Ballymun Regeneration Ltd (BRL) has earmarked a 60-acre site near Ikea and the M50 for science research and development projects.
BRL has made a joint submission with Dublin City University to Enterprise Ireland about developing wet labs - laboratories where chemicals, drugs and other matter are tested and analysed - on the site.
"If approved this year, they could be under construction next year and they would provide a range of jobs for technicians and post graduates," a spokeswoman for BRL said.
The spokeswoman added that the joint proposal with DCU was made in response to Enterprise Ireland's call for proposals from local authorities in relation to suitable sites for wet labs and for the development of life sciences generally.
"Ballymun has a site eminently suitable for a cluster of wet labs on the M50 lands. Ballymun Regeneration has a planning framework approved by Fingal County Council for research and development clusters to be built on these lands and the wet labs would be the start," she added.
The Sunday Tribune
www.buckplanning.ie
Showing posts with label ballymun regeneration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ballymun regeneration. Show all posts
Monday, 12 October 2009
Monday, 6 April 2009
Pyrite shivers Ballymun timbers
Over 100 houses under construction as part of the regeneration of Ballymun in north Dublin are being tested for the presence of pyrite, a substance that when it reacts with water can expand and cause cracks in walls and floors.
Just last month, Ballymun Regeneration Ltd (BRL) announced its ambitious plans to build 5,000 houses to replace Ballymun Towers and apartment blocks will be delayed by at least two years after its funding was cut from €80m last year to €45m this year.
Mary Murphy, spokeswoman for BRL confirmed builder James Elliot Construction has started tests on 124 houses in Ballymun after suspicions were raised that the houses may be contaminated.
Murphy said the same builder started repair work this month on the newly built recreation centre in Ballymun which was confirmed as being contaminated with pyrite.
In the meantime, Elliot has constructed a temporary recreation centre at the back of the damaged building which is used by close to 1,000 residents every week.
The use of pyrite is currently the subject of a separate multimillion euro damages claim at the High Court. Menolly Homes and other developers are suing the Lagan group claiming around 750 houses it built have been structurally damaged after using pyrite-contaminated infill from a Lagan Group quarry in north Dublin.
Sunday Tribune
www.buckplanning.ie
Just last month, Ballymun Regeneration Ltd (BRL) announced its ambitious plans to build 5,000 houses to replace Ballymun Towers and apartment blocks will be delayed by at least two years after its funding was cut from €80m last year to €45m this year.
Mary Murphy, spokeswoman for BRL confirmed builder James Elliot Construction has started tests on 124 houses in Ballymun after suspicions were raised that the houses may be contaminated.
Murphy said the same builder started repair work this month on the newly built recreation centre in Ballymun which was confirmed as being contaminated with pyrite.
In the meantime, Elliot has constructed a temporary recreation centre at the back of the damaged building which is used by close to 1,000 residents every week.
The use of pyrite is currently the subject of a separate multimillion euro damages claim at the High Court. Menolly Homes and other developers are suing the Lagan group claiming around 750 houses it built have been structurally damaged after using pyrite-contaminated infill from a Lagan Group quarry in north Dublin.
Sunday Tribune
www.buckplanning.ie
Tuesday, 17 February 2009
President and Archbishop Tutu open Ballymun facilities
New music and sports facilities at two schools in Ballymun were formally opened today by President Mary McAllese and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
The Music Room at St Joseph’s School and the BRL Umbro Sports Arena at Trinity Comprehensive School are the latest projects built by Ballymun Regeneration Ltd, the Dublin City Council company set up in 1997 to plan and implement a regeneration programme which will result in a new town with new and improved facilities for the 30,000 people who will live there.
The Music Room is a dedicated practice and performance space for the children of the Ballymun Music Programme, and will be open to community groups and local societies.
It is built to a very high acoustic standard with a sprung timber dance floor suitable for both St Joseph's Wind Band and dance, martial arts, and aerobics. The Ballymun Music Programme is an initiative of Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) Community Links Programme.
The programme involves children from seven primary and secondary schools in the area and runs two junior wind bands, a junior string orchestra and a number of choirs.
Children from the programme performed A New Day for the President and the Archbishop. Written by Ballymun teenagers, Daire Ní Bhroin, Darren Scully and John Wrafter, along with composer, Daragh O'Toole, it was inspired by the optimism of the young people in Ballymun today.
The BRL Umbro Sports Arena was built by Ballymun Regeneration in recognition of the need for an all-weather sports facility that would provide a positive outlet for young people in the area.
It was built in collaboration with Sports Across Ireland and a American community sports foundation, Oregon USA.
"The opening today of the Music Room and the BRL Umbro Sports Arena that will make Ballymun one of the top destinations for the FAI's 5-a-side indoor soccer tournaments confirms that Ballymun is growing and prospering,” said Ciarán Murray, Managing Director of Ballymun Regeneration Ltd.
"The two Ballymun schools where the new facilities were open today have just recently joined the Amawale project, that twins them with South African schools and gives them opportunities to connect with each other, to learn about their similarities and differences and to create new friendships," says Ronan King, Chairman of Ballymun Regeneration Ltd.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
The Music Room at St Joseph’s School and the BRL Umbro Sports Arena at Trinity Comprehensive School are the latest projects built by Ballymun Regeneration Ltd, the Dublin City Council company set up in 1997 to plan and implement a regeneration programme which will result in a new town with new and improved facilities for the 30,000 people who will live there.
The Music Room is a dedicated practice and performance space for the children of the Ballymun Music Programme, and will be open to community groups and local societies.
It is built to a very high acoustic standard with a sprung timber dance floor suitable for both St Joseph's Wind Band and dance, martial arts, and aerobics. The Ballymun Music Programme is an initiative of Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) Community Links Programme.
The programme involves children from seven primary and secondary schools in the area and runs two junior wind bands, a junior string orchestra and a number of choirs.
Children from the programme performed A New Day for the President and the Archbishop. Written by Ballymun teenagers, Daire Ní Bhroin, Darren Scully and John Wrafter, along with composer, Daragh O'Toole, it was inspired by the optimism of the young people in Ballymun today.
The BRL Umbro Sports Arena was built by Ballymun Regeneration in recognition of the need for an all-weather sports facility that would provide a positive outlet for young people in the area.
It was built in collaboration with Sports Across Ireland and a American community sports foundation, Oregon USA.
"The opening today of the Music Room and the BRL Umbro Sports Arena that will make Ballymun one of the top destinations for the FAI's 5-a-side indoor soccer tournaments confirms that Ballymun is growing and prospering,” said Ciarán Murray, Managing Director of Ballymun Regeneration Ltd.
"The two Ballymun schools where the new facilities were open today have just recently joined the Amawale project, that twins them with South African schools and gives them opportunities to connect with each other, to learn about their similarities and differences and to create new friendships," says Ronan King, Chairman of Ballymun Regeneration Ltd.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Saturday, 20 December 2008
€800m project gets green light
INTERNATIONAL property company Treasury Holdings was yesterday granted planning permission to develop the €800m Spring Cross Ballymun Town Centre.
Construction on the final piece of Dublin's Ballymun Regeneration programme will start in the new year and will create 2,000 jobs. It is expected that 8,500 direct and indirect jobs will be created once the project is complete in 2012.
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Construction on the final piece of Dublin's Ballymun Regeneration programme will start in the new year and will create 2,000 jobs. It is expected that 8,500 direct and indirect jobs will be created once the project is complete in 2012.
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Retail and leisure centre gets go-ahead under Ballymun regeneration scheme
THE PROPOSED €800 million development of a retail complex in Ballymun Town Centre has been granted full planning permission by Dublin City Council.
The development, part of the Ballymun regeneration programme, will comprise more than 60,000sq m of retail space, 28,000sq m of office space and 11,000sq m of leisure facilities. It will include an 11-screen cinema, a bowling alley, a family entertainment centre and a child drop-in centre, according to developers Treasury Holdings.
The company yesterday said the Spring Cross development would generate 2,000 jobs during construction, due to begin in 2009, and a further 8,500 jobs on completion in 2012.
Niall Kavanagh, director of development at Treasury Holdings Ireland, said: “We recognise how important the regeneration of Ballymun is to Dublin city and are delighted with today’s announcement as it means we can now move forward with the project.”
The development is based on a sustainable open street scheme conducive to community and a positive retail experience, he added.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
The development, part of the Ballymun regeneration programme, will comprise more than 60,000sq m of retail space, 28,000sq m of office space and 11,000sq m of leisure facilities. It will include an 11-screen cinema, a bowling alley, a family entertainment centre and a child drop-in centre, according to developers Treasury Holdings.
The company yesterday said the Spring Cross development would generate 2,000 jobs during construction, due to begin in 2009, and a further 8,500 jobs on completion in 2012.
