The Environmental Fair, nestled in a market style setting within the City Hall, will be a showcase of environmental innovation projects, programmes and ideas.
The Fair earned Ballymun the national title of ‘Green Community of the Year’ in 2008.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Emerald @ Innovation Dublin
The Environmental Fair, nestled in a market style setting within the City Hall, will be a showcase of environmental innovation projects, programmes and ideas.
The Fair earned Ballymun the national title of ‘Green Community of the Year’ in 2008.
New Logo
Spring Cross Go-Ahead
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Emerald Sod Turning!
from left to right: Chief Architect Derry Solon, Matt Stevens, Architect, Roger Warburton, Conor O'Brien, Dean Scurry, Minister John Gormley, Daphne Sproule, Antoinette Farrelly, Alex Sproule, & Ciaran Murray.
Minister John Gormley T.D, Minister for the Environment, Heritage, and Local Government, announced details of the next generation of low carbon homes in Ireland whilst turning the sod on the Emerald Project in Ballymun during the summer.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Metro rail delay as board seeks new details
AN BORD Pleanála is now unlikely to make a decision on the Dublin Metro North project until early next year following its request for a raft of further information on the project from its promoters, the Railway Procurement Agency (RPA).
An RPA spokesman has conceded that the board’s request will result in a delay in determining its Railway Order application, but he said the agency would work hard to meet the October 1st deadline for submitting the new information.
An RPA spokesman has conceded that the board’s request will result in a delay in determining its Railway Order application, but he said the agency would work hard to meet the October 1st deadline for submitting the new information.
Friday, July 3, 2009
RPA selects two bidders for Metro North project
TWO GROUPS backed by a series of multinationals are set to bid for the right to build and operate a new rail network valued at up to €5 billion.
The State agency charged with developing the Republic’s rail networks announced yesterday that it has chosen two bidders for the Metro North project, the underground rail line which will link Dublin’s city centre with its airport and northern suburb of Swords.
The State agency charged with developing the Republic’s rail networks announced yesterday that it has chosen two bidders for the Metro North project, the underground rail line which will link Dublin’s city centre with its airport and northern suburb of Swords.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Metro North timetable derailed
The Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) recently wrote to the four groups that have tendered for the multibillion-euro infrastructure project to inform them that An Bord Pleanála would not be in a position to give a decision on the railway order application until September 4th.
This is some six months behind the original estimate and means that the deadline for “best and final offers” from the shortlisted tenderers has been pushed back from December this year to February 2010.
This is some six months behind the original estimate and means that the deadline for “best and final offers” from the shortlisted tenderers has been pushed back from December this year to February 2010.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Dublin must reform or decline, says study
DUBLIN MUST reform its transport, local government and enterprise agencies if it is to avoid stagnation, urban sprawl and a decade of under-achievement, according to influential Futures Academy.
A new report by the academy, which is based in the faculty of Built Environment at Dublin City University, predicts city regions will become the dominant economic and political forces, competing with each other globally.
Its report, Dublin at a Crossroads – Exploring the future of the Dublin City Region, presents three scenarios for Dublin and its east coast hinterland in the year 2030.
A new report by the academy, which is based in the faculty of Built Environment at Dublin City University, predicts city regions will become the dominant economic and political forces, competing with each other globally.
Its report, Dublin at a Crossroads – Exploring the future of the Dublin City Region, presents three scenarios for Dublin and its east coast hinterland in the year 2030.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Metro North project questioned - report
THE CONSTRUCTION of Dublin’s controversial Metro North rail system will not guarantee maximum accessibility to Dublin airport.
Moreover, it will not ensure the airport’s future as a vital travel hub, a new planning report argues.
A Spatial Vision for Dublin was published yesterday at the Stephen’s Green Hibernian Club, by members of the Dublin City Business Association, which commissioned the report, and author Hendrik van der Kamp.
Although Metro North has been touted by the Government as central to Dublin’s economic development, speculation intensified at the beginning of the year that the project would be shelved due to an estimated cost of some €5 billion.
Moreover, it will not ensure the airport’s future as a vital travel hub, a new planning report argues.
A Spatial Vision for Dublin was published yesterday at the Stephen’s Green Hibernian Club, by members of the Dublin City Business Association, which commissioned the report, and author Hendrik van der Kamp.
