Ireland.com
www.buckplanning.ie
The six public-private partnership (PPP) projects were worth over €900 million. The council said it was looking at new funding options following the announcement that McNamara Construction are not to proceed with the regeneration plans.
"Current economic climate and the substantial changes that have taken place in the residential housing sector recently, have rendered these projects unviable, from the private partner's perspective, as the PPP concept was partly based on the sale of private units to fund the cost of new social and affordable units being provided free to Dublin City Council," said the council in a statement.
"Dublin City Council s priority now is its tenants and the City Council will explore its options for regenerating these areas and providing the social and affordable housing for its tenants," it added.
The largest affected project is the €265 million redevelopment of St Michael's Estate in Inchicore, which has been in planning since 2001. Seven of the 11 tower blocks have already been demolished ahead of the planned project.
The €180 million regeneration of O'Devaney Gardens in Dublin 7, for which contracts had been signed, is also affected as are similar projects on Dominic Street, ConventLands in Sean McDermott Street, and Infirmary Road, also in Inchicore.
Public Private Partnerships were adopted by Dublin City Council as a way of modernising its public housing stock. The Partnership process was based upon the council developing its land bank using the private partner's finance,arising from the sale of the remaining apartments to the general public, and their development expertise to deliver high quality, mixed-tenure, sustainable neighbourhoods.
"We will be meeting immediately with the three Regeneration Boards involved in St Michael's Estate, O'Devaney Gardens and Dominic Street to explore all options and put an alternative plan in place that will deliver the social housing we need in these areas," said Ciaran McNamara, assistant City manager, Dublin City Council.
"It is possible that the City Council could invite Tenders to develop Phase 1 of St Michael s Estate immediately, where we already have planning permission for 138 new social homes. We already plan to put a proposal to the July meeting of Dublin City Council to demolish four vacant blocks in O'Devaney Gardens and if approved, we will go to Tender to get them demolished," he added.
Mr McNamara said the remaining projects would have to be examined with a view to developing the most appropriate action.
"The regeneration of these five areas is very important to the City Council and we will be using our best endeavours to see how best it can be achieved. "While this is a setback we could do without, the City Council is confident we will be still able to provide high quality social and affordable housing, possibly over a longer time span," said Mr McNamara.
Opposition parties this afternoon described the collapse of the public-private partnerships as a blow to people living in the affected areas.
The Labour Party said that Dublin City council must ensure that a new plan is put in place so that the much-needed social housing and community facilities are still provided.
Fine Gael also called on the council to redouble its efforts to find the finance necessary to make sure that the regeneration plans get back on track.
The party's housing spokesman Terence Flanagan called on the Government to re-examine direct provision of social and affordable units to ensure that the most vulnerable in Dublin have access to proper housing.
Separately, Sinn Féin housing spokesperson Aengus Ó Snodaigh said the Government should step into the gap created by the loss of McNamara builders to ensure that the housing units were built.
"A change in Government policy is required to ban the use of Public Private Partnerships for such basic requirements as public housing projects,” said Ó Snodaigh
Ireland.com
www.buckplanning.ie
Wednesday, 17 October 2007
No plans to cut affordable house prices despite drop
CORK County Council has no immediate plans to reduce the cost of its affordable houses, despite a price drop on the general housing market.
In light of the recent slump on the open market, Cllr Frank O’Flynn (FF) asked council officials if they were prepared to drop the cost of affordable houses, which are designed to be within the price range of lower income families.
Assistant county manager for the north Cork region, Tim Lucey, said he couldn’t see any change coming in the foreseeable future, especially as the price of affordable homes was way below the market value, sometimes by up to €90,000.
Mr O’Flynn also maintained the fall-off in building represented an ideal opportunity for the local authority to get more affordable houses built by developers who had slacker worksheets.
“We’re not in the market to start bailing out developers who are slowing down. We’re in the market for houses,” Mr Lucey replied. He said that at present the county council had 46 affordable houses available in the north Cork area.
“The houses range in price from €133,000 to €177,000. On the open market they would sell from €225,000 to €280,000. These houses are way cheaper than the open market. It is a very attractive scheme,” said Mr Lucey.
The assistant county manager said the only way he envisaged dropping the price of affordable houses was if the cost of building material plummeted.
Irish Examiner
In light of the recent slump on the open market, Cllr Frank O’Flynn (FF) asked council officials if they were prepared to drop the cost of affordable houses, which are designed to be within the price range of lower income families.
Assistant county manager for the north Cork region, Tim Lucey, said he couldn’t see any change coming in the foreseeable future, especially as the price of affordable homes was way below the market value, sometimes by up to €90,000.
Mr O’Flynn also maintained the fall-off in building represented an ideal opportunity for the local authority to get more affordable houses built by developers who had slacker worksheets.
“We’re not in the market to start bailing out developers who are slowing down. We’re in the market for houses,” Mr Lucey replied. He said that at present the county council had 46 affordable houses available in the north Cork area.
“The houses range in price from €133,000 to €177,000. On the open market they would sell from €225,000 to €280,000. These houses are way cheaper than the open market. It is a very attractive scheme,” said Mr Lucey.
The assistant county manager said the only way he envisaged dropping the price of affordable houses was if the cost of building material plummeted.
Irish Examiner
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