Niall Kavanagh, director of development at Treasury Holdings Ireland, said: “We recognise how important the regeneration of Ballymun is to Dublin city and are delighted with today’s announcement as it means we can now move forward with the project.”
The development is based on a sustainable open street scheme conducive to community and a positive retail experience, he added.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Thursday, 14 August 2008
Building defects to force closure of centre
THE BALLYMUN Regional Youth Resource Centre building has been contaminated with pyrite, a substance that expands and causes cracks in walls and foundations when it comes in contact with water, the High Court was told yesterday.
Counsel for the centre Rossa Fanning said 38 staff were ready to move out of the building, which will be be closed to 700 young people who use it every week.
He told Mr Justice John Quirke staff were already packing up to allow testing and monitoring to establish the nature of defects to the building. This period of several months would be followed by a suggested six months of remedial works. Mr Fanning said that in the meantime, the centre would have to move to smaller and less suitable temporary accommodation.
He said Mr Justice Kelly had already granted an injunction restraining remedial works by the builder, James Elliott Construction, from taking place for six months while Irish Asphalt, the company alleged to have supplied aggregate containing the pyrite, carried out detailed tests.
Stephen Dowling, counsel for Irish Asphalt, Rosemount, Ballycoolin Road, Dublin, told the court his client was being sued by the Co Cavan-based James Elliot Construction group for damages.
The centre yesterday sought to be made a notice party to these proceedings and to be granted liberty to have Mr Justice Kelly's order set aside or varied. It claimed it could be confined to temporary, less suitable accommodation for up to a year if Judge Kelly's order was allowed to stand.
Mr Justice Quirke said common sense could be the answer. If experts and solicitors representing all parties applied their minds to a solution regarding tests, one could possibly be reached within a week.
He directed such a meeting take place and adjourned the centre's application until August 22nd.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Counsel for the centre Rossa Fanning said 38 staff were ready to move out of the building, which will be be closed to 700 young people who use it every week.
He told Mr Justice John Quirke staff were already packing up to allow testing and monitoring to establish the nature of defects to the building. This period of several months would be followed by a suggested six months of remedial works. Mr Fanning said that in the meantime, the centre would have to move to smaller and less suitable temporary accommodation.
He said Mr Justice Kelly had already granted an injunction restraining remedial works by the builder, James Elliott Construction, from taking place for six months while Irish Asphalt, the company alleged to have supplied aggregate containing the pyrite, carried out detailed tests.
Stephen Dowling, counsel for Irish Asphalt, Rosemount, Ballycoolin Road, Dublin, told the court his client was being sued by the Co Cavan-based James Elliot Construction group for damages.
The centre yesterday sought to be made a notice party to these proceedings and to be granted liberty to have Mr Justice Kelly's order set aside or varied. It claimed it could be confined to temporary, less suitable accommodation for up to a year if Judge Kelly's order was allowed to stand.
Mr Justice Quirke said common sense could be the answer. If experts and solicitors representing all parties applied their minds to a solution regarding tests, one could possibly be reached within a week.
He directed such a meeting take place and adjourned the centre's application until August 22nd.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Tuesday, 5 August 2008
Over 95% of concrete rubble from Ballymun flats to be reused
MORE THAN 95 per cent of the concrete rubble created by the demolition of flat blocks in Ballymun has been reused elsewhere, according to contractors working on the project.
To date, 14 of the 36 high-rise buildings have been razed to make way for new developments in the north Dublin suburb and new figures have indicated that by the end of the current phase of demolition about €15 million will have been spent on knocking down 20 of the condemned blocks.
A total of €32 million is expected to be spent levelling all the high-rise complexes as part of the massive rejuvenation of the district by Ballymun Regeneration Ltd (BRL), the Dublin City Council firm that is overseeing the works.
In recent days, demolition work has begun on a block of former homes on Balcurris Road with the use of a long-arm mechanical cruncher and most of the concrete waste is being taken to a processing facility at a site near Dublin airport.
Since the blocks were first levelled from July 2004, almost all the stone waste has been crushed and recycled.
Most notably, it has been used as bulk filling over the soil under the new car park at the Ikea store and for a new access road that leads into Ikea, off the M50.
Some of the concrete was used on other undisclosed construction jobs in place of quarried material.
Nearly 300,000 tonnes of concrete rubble from the walls and floors of the flats will be created during demolition, which is currently scheduled to be completed by the end of 2012.
The amount of concrete reused so far exceeds future government targets for construction and demolition (C&D) waste recycling, said a spokesman for Muir Associates, the consultant engineering company working on behalf of BRL.
He said the use of crushed concrete to help erect new replacement homes for residents in Ballymun was not economically viable and its use for individuals building home extensions was "fairly limited".
The latest data published by the Environmental Protection Agency shows that Ireland has a low recycling rate of core C&D waste and the national recovery rate for 2006 was 36 per cent.
The cost of dismantling one flat alone is €6,500, with an extra €4,000 added to that figure if the work involves the removal of textured asbestos.
Most of the other structures contained in the vacated flats in Ballymun were disposed off in an environmentally-friendly manner, said BRL. Hazardous materials such as asbestos are removed to a licensed facility, while white goods, steel sinks, steel doors, boilers and metal windows are taken to Hammond Lane for metal recycling.
Timber from doors or kitchen units have been shredded at a plant in Baldoyle Co Dublin for recycling as chipboard, while the toilets remain in the buildings and are processed with the concrete.
Most of the soft furnishings were sent to the dump.
Three experienced UK firms have been hired for the specialist demolition jobs for the initial phases, following a tender process.
The Government has set national targets of 85 per cent recovery for C&D waste by 2013.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
To date, 14 of the 36 high-rise buildings have been razed to make way for new developments in the north Dublin suburb and new figures have indicated that by the end of the current phase of demolition about €15 million will have been spent on knocking down 20 of the condemned blocks.
A total of €32 million is expected to be spent levelling all the high-rise complexes as part of the massive rejuvenation of the district by Ballymun Regeneration Ltd (BRL), the Dublin City Council firm that is overseeing the works.
In recent days, demolition work has begun on a block of former homes on Balcurris Road with the use of a long-arm mechanical cruncher and most of the concrete waste is being taken to a processing facility at a site near Dublin airport.
Since the blocks were first levelled from July 2004, almost all the stone waste has been crushed and recycled.
Most notably, it has been used as bulk filling over the soil under the new car park at the Ikea store and for a new access road that leads into Ikea, off the M50.
Some of the concrete was used on other undisclosed construction jobs in place of quarried material.
Nearly 300,000 tonnes of concrete rubble from the walls and floors of the flats will be created during demolition, which is currently scheduled to be completed by the end of 2012.
The amount of concrete reused so far exceeds future government targets for construction and demolition (C&D) waste recycling, said a spokesman for Muir Associates, the consultant engineering company working on behalf of BRL.
He said the use of crushed concrete to help erect new replacement homes for residents in Ballymun was not economically viable and its use for individuals building home extensions was "fairly limited".
The latest data published by the Environmental Protection Agency shows that Ireland has a low recycling rate of core C&D waste and the national recovery rate for 2006 was 36 per cent.
The cost of dismantling one flat alone is €6,500, with an extra €4,000 added to that figure if the work involves the removal of textured asbestos.
Most of the other structures contained in the vacated flats in Ballymun were disposed off in an environmentally-friendly manner, said BRL. Hazardous materials such as asbestos are removed to a licensed facility, while white goods, steel sinks, steel doors, boilers and metal windows are taken to Hammond Lane for metal recycling.
Timber from doors or kitchen units have been shredded at a plant in Baldoyle Co Dublin for recycling as chipboard, while the toilets remain in the buildings and are processed with the concrete.
Most of the soft furnishings were sent to the dump.
Three experienced UK firms have been hired for the specialist demolition jobs for the initial phases, following a tender process.
The Government has set national targets of 85 per cent recovery for C&D waste by 2013.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Friday, 20 June 2008
Ballymun regeneration scheme success
TEN YEARS after ambitious plans to regenerate one of the country's most neglected urban blackspots were announced, the signs of progress are everywhere in Ballymun, Dublin.
Some are obvious: there is the rejuvenated main street with its glitzy steel and glass civic centre, swimming pool and health clinic.
Over on the newly-built plaza there is the farmers' market, stocked with organic blueberries, home-baked ciabatta and scented candles.
Where many of the blocks of drab flats used to be are newly-built two- or three-storey homes with playgrounds, neat gardens and manicured parklands. And then there are the less obvious signs, say locals, such as the rejuvenated sense of community pride, and a surge of interest in getting involved in local activities.
Some residents in older houses dating back to the 1970s are painting grey homes in brighter colours and tidying up unloved gardens. Others are rediscovering a sense of community which they have not experienced since moving here more than 30 years ago. "The patience of residents over the last decade is now being rewarded," says Ciarán Murray, managing director of Ballymun Regeneration. "Having lived in the middle of a virtual construction site, most can now enjoy new homes, parks and leisure facilities, as well as the main street with its new neighbourhood shops."