Although Metro North has been touted by the Government as central to Dublin’s economic development, speculation intensified at the beginning of the year that the project would be shelved due to an estimated cost of some €5 billion.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Ministers announce approval of first phase of regeneration
The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Mr. John Gormley, TD and the Minister for Housing and Local Services, Mr. Michael Finneran, TD announced the approval of the first phase of a planned three-phased regeneration of St. Michael’s Estate.
Exchequer funding for the social housing component of the first phase of the project of €7.8 million is being provided under the Social Housing Investment Programme.
Exchequer funding for the social housing component of the first phase of the project of €7.8 million is being provided under the Social Housing Investment Programme.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Regeneration of housing estate starts
THE REGENERATION of one of the State’s oldest housing estates got under way in Limerick yesterday when workers moved in to demolish houses in the St Mary’s Park estate.
It is one of four housing estates in Limerick city included in the €3.1 billion regeneration project which, since 2007, has led to the demolition of 250 homes in Moyross, Southill and Weston areas.
The demolition of 1 Columcille Street in St Mary’s Park began at 9am yesterday. Up to 20 houses in the area could be knocked by the end of the year to facilitate the building of new houses in 2010.
Built in 1935, St Mary’s Park is one of the oldest housing estates in the State and is located in a historic part of the city close to King John’s Castle that is known as the “island field”.
The estate comprises in the region of 465 houses and was the State’s first major public housing initiative in Limerick.
The last resident at the property which was demolished yesterday was Geraldine Long, who now lives in Corbally, but was there when workers began the demolition.
“I’m a bit sad because we had lovely neighbours and it was a lovely place to live and we had happy times in the house, so it is sad to see it being knocked,” Ms Long said.
Jason Murphy of the housing department at Limerick City Council said yesterday marked an important step for the regeneration of Limerick.
“This is a milestone for St Mary’s Park in terms of regeneration, but it is a milestone for the city as well, given the community that’s here and the strong community in St Mary’s Park,” Mr Murphy said.
“It’s a big step for the residents and we are delighted we have had huge support from them. We have identified six to eight houses but by the end of the year, we may have 15 houses taken down.”
Mayor of Limerick John Gilligan has welcomed the beginning of the demolition.
It is believed that €725 million is needed for the regeneration of St Mary’s Park.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning
It is one of four housing estates in Limerick city included in the €3.1 billion regeneration project which, since 2007, has led to the demolition of 250 homes in Moyross, Southill and Weston areas.
The demolition of 1 Columcille Street in St Mary’s Park began at 9am yesterday. Up to 20 houses in the area could be knocked by the end of the year to facilitate the building of new houses in 2010.
Built in 1935, St Mary’s Park is one of the oldest housing estates in the State and is located in a historic part of the city close to King John’s Castle that is known as the “island field”.
The estate comprises in the region of 465 houses and was the State’s first major public housing initiative in Limerick.
The last resident at the property which was demolished yesterday was Geraldine Long, who now lives in Corbally, but was there when workers began the demolition.
“I’m a bit sad because we had lovely neighbours and it was a lovely place to live and we had happy times in the house, so it is sad to see it being knocked,” Ms Long said.
Jason Murphy of the housing department at Limerick City Council said yesterday marked an important step for the regeneration of Limerick.
“This is a milestone for St Mary’s Park in terms of regeneration, but it is a milestone for the city as well, given the community that’s here and the strong community in St Mary’s Park,” Mr Murphy said.
“It’s a big step for the residents and we are delighted we have had huge support from them. We have identified six to eight houses but by the end of the year, we may have 15 houses taken down.”
Mayor of Limerick John Gilligan has welcomed the beginning of the demolition.
It is believed that €725 million is needed for the regeneration of St Mary’s Park.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Metro West and Luas extension plan 'delayed indefinitely'
PLANS to build Dublin's proposed Metro West line and the Luas line from Lucan to the city centre have been delayed indefinitely due to budgetary difficulties.
The government has removed the construction and opening target dates for both projects from its latest progress report for potential developers, stating that these were now "under review".
The report also said the construction start and completion dates for both projects were now subject to the "public consultation, statutory planning process, PPP procurement process and funding availability".
Previous updates had indicated that Metro West would be completed by 2014 while the Lucan Luas line was due to have been finished by 2015.
