THE FINAL BLOCKS of flats on the O’Devaney Gardens site are set to be torn down, making way for a new social housing development.
A meeting of Dublin City Council last night saw a motion passed that will see the site redeveloped into fully State-owned accommodation, with final demolition taking place in three weeks’ time.
When finished, the development will house around 480 new homes.
The new development will serve as a pilot scheme for placing social housing and private rentals on the same site.
Mixed residency
Speaking to TheJournal.ie, councillor Éilis Ryan – who brought the motion forward – said:
“It is quite similar to schemes that the government has been proposing about having a mix of income levels – but the difference is that it is 100% public.”
Ryan said that the scheme would be an alternative to subsidies for landlords scheme laid out in the government’s Rebuilding Ireland housing strategy announced earlier this month.
The affordable rental proposal contained in the government’s housing plan proposes that €10 million in funding be made available to subsidise landlords – potentially making around 2,000 rental properties available for those on low to moderate incomes.
Half of the units developed on the O’Devaney Gardens site will be used as social housing, while the other half will be rented to those with a demonstrated housing need.
Tenants would then be charged a rent tied to their income – with higher earners paying a higher rent.
Demolition
Two of the four remaining blocks of flats are still occupied.
While Ryan said she was happy with the redevelopment plan, she was concerned that these two flat blocks will be demolished before residents have been placed in alternative accommodation available to them.
Letters of comfort have been given to the current residents to assure them that they will be able to return to the site once the redevelopment is complete.
The vote is binding – as DCC has final say over what it does with its own land – but will have to be put forward to the Department of Housing for funding to be approved.
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