Almost 80 per cent of new homes are in place, while 24 of the 36 blocks of flats have been demolished. They estimate that in four years' time all the old flats will be gone and a total of 2,400 new homes will be occupied.
It has not all gone according to plan, though. The entire plan was supposed to have been completed last year, but the cost has ballooned to double its original estimate of €442 million and will take six years longer than planned.
The Comptroller and Auditor General, in a special report on the project, said some of the delays could have been lessened by better planning and risk management. However, Mr Murray says the bulk of extra cost has been due to inflation in the building sector, while the challenge of trying to regenerate an entire area while keeping the existing community in their old homes has posed unforeseen logistical problems. "Other developments on a par with this in the UK have taken 30 years to establish," he says. "This is a unique approach and it's working.
"The quality of the redevelopment here is something which the entire country can take great pride in."
But regeneration is more than just new houses. Social justice campaigners such as Fr Peter McVerry - who lives in the area - point out that drug and alcohol abuse mean that major social problems persist in the form of violence, crime and anti-social behaviour. The social mix in the neighbourhood is also a daunting challenge.
About 80 per cent of housing here is social or local authority housing, while the remainder is private. Officials hope they can reverse this figure over the coming years.
Ballymun Regeneration says the next phase of its plan is to focus on social and economic issues and to move the areas from a cycle of dependency to becoming a self-sustaining community in its own right.
Already new shops are arriving to the area and two hotels are operating successfully. Even bigger change is around the corner with the arrival of Ikea, just down the road - due to open next February and the new metro.
"They will be twin catalysts for developing further enterprise and investment," says Ronan King, Ballymun Regeneration's chairman. "In the past decade around 1,300 jobs have been created here, with over 6,000 potential jobs expected when the project is completed."
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Some are obvious: there is the rejuvenated main street with its glitzy steel and glass civic centre, swimming pool and health clinic.
Over on the newly-built plaza there is the farmers' market, stocked with organic blueberries, home-baked ciabatta and scented candles.
Where many of the blocks of drab flats used to be are newly-built two- or three-storey homes with playgrounds, neat gardens and manicured parklands. And then there are the less obvious signs, say locals, such as the rejuvenated sense of community pride, and a surge of interest in getting involved in local activities.
Some residents in older houses dating back to the 1970s are painting grey homes in brighter colours and tidying up unloved gardens. Others are rediscovering a sense of community which they have not experienced since moving here more than 30 years ago. "The patience of residents over the last decade is now being rewarded," says Ciarán Murray, managing director of Ballymun Regeneration. "Having lived in the middle of a virtual construction site, most can now enjoy new homes, parks and leisure facilities, as well as the main street with its new neighbourhood shops."
Almost 80 per cent of new homes are in place, while 24 of the 36 blocks of flats have been demolished. They estimate that in four years' time all the old flats will be gone and a total of 2,400 new homes will be occupied.
It has not all gone according to plan, though. The entire plan was supposed to have been completed last year, but the cost has ballooned to double its original estimate of €442 million and will take six years longer than planned.
The Comptroller and Auditor General, in a special report on the project, said some of the delays could have been lessened by better planning and risk management. However, Mr Murray says the bulk of extra cost has been due to inflation in the building sector, while the challenge of trying to regenerate an entire area while keeping the existing community in their old homes has posed unforeseen logistical problems. "Other developments on a par with this in the UK have taken 30 years to establish," he says. "This is a unique approach and it's working.
"The quality of the redevelopment here is something which the entire country can take great pride in."
But regeneration is more than just new houses. Social justice campaigners such as Fr Peter McVerry - who lives in the area - point out that drug and alcohol abuse mean that major social problems persist in the form of violence, crime and anti-social behaviour. The social mix in the neighbourhood is also a daunting challenge.
About 80 per cent of housing here is social or local authority housing, while the remainder is private. Officials hope they can reverse this figure over the coming years.
Ballymun Regeneration says the next phase of its plan is to focus on social and economic issues and to move the areas from a cycle of dependency to becoming a self-sustaining community in its own right.
Already new shops are arriving to the area and two hotels are operating successfully. Even bigger change is around the corner with the arrival of Ikea, just down the road - due to open next February and the new metro.
"They will be twin catalysts for developing further enterprise and investment," says Ronan King, Ballymun Regeneration's chairman. "In the past decade around 1,300 jobs have been created here, with over 6,000 potential jobs expected when the project is completed."
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
The long goodbye continues for Ballymun's famous tower blocks
LIKE Irish Rail they're getting there, but aren't quite there yet.
Eleven years after the beginning of the regeneration of Ballymun, work is continuing on the rehousing of more than 2,200 families in the north Dublin area.
At the launch of the Ballymun Regeneration Ltd (BRL) completion report yesterday, contracts manager Eamon Farrelly admitted that things have taken longer and been more expensive than envisaged.
Much of this overrun was due to moving services to the new homes.
But he said the long-term benefits to the community and the Exchequer will mean it is time and money well spent. In 1999 the estimated cost of the project was €442m, but this has now soared to €942m. Of this, €290m is due to inflation.
"In the end there will be a reduced cost to the Exchequer because there will be reduced costs in such areas as health and maintenance of the housing," he said.
To date, 14 of the original 36 towers and blocks of apartments have been demolished, with a further eight due to be demolished by the end of the year. Just under 1,400 new homes are now occupied with another 800 families still living in the flats and waiting to be rehoused.
Lead architect Derry Solon said they have created five distinct neighbourhoods and will be building a town centre.
"We wanted to create streets rather than just open anonymous spaces," he said.
"We will end up with streets with names rather than places with no names."
Linda Brogan (37), the most recent resident to take possession of a three-bed home, said she never thought this day would come. She had lived in Ballymun flats for 16 years with her sons Lee (18) and Joe (17).
"I never thought when they were talking about the regeneration programme that I would actually be living in a house some day," she said.
Although the programme was due to finish in 2006, work will continue until 2012.
Edel Kennedy
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Eleven years after the beginning of the regeneration of Ballymun, work is continuing on the rehousing of more than 2,200 families in the north Dublin area.
At the launch of the Ballymun Regeneration Ltd (BRL) completion report yesterday, contracts manager Eamon Farrelly admitted that things have taken longer and been more expensive than envisaged.
Much of this overrun was due to moving services to the new homes.
But he said the long-term benefits to the community and the Exchequer will mean it is time and money well spent. In 1999 the estimated cost of the project was €442m, but this has now soared to €942m. Of this, €290m is due to inflation.
"In the end there will be a reduced cost to the Exchequer because there will be reduced costs in such areas as health and maintenance of the housing," he said.
To date, 14 of the original 36 towers and blocks of apartments have been demolished, with a further eight due to be demolished by the end of the year. Just under 1,400 new homes are now occupied with another 800 families still living in the flats and waiting to be rehoused.
Lead architect Derry Solon said they have created five distinct neighbourhoods and will be building a town centre.
"We wanted to create streets rather than just open anonymous spaces," he said.
"We will end up with streets with names rather than places with no names."
Linda Brogan (37), the most recent resident to take possession of a three-bed home, said she never thought this day would come. She had lived in Ballymun flats for 16 years with her sons Lee (18) and Joe (17).
"I never thought when they were talking about the regeneration programme that I would actually be living in a house some day," she said.
Although the programme was due to finish in 2006, work will continue until 2012.
Edel Kennedy
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Monday, 5 May 2008
Where Ballymun goes, the world follows, in model for green future
THE Dublin suburb of Ballymun will be the international 'model, for how to build large-scale, environmentally friendly communities which reduce people's dependency on fossil fuels, a conference was told yesterday.
And residents who will move into 400 homes due to be constructed this year will save themselves up to €355 a year because the houses are designed to use as little fuel as possible.
The Greener Ballymun conference heard yesterday that a series of environmental initiatives, undertaken as part of the regeneration of Ballymun, had led to the suburb winning 29 awards and proving itself to the ahead of the rest of the country when it came to building energy-efficient homes.
"If we come back here in 10 years' time it will be a model city, not just for Ireland but for Europe," environmentalist and broadcaster Duncan Stewart said.
Daunting
"This is going to become an extremely sought-after area. Rising energy costs and bringing down our greenhouse gases is a huge, daunting challenge. Energy will be a key issue.
"We've left a huge legacy of mistakes behind us. We need to look at all our new developments and find ways to make buildings more energy efficient."
Ballymun Regeneration, which is spearheading the redevelopment project, plans to build 400 new homes which will lead to lower fuel bills for householders because of their high energy rating, which are above current building standards.