The revelation comes just weeks after transport minister Noel Dempsey reaffirmed his commitment to building the next two phases of the Western Rail Corridor in advance of next month's local elections.
These phases, which run between Athenry and Claremorris, still have firm target dates, even though many commentators believe they are unlikely to attract significant numbers of passengers; a similar stretch of line between Waterford and Limerick Junction is dubbed the "ghost train" in railway circles.
Mark Gleeson of Rail Users Ireland said the two phases were "a political potato" and that the apparent granting of priority to them over Metro West in particular raised issues about the government's decision-making.
Gleeson said Metro West was an important project for Dublin because it was an orbital route which would connect Metro North, the capital's railway lines and the proposed Luas lines without forcing passengers into the city centre to change services.
"It's worry that people are not taking a clinical view of projects in light of the budgetary issues involved. This decision raises serious questions about whether projects are being prioritised in a fair and transparent manner," he said.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Transport admitted that the target dates for Metro West and the Lucan Luas had been dropped. She claimed, however, that the projects hadn't been delayed and said the Railway Procurement Agency had been told to seek planning permission.
"Once these projects have the necessary planning permission, progress can be made on their delivery as economic circumstances allow," she said. "This will be decided on a case-by-case basis as projects become 'shovel ready'."
She added Metro North was a priority for the minister.
Sunday Tribune
www.buckplanning.ie
The government has removed the construction and opening target dates for both projects from its latest progress report for potential developers, stating that these were now "under review".
The report also said the construction start and completion dates for both projects were now subject to the "public consultation, statutory planning process, PPP procurement process and funding availability".
Previous updates had indicated that Metro West would be completed by 2014 while the Lucan Luas line was due to have been finished by 2015.
The revelation comes just weeks after transport minister Noel Dempsey reaffirmed his commitment to building the next two phases of the Western Rail Corridor in advance of next month's local elections.
These phases, which run between Athenry and Claremorris, still have firm target dates, even though many commentators believe they are unlikely to attract significant numbers of passengers; a similar stretch of line between Waterford and Limerick Junction is dubbed the "ghost train" in railway circles.
Mark Gleeson of Rail Users Ireland said the two phases were "a political potato" and that the apparent granting of priority to them over Metro West in particular raised issues about the government's decision-making.
Gleeson said Metro West was an important project for Dublin because it was an orbital route which would connect Metro North, the capital's railway lines and the proposed Luas lines without forcing passengers into the city centre to change services.
"It's worry that people are not taking a clinical view of projects in light of the budgetary issues involved. This decision raises serious questions about whether projects are being prioritised in a fair and transparent manner," he said.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Transport admitted that the target dates for Metro West and the Lucan Luas had been dropped. She claimed, however, that the projects hadn't been delayed and said the Railway Procurement Agency had been told to seek planning permission.
"Once these projects have the necessary planning permission, progress can be made on their delivery as economic circumstances allow," she said. "This will be decided on a case-by-case basis as projects become 'shovel ready'."
She added Metro North was a priority for the minister.
Sunday Tribune
www.buckplanning.ie
Friday, April 24, 2009
Metro key part of Dublin's economic future - Ryan
MINISTER FOR Communications Eamon Ryan has strongly defended plans to build Metro North, describing the proposed €5 billion project as a key element of Dublin’s economic future.
Mr Ryan told the annual conference of the Irish Planning Institute (IPI) it would be “blind stupidity” not to recognise that the development of a metro and the proposed Dart underground link between Heuston and Docklands were essential for Dublin to compete in the world economy.
“Failing to make that investment, losing our bottle, will leave us with a car-based transport system. So it has to go ahead, even in these difficult times.”
Equally, failing to build an electricity grid to cater for a huge increase in wind energy along the western seaboard would render Ireland insecure. He said it wasn’t technically feasible to put this underground, so “by and large, it will be overhead power lines”.
IPI president Andrew Hind said reform of the “almost crazily fragmented and confused” local government system in Ireland was needed to make the country more competitive.
“We need a planning system that itself is efficient, effective and sustainable and, in turn, will deliver an economy that is more competitive and more sustainable in the future.”
