Compromise agreed for first phase of Oliver Bond regeneration, but residents wary of broader plan
An updated phase one of the Oliver Bond House regeneration scheme has been agreed between the Department of Housing and Dublin City Council (DCC).
It is understood that the proposals are a blend of the DCC scheme, which would convert the existing 74-flat space into 46 units, and the Department’s, which would have converted it into 68 one-bedroom and studio flats.
Two of the three blocks in phase one are now proceeding the way intended by DCC, with the third progressing in line with the Department’s plan, resulting in a total of 54 regenerated homes.
These are to be comprised of 12 studio apartments, 26 one-bedroom units, 12 two-bedroom units and four three-beds spread across blocks L, M and N, said a DCC spokesperson.
In a boost to the community, they also confirmed that the adjacent 43 home-scheme on Bridgefoot Street would proceed, along with a new community centre in Block N and public realm improvements to the surroundings.
However residents are wary of the broader master plan for the remainder of the complex’s 16 blocks, which suffer extensive issues with mould, damp and overcrowding.
Chairperson of the Oliver Bond residents’ group, Gayle Cullen Doyle, said that for the residents to “get excited” about phase one, a master plan for the entire complex must be devised in collaboration with the Department, DCC and residents.
“The [phase one] plan looks brilliant. it’s looking incredible. But that’s three blocks. We’ve 16 blocks ... you can’t have three blocks living in EU standards and the rest of us living in slums.”
Talks are ongoing in the background between DCC and residents on the future of the scheme, but she said Department officials are absent from proceedings, making them feel they are “back to square one”.
“There’s no point in us giving our input to Dublin City Council when they have to go back to the department and the whole lot of it gets lost in transit,” she said.
Ms Cullen Doyle wants to see more amalgamations taking place across the complex in later phases, where homes are enlarged by knocking internal walls and reconfiguring space.
But the Department has shown resistance to this method due to its high cost and the ensuing drop in housing units.
A senior housing official told the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee in May that DCC’s original plan could have cost up to €700k per unit, when factoring in contingencies, inflation and design fees.
Their proposal instead centres around maintaining the size of the units but reducing the number of bedrooms to address overcrowding.
However this plan received backlash from residents, who fear that families would be pushed out of the blocks, replaced by single people and couples.
The Department pulled its support for the council’s regeneration proposal in May, saying it does “not represent value for money”.
After significant outcry from councillors, TDs and residents, Minister for Housing James Browne said the regeneration was a “personal priority” of his.
Works on the regeneration scheme were to begin in two years time, with a source familiar with proceedings saying the timelines were still “on track” despite the project being rejigged.