"We have 400 homes going out to tender in the next six weeks, most of which would be three-bedroom homes," senior executive architect with Ballymun Regeneration, Darragh Lynch, said.
"We want to future-proof these houses. With these houses, residents will save about €355 a year on heating bills. They're better insulated, the buildings are airtight and the ventilation system moves air through the house.
Environment Minister John Gormley said 2008 was the largest programme of demolition since work on regenerating the suburb began, and that 87pc of replacement would be completed or at the construction stage by the end of the year.
"You are a shining example to other communities," he said.
Paul Melia
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
And residents who will move into 400 homes due to be constructed this year will save themselves up to €355 a year because the houses are designed to use as little fuel as possible.
The Greener Ballymun conference heard yesterday that a series of environmental initiatives, undertaken as part of the regeneration of Ballymun, had led to the suburb winning 29 awards and proving itself to the ahead of the rest of the country when it came to building energy-efficient homes.
"If we come back here in 10 years' time it will be a model city, not just for Ireland but for Europe," environmentalist and broadcaster Duncan Stewart said.
Daunting
"This is going to become an extremely sought-after area. Rising energy costs and bringing down our greenhouse gases is a huge, daunting challenge. Energy will be a key issue.
"We've left a huge legacy of mistakes behind us. We need to look at all our new developments and find ways to make buildings more energy efficient."
Ballymun Regeneration, which is spearheading the redevelopment project, plans to build 400 new homes which will lead to lower fuel bills for householders because of their high energy rating, which are above current building standards.
"We have 400 homes going out to tender in the next six weeks, most of which would be three-bedroom homes," senior executive architect with Ballymun Regeneration, Darragh Lynch, said.
"We want to future-proof these houses. With these houses, residents will save about €355 a year on heating bills. They're better insulated, the buildings are airtight and the ventilation system moves air through the house.
Environment Minister John Gormley said 2008 was the largest programme of demolition since work on regenerating the suburb began, and that 87pc of replacement would be completed or at the construction stage by the end of the year.
"You are a shining example to other communities," he said.
Paul Melia
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Friday, 2 May 2008
Gormley opens Ballymun conference
A conference focusing on environmental initiatives undertaken by the Ballymun regeneration project was opened by Minister for the Environment John Gormley this afternoon.
The Greener Ballymun conference is part of the celebrations to mark the 10th Anniversary of the regeneration project.
So far over 1,300 families have moved from the flats and are living in new homes and over 1000 new private, affordable, voluntary and co-op homes have been constructed. A further 700 units are under construction and 900 have received planning permission.
By the end of the regeneration project it is expected that 6000 new homes will have been constructed in Ballymun.
“Now that the physical infrastructure is well under way the regeneration programme is concentrating on making Ballymun a successful town with employment opportunities, strong communities and a better environment for everyone,” said Ciarán Murray, managing director, Ballymun Regeneration.
“Today’s conference showcases some of the exciting environmental projects taking place in Ballymun which are contributing towards building a vibrant urban community,” he added.
Several presentations on environmental initiatives implemented as part of the regeneration project are to be highlighted at today’s conference including a furniture recovery and paints recycling programme.
Ballymun is also the first area in Ireland to publish a sub regional biodiversity action plan, which will act as a guide to householders and developers for the enhancement of biodiversity at local level.
Speaking this afternoon, Minister Gormley congratulated Ballymun Regeneration on the new initiative and also spoke about the significant achievements which have been made since the publication of the masterplan for the new Ballymun in March 1998
“It is worth noting that prior to the regeneration programme, 90 per cent of the traffic on the Main Street was passing through. Ten years on, Ballymun is moving from being a “through route” to a destination in its own right.
The achievements to date provide the basis for ensuring that the residents and businesses in the area can grasp the opportunities denied to previous generations, yielding a strong, vibrant and, ultimately, sustainable Ballymun for the 21st century” he said.
Ireland.com
www.buckplanning.ie
The Greener Ballymun conference is part of the celebrations to mark the 10th Anniversary of the regeneration project.
So far over 1,300 families have moved from the flats and are living in new homes and over 1000 new private, affordable, voluntary and co-op homes have been constructed. A further 700 units are under construction and 900 have received planning permission.
By the end of the regeneration project it is expected that 6000 new homes will have been constructed in Ballymun.
“Now that the physical infrastructure is well under way the regeneration programme is concentrating on making Ballymun a successful town with employment opportunities, strong communities and a better environment for everyone,” said Ciarán Murray, managing director, Ballymun Regeneration.
“Today’s conference showcases some of the exciting environmental projects taking place in Ballymun which are contributing towards building a vibrant urban community,” he added.
Several presentations on environmental initiatives implemented as part of the regeneration project are to be highlighted at today’s conference including a furniture recovery and paints recycling programme.
Ballymun is also the first area in Ireland to publish a sub regional biodiversity action plan, which will act as a guide to householders and developers for the enhancement of biodiversity at local level.
Speaking this afternoon, Minister Gormley congratulated Ballymun Regeneration on the new initiative and also spoke about the significant achievements which have been made since the publication of the masterplan for the new Ballymun in March 1998
“It is worth noting that prior to the regeneration programme, 90 per cent of the traffic on the Main Street was passing through. Ten years on, Ballymun is moving from being a “through route” to a destination in its own right.
The achievements to date provide the basis for ensuring that the residents and businesses in the area can grasp the opportunities denied to previous generations, yielding a strong, vibrant and, ultimately, sustainable Ballymun for the 21st century” he said.
Ireland.com
www.buckplanning.ie
M50 works holding up opening of first Ikea superstore
THE opening of the state's first Ikea store could be held up for a year due to delays in the upgrade of the M50 motorway.
Under the Swedish store's planning conditions, it cannot be opened on the outskirts of Ballymun in Dublin until a crucial interchange is completed by the contractors working for the National Roads Authority.
The head of Ballymun Regeneration Limited, Ciaran Murray admitted yesterday that the opening of the €100m flatpack furniture store could be pushed from January 2009 to January 2010 as a result.
"There is certainly a concern there could be a significant time delay," he said.
An Bord Pleanala has insisted on the necessity of the Ballymun interchange upgrade due to fears that the huge traffic levels to Ikea -- 2.8m shoppers or 400 an hour -- could overwhelm the already gridlocked M50.
Costs
Mr Murray told the Dail's Public Accounts committee that Ikea had been lobbying the NRA to get the upgrade completed as quickly as possible.
The NRA had explained this would incur "significant extra costs" from the contractor, SIAC-Ferrovial, which is only obliged to complete the upgrade by mid-2010, said Mr Murray.
"At the moment it really is in the hands of the contractors," he said.
The Ballymun interchange is due to be upgraded as part of major works being undertaken on the M50 to add an extra lane in each direction along the length of the ring-road.
Fine Gael committee chairman Bernard Allen said he wanted to see the opening of Ikea, with its promise of 500 jobs for the disadvantaged area of Ballymun, speeded up.
The company is setting up training programmes and is hoping to fill at least 250 of the jobs from the local area.
In its first year of operation, Ikea will also be forced to close its store during the annual pre-Christmas "Operation Freeflow" traffic programme in Dublin.
Mr Murray also defended the fact that the cost of the Ballymun regeneration project has doubled to €942m and is now set to be delivered six years late.
He said it had been affected by factors such as planning delays, lack of underground mapping and problems in moving the area's 17,000 people to new houses.
The Department of Environment secretary general Geraldine Tallon, said that lessons had been learned for future regeneration projects -- such as carrying out better cost planning and risk assessments.
Michael Brennan Political Correspondent
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Under the Swedish store's planning conditions, it cannot be opened on the outskirts of Ballymun in Dublin until a crucial interchange is completed by the contractors working for the National Roads Authority.
The head of Ballymun Regeneration Limited, Ciaran Murray admitted yesterday that the opening of the €100m flatpack furniture store could be pushed from January 2009 to January 2010 as a result.
"There is certainly a concern there could be a significant time delay," he said.
An Bord Pleanala has insisted on the necessity of the Ballymun interchange upgrade due to fears that the huge traffic levels to Ikea -- 2.8m shoppers or 400 an hour -- could overwhelm the already gridlocked M50.
Costs
Mr Murray told the Dail's Public Accounts committee that Ikea had been lobbying the NRA to get the upgrade completed as quickly as possible.
The NRA had explained this would incur "significant extra costs" from the contractor, SIAC-Ferrovial, which is only obliged to complete the upgrade by mid-2010, said Mr Murray.
"At the moment it really is in the hands of the contractors," he said.
The Ballymun interchange is due to be upgraded as part of major works being undertaken on the M50 to add an extra lane in each direction along the length of the ring-road.
Fine Gael committee chairman Bernard Allen said he wanted to see the opening of Ikea, with its promise of 500 jobs for the disadvantaged area of Ballymun, speeded up.