He told the depleted ranks of planners attending the conference – down by 50 per cent since the peak of the boom – that Ireland needed a planning system that stopped bad development but also placed fewer impediments in the way of good development.
Many people saw the current system as “nothing but unnecessary red tape” because it sometimes put at least as many obstacles in the way of development that should be encouraged as it placed in the path of the development that should be refused.
“There will be significant benefits both to users of the planning system and to the rebuilding of our economy if we can remove impediments to sustainable development without compromising our ability to resist development that is inappropriate or unsustainable,” he said.
Referring to the fact that 88 of the 114 local authorities exercise planning functions, Mr Hind said this was “too many” for a population of just over four million. As a result, users of the system found it “almost crazily fragmented and confused”.
“What signal is this giving to those who want to invest in the development of our country,” he asked, saying this needed to be tackled “if we are to present a coherent front” to investors creating sustainable employment and economic growth.
He suggested that the process of making local area plans should be improved.
If this was done, “then it might be possible to allow planning applications that were consistent with them to be approved without the risk of appeal by a third party”.
In order to achieve this, there would need to be an independent assessment by An Bord Pleanála of objections made by the public as well as elements of any plan changed by elected members against official advice, on land rezoning, for example.
Referring to the fact that processing of even an average planning application is subsidised by €1,500, Mr Hind said the cost should be met by the charges paid by applicants, “thereby releasing taxpayers’ money for purposes that are more urgent”.
Dealing with transport, Mr Hind said “we seem to think we get better value for money from lavish road schemes directed almost exclusively at the private car” than by investing in low-cost projects to improve accessibility for those walking or cycling to work.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Mr Ryan told the annual conference of the Irish Planning Institute (IPI) it would be “blind stupidity” not to recognise that the development of a metro and the proposed Dart underground link between Heuston and Docklands were essential for Dublin to compete in the world economy.
“Failing to make that investment, losing our bottle, will leave us with a car-based transport system. So it has to go ahead, even in these difficult times.”
Equally, failing to build an electricity grid to cater for a huge increase in wind energy along the western seaboard would render Ireland insecure. He said it wasn’t technically feasible to put this underground, so “by and large, it will be overhead power lines”.
IPI president Andrew Hind said reform of the “almost crazily fragmented and confused” local government system in Ireland was needed to make the country more competitive.
“We need a planning system that itself is efficient, effective and sustainable and, in turn, will deliver an economy that is more competitive and more sustainable in the future.”
He told the depleted ranks of planners attending the conference – down by 50 per cent since the peak of the boom – that Ireland needed a planning system that stopped bad development but also placed fewer impediments in the way of good development.
Many people saw the current system as “nothing but unnecessary red tape” because it sometimes put at least as many obstacles in the way of development that should be encouraged as it placed in the path of the development that should be refused.
“There will be significant benefits both to users of the planning system and to the rebuilding of our economy if we can remove impediments to sustainable development without compromising our ability to resist development that is inappropriate or unsustainable,” he said.
Referring to the fact that 88 of the 114 local authorities exercise planning functions, Mr Hind said this was “too many” for a population of just over four million. As a result, users of the system found it “almost crazily fragmented and confused”.
“What signal is this giving to those who want to invest in the development of our country,” he asked, saying this needed to be tackled “if we are to present a coherent front” to investors creating sustainable employment and economic growth.
He suggested that the process of making local area plans should be improved.
If this was done, “then it might be possible to allow planning applications that were consistent with them to be approved without the risk of appeal by a third party”.
In order to achieve this, there would need to be an independent assessment by An Bord Pleanála of objections made by the public as well as elements of any plan changed by elected members against official advice, on land rezoning, for example.
Referring to the fact that processing of even an average planning application is subsidised by €1,500, Mr Hind said the cost should be met by the charges paid by applicants, “thereby releasing taxpayers’ money for purposes that are more urgent”.
Dealing with transport, Mr Hind said “we seem to think we get better value for money from lavish road schemes directed almost exclusively at the private car” than by investing in low-cost projects to improve accessibility for those walking or cycling to work.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Private car use in Dublin city rises
The number of cars in Dublin city rose last year, according to figures from Dublin City Council.
The Canal Cordon Count, which monitors the number of vehicles crossing into the cordon formed by the Royal and Grand canals around the city during peak morning hours, found more private cars came into the city centre in 2008 than the previous year, representing rise of close to 0.4 per cent.
