Dozens of regeneration projects must be completed by 2030 or risk losing funding
Over 30 regeneration projects in Dublin city risk losing funding if not completed by 2030.
At Planning and Urban Regeneration SPC, Senior Executive Officer Marese Feeney updated councillors on urban regeneration projects around the city, but stressed that “speed is critical” as the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) from central government has a cut-off date for projects to be completed. With over over €1.9 billion already provisionally allocated nationally, time is of the essence to make the most out of these funds.
Major projects already approved for Dublin city include the Rutland Street School Project, the development of the Parnell Square Cultural Quarter, and the refurbishment of Dublin's Victorian Fruit and Vegetable Market . Dublin City Council is also putting forward more funding applications for the first round of the new Towns and Cities Regeneration Investment Fund that will replace the existing URDF.
The Towns and Cities Fund limits the council’s application to three projects. These are currently being prepared for Cherry Orchard Park, St Bricin's Military Hospital, and Newcomen Bank. All of these projects were already in the council’s Capital Programme and would also need to be completed by 2030 to avail of funding.
Ms. Feeney said the aim of these funding streams is to create a “clean, green, liveable, vibrant city” as the council is granted up to 75% of project costs. The first callout for funding dates back to 2018 and 47% of the drawdown has been completed.
While these funding streams were praised by council members, Chair of the Planning SPC Cllr Cian Farrell said “speed is a concern” as many projects identified as far back 2018 are still not complete. He called for a review of their delivery methods and said the council “need to do a much better job at delivering projects in under a decade at a minimum.”
Independent Cllr Gavin Pepper said it’s clear there is “no shortage of ambition” in these large-scale projects, but worried the perspective of working class communities is being lost amid regeneration. He called for families traditionally associated with the Fruit and Vegetable Market in Dublin to be considered as it's refurbished.
“When people talk about Dublin they are talking about the working people, traders, stall holders, and market families who gave the city its character and heartbeat. Many of those families are still here,” Cllr Pepper said.
He said it’s important that people aren’t just referenced in "plaques and branding” but are actually considered for the future of the site and given the opportunity to contribute to Dublin’s economy and culture. He called for clear political policy that commitment will be given to historic market families that the regeneration is about "continuity and renewal and not displacement.”
A manager’s response stated that this regeneration fund focuses on “bricks and mortar” to get the infrastructure of these projects in place, but agreed that work of the council extends well beyond this and involves bringing the community in.
“When I think of what is distinctively Dublin, I do think of the traders operating on Moore Street with lineage going back decades,” the manager said. However, he explained that the commercial realities of operating a stall has changed through the proliferation of discount stores which can impact the viability of some businesses, although he made a commitment the council will engage with former traders.
A core objective of Dublin’s urban regeneration plan is to tackle vacancy and dereliction around the city, which Fianna Fail Cllr Ammar Ali said must be prioritised more. “Take a 10 minute walk around the city and there are so many buildings that have been derelict for years that can be used for the benefit of the people of Dublin,” he said.
He called for the long-vacant Inchicore library building on Emmet Road to be brought back into community use, and said he doesn’t understand why buildings are left to deteriorate for so long, as this only leads to increased costs to refurbish them further down the line.
The manager stated it’s “a civic crime” to let properties sit idle and that’s why the council are pushing for a “zero tolerance approach” on dereliction. With increased inspections, extra resources, new staff, and the development of a live feed for properties on the Derelict Sites Register , he stressed the council are taking a pro-active approach to addressing dereliction.
Some URDF-approved projects have yet to commence and Ms. Feeney admitted the council may have been “overly ambitious” in earlier funding applications and that they are now “honing on key projects” with a focus on deliverability. She said being “too ambitious was our flaw” but that many great projects are on track, with the Parnell Square Cultural Quarter being a true “first of its kind.”
Phase 1 of the Parnell Square Cultural Quarter aims to deliver a new City Library at Parnell Square North and act as the centre of a new cultural hub focused on literature, art, heritage, and the community. Funding for this consists of URDF support and loan borrowings. A €56 million URDF allocation has already been secured, and additional URDF funding is being sought.
Moving forward to the current call for funding, the council is focusing on short term project delivery and works that will be ready to begin construction by September 30, 2027, a timeline that needs to be met to secure funding. This can provide funding of €7.5m per proposal or €9m for disadvantaged areas., with up to 75% of costs covered. The deadline is May 1.
A second round of funding is also expected for later this year. However, the funding figures for this have yet to be confirmed and will be largely dependent on the outcomes of Round 1.
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