The company is setting up training programmes and is hoping to fill at least 250 of the jobs from the local area.
In its first year of operation, Ikea will also be forced to close its store during the annual pre-Christmas "Operation Freeflow" traffic programme in Dublin.
Mr Murray also defended the fact that the cost of the Ballymun regeneration project has doubled to €942m and is now set to be delivered six years late.
He said it had been affected by factors such as planning delays, lack of underground mapping and problems in moving the area's 17,000 people to new houses.
The Department of Environment secretary general Geraldine Tallon, said that lessons had been learned for future regeneration projects -- such as carrying out better cost planning and risk assessments.
Michael Brennan Political Correspondent
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
M50 works holding up opening of first Ikea superstore
THE opening of the state's first Ikea store could be held up for a year due to delays in the upgrade of the M50 motorway.
Under the Swedish store's planning conditions, it cannot be opened on the outskirts of Ballymun in Dublin until a crucial interchange is completed by the contractors working for the National Roads Authority.
The head of Ballymun Regeneration Limited, Ciaran Murray admitted yesterday that the opening of the €100m flatpack furniture store could be pushed from January 2009 to January 2010 as a result.
"There is certainly a concern there could be a significant time delay," he said.
An Bord Pleanala has insisted on the necessity of the Ballymun interchange upgrade due to fears that the huge traffic levels to Ikea -- 2.8m shoppers or 400 an hour -- could overwhelm the already gridlocked M50.
Costs
Mr Murray told the Dail's Public Accounts committee that Ikea had been lobbying the NRA to get the upgrade completed as quickly as possible.
The NRA had explained this would incur "significant extra costs" from the contractor, SIAC-Ferrovial, which is only obliged to complete the upgrade by mid-2010, said Mr Murray.
"At the moment it really is in the hands of the contractors," he said.
The Ballymun interchange is due to be upgraded as part of major works being undertaken on the M50 to add an extra lane in each direction along the length of the ring-road.
Fine Gael committee chairman Bernard Allen said he wanted to see the opening of Ikea, with its promise of 500 jobs for the disadvantaged area of Ballymun, speeded up.
The company is setting up training programmes and is hoping to fill at least 250 of the jobs from the local area.
In its first year of operation, Ikea will also be forced to close its store during the annual pre-Christmas "Operation Freeflow" traffic programme in Dublin.
Mr Murray also defended the fact that the cost of the Ballymun regeneration project has doubled to €942m and is now set to be delivered six years late.
He said it had been affected by factors such as planning delays, lack of underground mapping and problems in moving the area's 17,000 people to new houses.
The Department of Environment secretary general Geraldine Tallon, said that lessons had been learned for future regeneration projects -- such as carrying out better cost planning and risk assessments.
Michael Brennan Political Correspondent
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Under the Swedish store's planning conditions, it cannot be opened on the outskirts of Ballymun in Dublin until a crucial interchange is completed by the contractors working for the National Roads Authority.
The head of Ballymun Regeneration Limited, Ciaran Murray admitted yesterday that the opening of the €100m flatpack furniture store could be pushed from January 2009 to January 2010 as a result.
"There is certainly a concern there could be a significant time delay," he said.
An Bord Pleanala has insisted on the necessity of the Ballymun interchange upgrade due to fears that the huge traffic levels to Ikea -- 2.8m shoppers or 400 an hour -- could overwhelm the already gridlocked M50.
Costs
Mr Murray told the Dail's Public Accounts committee that Ikea had been lobbying the NRA to get the upgrade completed as quickly as possible.
The NRA had explained this would incur "significant extra costs" from the contractor, SIAC-Ferrovial, which is only obliged to complete the upgrade by mid-2010, said Mr Murray.
"At the moment it really is in the hands of the contractors," he said.
The Ballymun interchange is due to be upgraded as part of major works being undertaken on the M50 to add an extra lane in each direction along the length of the ring-road.
Fine Gael committee chairman Bernard Allen said he wanted to see the opening of Ikea, with its promise of 500 jobs for the disadvantaged area of Ballymun, speeded up.
The company is setting up training programmes and is hoping to fill at least 250 of the jobs from the local area.
In its first year of operation, Ikea will also be forced to close its store during the annual pre-Christmas "Operation Freeflow" traffic programme in Dublin.
Mr Murray also defended the fact that the cost of the Ballymun regeneration project has doubled to €942m and is now set to be delivered six years late.
He said it had been affected by factors such as planning delays, lack of underground mapping and problems in moving the area's 17,000 people to new houses.
The Department of Environment secretary general Geraldine Tallon, said that lessons had been learned for future regeneration projects -- such as carrying out better cost planning and risk assessments.
Michael Brennan Political Correspondent
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Tuesday, 4 March 2008
Neat rows of homes and one 15-storey eyesore
SHINY buildings on the right, a grim tower block on the left. Ballymun is a place of dramatic contrasts.
It is no longer the glib, graffiti-ridden northside 'hell hole' that became synonymous with drugs and crime in the 1980s.
Neither is it the utopian vision dreamt up by Ballymun Regeneration Ltd with Dublin City Council's blessing.
Modern buildings with walls of sheet glass and polished concrete greet the visitor on the main airport road to the new town of 'Ballyer'.
Rows of neat Scandinavian-style homes house families that had never enjoyed gardens or balconies.
But near them lies a hotchpotch of unfinished business. It is hard to ignore the single tower that remains of the 15-storey blocks that inspired the lyrics of U2's 'Bad'.
The only thing to distinguish the local shopping centre from a windowless warehouse is a large Tesco sign on the side of the building. At an entrance to the gaudy yellow 1970s-style eyesore, a bouncer wrestled with local kids with nothing to do yesterday.
To the passer-by, there is nothing obvious to indicate that the revamp has run far off course, although they might have wondered why the Joseph Plunkett tower still stands.
To residents, the fact that the euro notes spent on the revamp are stacking up as high as the old towers isn't news.
But they are divided in their views on Ballymun Regeneration Ltd. Politics are determined by whether you are 'pro' or 'against' the methods of the merchants of change.
Tiny
Long-term resident Seamus Kelly claimed some families agreed to take tiny homes they were offered because they feared they might not get anything else.
He 'held out' and still lives on the 10th floor of the last 15-storey Joseph Plunkett Tower.
"I'm still waiting for a new home," he said.
Mick Sullivan, who has lived in the area for 22 years, was upbeat about the progress.
"I've very happy," said the dad, who works in the modern Axis community arts centre, opposite the remaining flats.
"I live in a two-bed duplex apartment with my son.
"I used to have a one-bedroom flat.
"You couldn't afford it elsewhere. It might be €500,000 in Foxrock."
Anne-Marie Walsh
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
It is no longer the glib, graffiti-ridden northside 'hell hole' that became synonymous with drugs and crime in the 1980s.
Neither is it the utopian vision dreamt up by Ballymun Regeneration Ltd with Dublin City Council's blessing.
Modern buildings with walls of sheet glass and polished concrete greet the visitor on the main airport road to the new town of 'Ballyer'.
Rows of neat Scandinavian-style homes house families that had never enjoyed gardens or balconies.
But near them lies a hotchpotch of unfinished business. It is hard to ignore the single tower that remains of the 15-storey blocks that inspired the lyrics of U2's 'Bad'.
The only thing to distinguish the local shopping centre from a windowless warehouse is a large Tesco sign on the side of the building. At an entrance to the gaudy yellow 1970s-style eyesore, a bouncer wrestled with local kids with nothing to do yesterday.
To the passer-by, there is nothing obvious to indicate that the revamp has run far off course, although they might have wondered why the Joseph Plunkett tower still stands.
To residents, the fact that the euro notes spent on the revamp are stacking up as high as the old towers isn't news.
But they are divided in their views on Ballymun Regeneration Ltd. Politics are determined by whether you are 'pro' or 'against' the methods of the merchants of change.
Tiny
Long-term resident Seamus Kelly claimed some families agreed to take tiny homes they were offered because they feared they might not get anything else.
He 'held out' and still lives on the 10th floor of the last 15-storey Joseph Plunkett Tower.
"I'm still waiting for a new home," he said.
Mick Sullivan, who has lived in the area for 22 years, was upbeat about the progress.
"I've very happy," said the dad, who works in the modern Axis community arts centre, opposite the remaining flats.
"I live in a two-bed duplex apartment with my son.
"I used to have a one-bedroom flat.
"You couldn't afford it elsewhere. It might be €500,000 in Foxrock."
Anne-Marie Walsh
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Revamp to cost €500m more than was planned
THE top public official who heads up the State's biggest ever regeneration project last night refused to accept responsibility for a massive half-billion euro overspend.
The cost of the project in Ballymun has doubled to €942m and it is now set to be delivered six years late.