This is despite an increase in the number of buses during the same period.
However, over a 10-year period, the number of cars coming into the city fell. In 1998, more than 71,000 cars crossed the canal cordon, compared to almost 63,976 in 2008.
Cycling was also on the rise, with 8 per cent more people choosing to cycle in the peak morning hours in 2008 than a year earlier. This follows general upward trends in recent years, with a 30 per cent increase over the five year period 2003 to 2008, and a 34 per cent rise over the 10 years to 2008.
Dublin City Council cycling officer, Ciarán Fallon, welcomed the rise in the number of those cycling in the city during morning peak hours.
"We have a lot of work to do to improve cycling conditions in the city but these numbers are encouraging," he said.
"Over a third of commuting journeys into the canal cordon area are less than 5km long. Most people can cover this distance by bike in about 20 minutes. There is great potential to grow walking and cycling numbers in Dublin City in the coming years."
Mr Fallon said the increase in people cycling could be attributed to the reduction in the number of heavy goods vehicles in the city centre.
Since the introduction of a ban on some heavy goods vehicles in the city centre, the number of commercial vehicles crossing the canal cordon during morning peak hours has fallen 54 per cent between 2003 and 2008.
The number of pedestrians crossing into the city centre fell 1 per cent on last year's figures.
Between 2003 and 2008, Dublin Bus accounted for a daily average of 80 per cent of the buses that crossed into the city centre. During that time, the number of buses from the company rose 17 per cent, while independently operated services rose 13 per cent.
In the 12-month period to 2008, 11 per cent more Dublin Bus vehicles were recorded in the city centre, but independent services fell 17 per cent.
Fine Gael Seanad transport spokesman Senator Paschal Donohoe said the Government’s attempts at encouraging public transport use had "clearly failed".
"The city is now grinding to a halt, with further chaos likely if the bus strike goes ahead. Traffic congestion is
strangling the city’s commercial and social life. Congestion is costing Dublin’s businesses at least €650 million a year," he said.
“We need simple and effective steps to get the city moving again in the short term, especially if work on Metro North gets underway."
He called for new bus routes to be opened up in areas with growing populations, the extension of the city's co-ordinated traffic light system and the roll-out of the live information system for Dublin Bus.
He also suggested that the new Dublin transport authority should be fast-tracked to allow for centralised planning and traffic management.
“As a city already suffering from serious congestion, Dublin simply cannot afford for further rises in car use," Mr Donohoe said.
Green Party transport spokesman Ciarán Cuffe said the increase in cyclist numbers was welcome, but said radical reform of bus services and traffic management in Dublin city was needed.
"The next step must be the creation of a network of safe cycle routes all across the city. Many people are afraid to cycle in traffic because of the fear of being struck by a lorry or car. I also want the gardaí to apply more
resources to enforcing the speed limits, as speeding cars are a danger to vulnerable road users," he said.
Mr Cuffe called on Fine Gael to support the proposals for the provision of a bus gate at College Green
Dublin city councillors are due to vote on the plan, will create a public-transport-only route from Dame Street across College Green to Westmoreland Street, with restrictions for traffic coming from D’Olier Street around College Green and into Dame Street.
"Fine Gael cannot call for improvements in public transport while their own councillors oppose the bus gate proposal," he said.
Irish Times
The Canal Cordon Count, which monitors the number of vehicles crossing into the cordon formed by the Royal and Grand canals around the city during peak morning hours, found more private cars came into the city centre in 2008 than the previous year, representing rise of close to 0.4 per cent.
This is despite an increase in the number of buses during the same period.
However, over a 10-year period, the number of cars coming into the city fell. In 1998, more than 71,000 cars crossed the canal cordon, compared to almost 63,976 in 2008.
Cycling was also on the rise, with 8 per cent more people choosing to cycle in the peak morning hours in 2008 than a year earlier. This follows general upward trends in recent years, with a 30 per cent increase over the five year period 2003 to 2008, and a 34 per cent rise over the 10 years to 2008.
Dublin City Council cycling officer, Ciarán Fallon, welcomed the rise in the number of those cycling in the city during morning peak hours.
"We have a lot of work to do to improve cycling conditions in the city but these numbers are encouraging," he said.
