Hundreds of public housing units ‘lost due to regeneration delays’
Protracted delays at housing regeneration projects in Dublin’s south inner-city have resulted in the loss of hundreds of public housing units while more than 1,500 long-promised homes remain undelivered, a seminar will hear on Wednesday.Describing what has happened to communities in three once-vibrant flat complexes in Dublin 8 as “a kind of tragedy” Manus Bree, regeneration co-ordinator for Dolphin House estate, calculates delays of more than 20 years in three projects — the former St Michael’s Estate in Inchicore, and St Teresa’s Gardens and Dolphin House in Rialto — have resulted in the loss of 576 public homes while 1,673 promised new homes remain undelivered.To facilitate retrofitting, demolition and building to begin de-tenanting processes have meant remaining residents in estates denuded of community, bleak and in some cases without sports and play facilities.Mr Bree will be among the speakers at the seminar, Regenerating Communities — Constructing Hope, hosted by regeneration boards from four south-city estates, including Oliver Bond House where regeneration was announced in 2023, but work is not expected to begin until 2027 and could take until 2050.The projects at the other run-down, damp and in some cases vermin-infested estates started in 2001, 2004 and 2006 respectively. Hundreds of households left — with many still hoping one day to return.Delays were caused by the 2007 financial crash and more recently Covid, but also by planning, tendering and bureaucratic delays, as well as inadequate resources at Dublin City [Council], said Mr Bree.“Clearly this loss of public housing and lack of delivery of new units is having a major impact on the housing list in Dublin 8, where there was recently a demand for almost 2,400 public housing units,” he said.“In addition, it has led to the removal of vital community infrastructure including four football pitches, a playground and two community centres. The vacancy and dereliction issues associated with people having been moved out have led to an increase in antisocial behaviour and areas have become run-down and abandoned,” he continued.“Finally, there are concerns that the long delays in constructing the new homes and facilities will undermine the community fabric in the areas with many of the families who previously lived there opting not to return.”Mr Bree said there was a “trauma” associated with living through “multigenerational regeneration projects” adding: “It is a kind of tragedy really what has happened to these communities”.Other speakers will include Una Lowry, chief executive of the Dublin South City Partnership. “The incoming government needs to act on the Housing Commission’s proposal to establish a housing oversight delivery executive to help tackle the difficulties that have delayed the Dublin 8 regeneration projects,” she said.