But Ciaran Murray, the head of Ballymun Regeneration Limited, said the project had been "very difficult to quantify", while the minister in charge at the time the "masterplan" was approved, Noel Dempsey, also defended the scheme.
The regeneration of Ballymun, the most socially deprived area in Dublin, was supposed to have its demolition and rebuilding work completed in 2006 -- but the new target date is 2012, with less than half of the planned housing delivered.
The report by the State's own spending watchdog found that the regeneration project has had a "somewhat limited" effect on local employment.
And the cost has spiralled way beyond the original €442 estimate, sparking comparisons with other government "white elephant" schemes.
Difficult
But last night, Mr Murray said: "We had to do it with the existing population in situ and it made it very difficult to quantify what was needed. And there's no suggestion that money was wasted."
The original €442m estimate for the project was contained in a "masterplan" which was drawn up in 1999 by ten firms of consultants. But Comptroller and Auditor General John Purcell's report found the final cost of the project has now spiralled to €942, due to extra infrastructure costs, construction inflation and a failure to provide for €86m of administrative costs.
Fine Gael finance spokesman Richard Bruton said it was another example of taxpayers being left with the bill for budget over-runs.
But Noel Dempsey, who was Minister for Environment when the "masterplan" was approved, argued that the project should not be measured in financial terms alone.
"I am proud of what this programme has done to help free Ballymun of social stigma and misery. It is important to know the difference between the value and the cost of projects of this nature," he said.
The masterplan said that building new homes for the 16,500 people in Ballymun would be the "relatively easy and predictable part". But the report published yesterday found that just 52pc of the planned public housing and 39pc of private housing had been completed by December 2006.
Other difficulties also emerged due to, what the report described as, a "range of complex and interconnected reasons". No detailed surveys of Ballymun's famous tower blocks were carried out, so builders were unaware that 50pc of them contained asbestos.
Surveys
There were also no detailed surveys of the gas pipes, water pipes, electricity lines and phone lines which lay like a "spider's web" underneath the ground of Ballymun.
The project was also held back by several High Court challenges and by the problem of moving residents from their tower blocks when their new houses were not ready.
Labour TD Roisin Shorthall said the most disappointing aspect of the Ballymun project was the long delay.
"The project should have been completed this year, but it is now projected to take at least another four years. This will be a cause of disappointment for many families who are still waiting for new housing," she said.
The Minister of State for Housing Batt O'Keeffe said lessons learned from the project would be taken on board for the current regeneration of the Moyross and Southill estates in Limerick.
"But I'm pretty confident that when the Public Accounts Committee examine the report on Ballymun, the outcome will not be as negative as some people seem to be suggesting," he said.
A long history of massive budget overspends
PPARS - The payment system - which was originally costed at just €8.8m and was supposed to cater for payroll for all health staff - has now cost almost €190m and is still climbing.
Decentralisation - Four years after it was announced, just one fifth of 10,000 Government staff have actually moved out of Dublin. Cost so far? €186.5m.
E-voting - The Government spent €52m on e-voting machines which were first used for just three constituencies in the general election in 2002 and in the second Nice Treaty. But they are currently being stored in an aircraft hangar in Co Meath while someone decides what to do with them.
Broker - A computer system designed to integrate public services. Estimated cost €14m; actual cost €37m. Costs €15m a year to run.
Michael Brennan Political Correspondent
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
The cost of the project in Ballymun has doubled to €942m and it is now set to be delivered six years late.
But Ciaran Murray, the head of Ballymun Regeneration Limited, said the project had been "very difficult to quantify", while the minister in charge at the time the "masterplan" was approved, Noel Dempsey, also defended the scheme.
The regeneration of Ballymun, the most socially deprived area in Dublin, was supposed to have its demolition and rebuilding work completed in 2006 -- but the new target date is 2012, with less than half of the planned housing delivered.
The report by the State's own spending watchdog found that the regeneration project has had a "somewhat limited" effect on local employment.
And the cost has spiralled way beyond the original €442 estimate, sparking comparisons with other government "white elephant" schemes.
Difficult
But last night, Mr Murray said: "We had to do it with the existing population in situ and it made it very difficult to quantify what was needed. And there's no suggestion that money was wasted."
The original €442m estimate for the project was contained in a "masterplan" which was drawn up in 1999 by ten firms of consultants. But Comptroller and Auditor General John Purcell's report found the final cost of the project has now spiralled to €942, due to extra infrastructure costs, construction inflation and a failure to provide for €86m of administrative costs.
Fine Gael finance spokesman Richard Bruton said it was another example of taxpayers being left with the bill for budget over-runs.
But Noel Dempsey, who was Minister for Environment when the "masterplan" was approved, argued that the project should not be measured in financial terms alone.
"I am proud of what this programme has done to help free Ballymun of social stigma and misery. It is important to know the difference between the value and the cost of projects of this nature," he said.
The masterplan said that building new homes for the 16,500 people in Ballymun would be the "relatively easy and predictable part". But the report published yesterday found that just 52pc of the planned public housing and 39pc of private housing had been completed by December 2006.
Other difficulties also emerged due to, what the report described as, a "range of complex and interconnected reasons". No detailed surveys of Ballymun's famous tower blocks were carried out, so builders were unaware that 50pc of them contained asbestos.
Surveys
There were also no detailed surveys of the gas pipes, water pipes, electricity lines and phone lines which lay like a "spider's web" underneath the ground of Ballymun.
The project was also held back by several High Court challenges and by the problem of moving residents from their tower blocks when their new houses were not ready.
Labour TD Roisin Shorthall said the most disappointing aspect of the Ballymun project was the long delay.
"The project should have been completed this year, but it is now projected to take at least another four years. This will be a cause of disappointment for many families who are still waiting for new housing," she said.
The Minister of State for Housing Batt O'Keeffe said lessons learned from the project would be taken on board for the current regeneration of the Moyross and Southill estates in Limerick.
"But I'm pretty confident that when the Public Accounts Committee examine the report on Ballymun, the outcome will not be as negative as some people seem to be suggesting," he said.
A long history of massive budget overspends
PPARS - The payment system - which was originally costed at just €8.8m and was supposed to cater for payroll for all health staff - has now cost almost €190m and is still climbing.
Decentralisation - Four years after it was announced, just one fifth of 10,000 Government staff have actually moved out of Dublin. Cost so far? €186.5m.
E-voting - The Government spent €52m on e-voting machines which were first used for just three constituencies in the general election in 2002 and in the second Nice Treaty. But they are currently being stored in an aircraft hangar in Co Meath while someone decides what to do with them.
Broker - A computer system designed to integrate public services. Estimated cost €14m; actual cost €37m. Costs €15m a year to run.
Michael Brennan Political Correspondent
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Cost of Ballymun project overruns by €500m
AT NEARLY €1 billion the regeneration of Ballymun is now set to cost taxpayers double the amount originally planned.
A report by the State’s financial watchdog yesterday blamed building delays and inflation for the overspend.
But the Comptroller and Auditor General said better planning could have lessened delays.
John Purcell revealed the overhaul of the north Dublin area is set to cost about €942 million, a substantial jump from the €442m originally set aside.
Moreover, the redevelopment will not be finished until 2012 — six years beyond the original deadline.
A “major setback”, according to Mr Purcell, is the delay in providing a promised shopping centre for Ballymun locals. Plans for a business and technology park are also delayed.
The report said 24 blocks of flats still remain to be demolished. The public housing plan was also only half complete by mid-2007.
Additional costs and delays were blamed on a number of factors including:
* Extended planning.
* Changes in demolition due to asbestos.
* Consultation with tenants and the community.
* Problems in the construction market.
* Health and safety issues.
* Delays moving tenants.
Mr Purcell added: “Better planning and risk management could have mitigated some of the causes of the delays.”
The Government approved Ballymun’s regeneration in 1997 because of high levels of economic and social deprivation in the area.
A review of the project is needed to ensure future regeneration projects do not run over estimated budgets, warned Mr Purcell.
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie
A report by the State’s financial watchdog yesterday blamed building delays and inflation for the overspend.
But the Comptroller and Auditor General said better planning could have lessened delays.
John Purcell revealed the overhaul of the north Dublin area is set to cost about €942 million, a substantial jump from the €442m originally set aside.
Moreover, the redevelopment will not be finished until 2012 — six years beyond the original deadline.
A “major setback”, according to Mr Purcell, is the delay in providing a promised shopping centre for Ballymun locals. Plans for a business and technology park are also delayed.
The report said 24 blocks of flats still remain to be demolished. The public housing plan was also only half complete by mid-2007.
Additional costs and delays were blamed on a number of factors including:
* Extended planning.
* Changes in demolition due to asbestos.
* Consultation with tenants and the community.
* Problems in the construction market.
* Health and safety issues.
* Delays moving tenants.
Mr Purcell added: “Better planning and risk management could have mitigated some of the causes of the delays.”
The Government approved Ballymun’s regeneration in 1997 because of high levels of economic and social deprivation in the area.
A review of the project is needed to ensure future regeneration projects do not run over estimated budgets, warned Mr Purcell.
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie
Tuesday, 18 December 2007
Santry Cross in Ballymun
Recent newspaper reports concerning Santry Cross in Ballymun appear to contain a number of points which portray the development in a light which is disputed by residents Having received emails regarding an article reproduced on this blog complaining about mis-leading comments, I have withdrawn this article.
Santry Cross residents consider the development to have met their expectations. Teething issues appear to have been experienced, but, according to emails received, these have been and are being addressed.
Brendan Buck
Santry Cross residents consider the development to have met their expectations. Teething issues appear to have been experienced, but, according to emails received, these have been and are being addressed.
Brendan Buck
Sunday, 17 June 2007
Ikea decision guarantees traffic chaos
THE decision of An Bord Pleanala (ABP) to grant planning permission for the proposed Ikea superstore just off the already highly congested M50 ring road is a major setback for good planning in this country.
It also flies in the face of the board's previously stated explicit opposition to building major commercial schemes alongside motorways.
Last October, the chairman of ABP John O'Connor seemed to signal that the days of building hotels, business parks and retail warehousing at motorway interchanges were numbered. Such schemes were "piggybacking" on new roads with local traffic "weaving on and off over short distances" to get access and running into conflict with long distance traffic. This affected the capacity of roads and raised safety concerns, he declared.
O'Connor specifically cited the M50 as an "extreme example" of piggy-backing commercial developments and said that such schemes would face a "high hurdle" in winning board approval. He added that the board would be taking heed of the National Roads Authority's (NRA) arguments against this type of development.
Perhaps most importantly of all, O'Connor concluded that the huge multibillion euro investment in roads would have to be written off in 10 years unless local authorities stopped granting permission for such schemes.
Fine words indeed, but following last week's decision on Ikea, it's impossible to avoid the conclusion that the board talked the talk on motorway developments, but failed to walk the walk.
Once the NRA, the state agency responsible for our national road network, objected to the Ikea development, a decision to turn down planning permission should have been an absolute no-brainer.
The NRA didn't pull any punches about the proposed superstore and the impact it would have on the M50, already Ireland's busiest motorway. It said the Ballymun store would result in "significant delays and congestion" on the M50 and would "significantly undermine and negate the benefits" of the 1bn upgrade of the ring-road.
The delays and congestion caused by the Ikea development would be "unacceptable on this section of the motorway, which forms part of the most critical artery for traffic distribution around Dublin and which serves as a vital link to Dublin Airport and Dublin Port, " the NRA said, adding that the Ballymun junction of the M50, even after it is upgraded, "will be unable to cater for the predicted future traffic levels."
Given the bluntness of the comments from the one body we should be listening to most of all, that should have been that. Instead permission has been granted, albeit with a whole series of conditions which themselves surely point to serious reservations on behalf of ABP.
You have to question whether a store that isn't being allowed to open until 11am or close before 10pm, for traffic reasons, should be allowed open at all on that particular site? The 11am opening will undoubtedly mean the store won't add to the morning gridlock on the road, but it's the weekend where the real impact of the store on traffic on the M50 is really likely to be felt. Traffic jams on a Saturday and Sunday are already a regular occurrence on the road and the presence of three major shopping centres along the motorway is unquestionably a factor in that. A report commissioned by the Irish Hardware and Building Materials Association claimed that the Ikea store could generate 7,000 to 10,000 extra car trips a day on the motorway at the weekend. Nor should the impact of the extra traffic on Ballymun itself be forgotten.
The other conditions applied are undoubtedly well-meaning, but it's difficult to see what impact they will really have.
How, for example, will a shuttle bus to and from Ballymun help to significantly reduce traffic levels?
The two main arguments put forward by advocates of granting planning permission to Ikea are the numbers of jobs it brings to Ballymun and the downward pressure the increased competition will have on furniture prices. Nobody for a second doubts the amazing work being done in regenerating Ballymun but to focus on the need to bring jobs to the area completely ignores the fact that Ballymun is just three miles from Dublin city centre and well served by public transport. We are not talking about a town in the middle of nowhere, during an economic recession. What next . . . an advance factory for Phibsborough?
There is no question that the arrival in Ireland of Ikea . . . a fine retailer selling at very competitive prices . . . will be welcome news for consumers. But that isn't a reason to abandon good planning principles. In the UK for example, after being refused planning permission by the British government for a new out-oftown shop near Manchester, Ikea announced that it was planning to build smaller, city-centre shops . . . a quarter of the size of the company's usual outlets.
Why couldn't that have happened here?
The real damage, of course, was done in 2004 when the government sacrificed its own well-thought out planning guidelines which had restricted the size of retail warehouses. The government said at the time that the rules were being changed, not to suit one company, but for designated regeneration areas. But, of course, the reality was that it was accommodating Ikea. Given that decision, perhaps it was unfair to expect An Bord Pleanala to restore some faith in our imperfect planning system but that doesn't make last week's decision any less disappointing.
It's hard to shake the feeling that the last chance to save the M50 and Ballymun from further traffic chaos has been lost.
Sunday Tribune
It also flies in the face of the board's previously stated explicit opposition to building major commercial schemes alongside motorways.
Last October, the chairman of ABP John O'Connor seemed to signal that the days of building hotels, business parks and retail warehousing at motorway interchanges were numbered. Such schemes were "piggybacking" on new roads with local traffic "weaving on and off over short distances" to get access and running into conflict with long distance traffic. This affected the capacity of roads and raised safety concerns, he declared.
O'Connor specifically cited the M50 as an "extreme example" of piggy-backing commercial developments and said that such schemes would face a "high hurdle" in winning board approval. He added that the board would be taking heed of the National Roads Authority's (NRA) arguments against this type of development.
Perhaps most importantly of all, O'Connor concluded that the huge multibillion euro investment in roads would have to be written off in 10 years unless local authorities stopped granting permission for such schemes.
Fine words indeed, but following last week's decision on Ikea, it's impossible to avoid the conclusion that the board talked the talk on motorway developments, but failed to walk the walk.
Once the NRA, the state agency responsible for our national road network, objected to the Ikea development, a decision to turn down planning permission should have been an absolute no-brainer.
The NRA didn't pull any punches about the proposed superstore and the impact it would have on the M50, already Ireland's busiest motorway. It said the Ballymun store would result in "significant delays and congestion" on the M50 and would "significantly undermine and negate the benefits" of the 1bn upgrade of the ring-road.
The delays and congestion caused by the Ikea development would be "unacceptable on this section of the motorway, which forms part of the most critical artery for traffic distribution around Dublin and which serves as a vital link to Dublin Airport and Dublin Port, " the NRA said, adding that the Ballymun junction of the M50, even after it is upgraded, "will be unable to cater for the predicted future traffic levels."
Given the bluntness of the comments from the one body we should be listening to most of all, that should have been that. Instead permission has been granted, albeit with a whole series of conditions which themselves surely point to serious reservations on behalf of ABP.
You have to question whether a store that isn't being allowed to open until 11am or close before 10pm, for traffic reasons, should be allowed open at all on that particular site? The 11am opening will undoubtedly mean the store won't add to the morning gridlock on the road, but it's the weekend where the real impact of the store on traffic on the M50 is really likely to be felt. Traffic jams on a Saturday and Sunday are already a regular occurrence on the road and the presence of three major shopping centres along the motorway is unquestionably a factor in that. A report commissioned by the Irish Hardware and Building Materials Association claimed that the Ikea store could generate 7,000 to 10,000 extra car trips a day on the motorway at the weekend. Nor should the impact of the extra traffic on Ballymun itself be forgotten.
The other conditions applied are undoubtedly well-meaning, but it's difficult to see what impact they will really have.
How, for example, will a shuttle bus to and from Ballymun help to significantly reduce traffic levels?
The two main arguments put forward by advocates of granting planning permission to Ikea are the numbers of jobs it brings to Ballymun and the downward pressure the increased competition will have on furniture prices. Nobody for a second doubts the amazing work being done in regenerating Ballymun but to focus on the need to bring jobs to the area completely ignores the fact that Ballymun is just three miles from Dublin city centre and well served by public transport. We are not talking about a town in the middle of nowhere, during an economic recession. What next . . . an advance factory for Phibsborough?
There is no question that the arrival in Ireland of Ikea . . . a fine retailer selling at very competitive prices . . . will be welcome news for consumers. But that isn't a reason to abandon good planning principles. In the UK for example, after being refused planning permission by the British government for a new out-oftown shop near Manchester, Ikea announced that it was planning to build smaller, city-centre shops . . . a quarter of the size of the company's usual outlets.
Why couldn't that have happened here?
The real damage, of course, was done in 2004 when the government sacrificed its own well-thought out planning guidelines which had restricted the size of retail warehouses. The government said at the time that the rules were being changed, not to suit one company, but for designated regeneration areas. But, of course, the reality was that it was accommodating Ikea. Given that decision, perhaps it was unfair to expect An Bord Pleanala to restore some faith in our imperfect planning system but that doesn't make last week's decision any less disappointing.
It's hard to shake the feeling that the last chance to save the M50 and Ballymun from further traffic chaos has been lost.
Sunday Tribune
Thursday, 14 June 2007
Conditions could delay Ikea store until 2010
SWEDISH furniture retailer Ikea has been given the green light by An Bord Pleanála to build its first outlet in the Republic of Ireland, although the planned opening of the controversial superstore could face delays due to a number of planning conditions.
Ikea, one the best-known brands across Europe due to the success of its flat-pack furniture, will locate its new store just off the M50 motorway in Ballymun.
The company originally hoped it could open the large, 30,600 sq² facility in May 2008. However, An Bord Pleanála has ruled that the store cannot open until the upgrade of the M50 near Ballymun is completed, along with work on access roads to the store.
The National RoadsAuthority has estimated that the relevant section of the M50 might not be finished until 2010.
However, an Ikea spokesperson said yesterday that the company hoped its Irish store could still open for business by September 2008.
The ruling means that thousands of Irish shoppers who travel to Britain annually to visit Ikea stores in Glasgow and Manchester are likely to continue with such trips for now.
Ikea’s first outlet in the North is scheduled to open in east Belfast by the end of the year.
Yesterday’s decision has been welcomed by Ikea, as well as business interests including the Dublin Chamber of Commerce and Ballymun Regeneration — the Dublin City Council company overseeing the redesign of the north Dublin suburb.
Ciarán Murray, managing director of Ballymun Regeneration, said the Ikea outlet would directly employ 500 staff as well as attracting thousands of visitors to the area.
As part of the planning conditions imposed by ABP, Ikea must provide a regular shuttle bus to Ballymun town centre.
The company must also implement a system of parking charges during peak hours for almost 2,000 parking spaces — in order to limit the number of vehicles using the store at busy times.
In order to minimise the effect on M50 traffic, the store will not be allowed to open before 11am on weekdays and must remain open until 10pm, or 8pm on Saturdays and 7pm on Sundays and public holidays.
Ikea must also provide a home delivery service within 12 months of starting trading in order to encourage customers to use public transport. In its first year of operations, Ikea will also be forced to close its store during the annual pre-Christmas “Operation Freeflow” traffic programme in Dublin.
The ABP decision brings to an end the long-running saga that began when the Government altered its own retail planning guidelines in 2005 to facilitate the Swedish furniture group — raising the size limit on big shopping outlets.
A Fingal County Council grant of planning permission to Ikea last October was appealed by the Green Party, the NRA, Tesco, the Grafton Group, Treasury Holdings and the Irish Hardware Association.
Ikea in Ireland: what’s in store
IRISH DIY enthusiasts will soon be able to enjoy the flat-pack furniture that has made Ikea a household name around the world.
Although some uncertainty still surrounds the exact opening date for the company’s first outlet in the Republic, its proposed store at Ballymun is certain to become a huge hit with householders.
The Swedish furniture retailer already operates 284 stores in 36 countries, which were visited by a total of more than 504 million customers last year.
As an example of the scale of its operations, Ikea’s annual turnover in 2006 reached €17.6 billion, while 174 million copies of its free catalogue was printed last year.
The Ballymun store, which is set on a 100-acre site, will carry almost 10,000 product lines.
“Irish customers will enjoy the full product range from day one at Ballymun,” said Ikea spokesman Gary Deacon.
The retail space will consist of a showroom, 500-seater restaurant, Swedish food hall and creche as well as parking spaces for almost 2,000 cars and 12 coaches.
Its Dublin store will be similar to its Glasgow outlet in size.
www.ikea.com
Irish Examiner
Ikea, one the best-known brands across Europe due to the success of its flat-pack furniture, will locate its new store just off the M50 motorway in Ballymun.
The company originally hoped it could open the large, 30,600 sq² facility in May 2008. However, An Bord Pleanála has ruled that the store cannot open until the upgrade of the M50 near Ballymun is completed, along with work on access roads to the store.
The National RoadsAuthority has estimated that the relevant section of the M50 might not be finished until 2010.
However, an Ikea spokesperson said yesterday that the company hoped its Irish store could still open for business by September 2008.
The ruling means that thousands of Irish shoppers who travel to Britain annually to visit Ikea stores in Glasgow and Manchester are likely to continue with such trips for now.
Ikea’s first outlet in the North is scheduled to open in east Belfast by the end of the year.
Yesterday’s decision has been welcomed by Ikea, as well as business interests including the Dublin Chamber of Commerce and Ballymun Regeneration — the Dublin City Council company overseeing the redesign of the north Dublin suburb.
Ciarán Murray, managing director of Ballymun Regeneration, said the Ikea outlet would directly employ 500 staff as well as attracting thousands of visitors to the area.
As part of the planning conditions imposed by ABP, Ikea must provide a regular shuttle bus to Ballymun town centre.
The company must also implement a system of parking charges during peak hours for almost 2,000 parking spaces — in order to limit the number of vehicles using the store at busy times.
In order to minimise the effect on M50 traffic, the store will not be allowed to open before 11am on weekdays and must remain open until 10pm, or 8pm on Saturdays and 7pm on Sundays and public holidays.
Ikea must also provide a home delivery service within 12 months of starting trading in order to encourage customers to use public transport. In its first year of operations, Ikea will also be forced to close its store during the annual pre-Christmas “Operation Freeflow” traffic programme in Dublin.
The ABP decision brings to an end the long-running saga that began when the Government altered its own retail planning guidelines in 2005 to facilitate the Swedish furniture group — raising the size limit on big shopping outlets.
A Fingal County Council grant of planning permission to Ikea last October was appealed by the Green Party, the NRA, Tesco, the Grafton Group, Treasury Holdings and the Irish Hardware Association.
Ikea in Ireland: what’s in store
IRISH DIY enthusiasts will soon be able to enjoy the flat-pack furniture that has made Ikea a household name around the world.
Although some uncertainty still surrounds the exact opening date for the company’s first outlet in the Republic, its proposed store at Ballymun is certain to become a huge hit with householders.
The Swedish furniture retailer already operates 284 stores in 36 countries, which were visited by a total of more than 504 million customers last year.
As an example of the scale of its operations, Ikea’s annual turnover in 2006 reached €17.6 billion, while 174 million copies of its free catalogue was printed last year.
The Ballymun store, which is set on a 100-acre site, will carry almost 10,000 product lines.
“Irish customers will enjoy the full product range from day one at Ballymun,” said Ikea spokesman Gary Deacon.
The retail space will consist of a showroom, 500-seater restaurant, Swedish food hall and creche as well as parking spaces for almost 2,000 cars and 12 coaches.
Its Dublin store will be similar to its Glasgow outlet in size.
www.ikea.com
Irish Examiner
IKEA vows to help pay for M50 work
SWEDISH furniture giant IKEA has been given the green light for its new Dublin store - despite a raft of unusual conditions and the fact that it's not set to open until at least 2010.
However, IKEA told the Irish Independent last night it would pay to speed up M50 roadworks to allow it to open sooner.
An Bord Pleanala yesterday granted planning permission for the 30,000 sq m superstore at Ballymun, but said it cannot open until the €1bn M50 upgrade is completed in three years.
But the company said it had offered to pay any extra costs involved in accelerating the roadworks, which would allow it to open in September next year.
It also revealed that up to 2.8m people are expected to visit the store in the first year of opening - with between €100-€150m spent on home furnishings.
A spokesman said IKEA was "delighted" to have the project approved, despite the stringent conditions.
The 30 conditions also include a requirement that a shuttle bus be provided every 20 minutes to Ballymun town centre.
Paul Melia
Irish Independent
However, IKEA told the Irish Independent last night it would pay to speed up M50 roadworks to allow it to open sooner.
An Bord Pleanala yesterday granted planning permission for the 30,000 sq m superstore at Ballymun, but said it cannot open until the €1bn M50 upgrade is completed in three years.
But the company said it had offered to pay any extra costs involved in accelerating the roadworks, which would allow it to open in September next year.
It also revealed that up to 2.8m people are expected to visit the store in the first year of opening - with between €100-€150m spent on home furnishings.
A spokesman said IKEA was "delighted" to have the project approved, despite the stringent conditions.
The 30 conditions also include a requirement that a shuttle bus be provided every 20 minutes to Ballymun town centre.
Paul Melia
Irish Independent
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