"Over a third of commuting journeys into the canal cordon area are less than 5km long. Most people can cover this distance by bike in about 20 minutes. There is great potential to grow walking and cycling numbers in Dublin City in the coming years."
Mr Fallon said the increase in people cycling could be attributed to the reduction in the number of heavy goods vehicles in the city centre.
Since the introduction of a ban on some heavy goods vehicles in the city centre, the number of commercial vehicles crossing the canal cordon during morning peak hours has fallen 54 per cent between 2003 and 2008.
The number of pedestrians crossing into the city centre fell 1 per cent on last year's figures.
Between 2003 and 2008, Dublin Bus accounted for a daily average of 80 per cent of the buses that crossed into the city centre. During that time, the number of buses from the company rose 17 per cent, while independently operated services rose 13 per cent.
In the 12-month period to 2008, 11 per cent more Dublin Bus vehicles were recorded in the city centre, but independent services fell 17 per cent.
Fine Gael Seanad transport spokesman Senator Paschal Donohoe said the Government’s attempts at encouraging public transport use had "clearly failed".
"The city is now grinding to a halt, with further chaos likely if the bus strike goes ahead. Traffic congestion is
strangling the city’s commercial and social life. Congestion is costing Dublin’s businesses at least €650 million a year," he said.
“We need simple and effective steps to get the city moving again in the short term, especially if work on Metro North gets underway."
He called for new bus routes to be opened up in areas with growing populations, the extension of the city's co-ordinated traffic light system and the roll-out of the live information system for Dublin Bus.
He also suggested that the new Dublin transport authority should be fast-tracked to allow for centralised planning and traffic management.
“As a city already suffering from serious congestion, Dublin simply cannot afford for further rises in car use," Mr Donohoe said.
Green Party transport spokesman Ciarán Cuffe said the increase in cyclist numbers was welcome, but said radical reform of bus services and traffic management in Dublin city was needed.
"The next step must be the creation of a network of safe cycle routes all across the city. Many people are afraid to cycle in traffic because of the fear of being struck by a lorry or car. I also want the gardaí to apply more
resources to enforcing the speed limits, as speeding cars are a danger to vulnerable road users," he said.
Mr Cuffe called on Fine Gael to support the proposals for the provision of a bus gate at College Green
Dublin city councillors are due to vote on the plan, will create a public-transport-only route from Dame Street across College Green to Westmoreland Street, with restrictions for traffic coming from D’Olier Street around College Green and into Dame Street.
"Fine Gael cannot call for improvements in public transport while their own councillors oppose the bus gate proposal," he said.
Irish Times
Monday, April 6, 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
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
Capital’s controversial €5bn metro could be on track by 2015
DUBLIN’S metro system could be fully operational by 2015 if planning permission for the e5 billion project is granted this year.
A public hearing of An Bord Pleanála yesterday heard that the controversial underground light rail system is the biggest public infrastructural project in the history of the state.
The Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) — overseeing the planning of the metro — said it would create 4,000 jobs during the construction phase, and another 2,000 indirectly. "If approved, it will bring a myriad of benefits to our capital city," said James Connolly SC, for the RPA.
Separately, Transport Minister Noel Dempsey hit out at critics yesterday who suggested the project should not go ahead due to the economic downturn.
Addressing a conference in north Dublin, Mr Dempsey said opponents of the metro had made "ill-informed" and "ignorant" remarks in claiming it required future growth to justify its construction. Mr Dempsey said he would be recommending that the Government approve funding. .
"I can assure you that I’ll be recommending it go ahead if it represents good value for the taxpayer. Every analysis, internal and external, says there is a very strong economic case," said Mr Dempsey.
The minister pointed out that average car journey time between Swords and the city centre was 81 minutes, compared with around 30 minutes by the metro.
Meanwhile, Mr Connolly told the hearing it was hoped construction could begin next year, with completion of the metro by 2015. The 18-km route will run from St Stephen’s Green to Belinstown, 2km north of Swords.
"It will be a fast, reliable regular and efficient transport option for north Dublin," he said, adding that the metro would carry 35 million passengers in its first year and would be staffed by 350. Trains will generally operate from 5am-1am and run at four-minute intervals at peak period, carrying 20,000 passengers in each direction on an hourly basis.
The RPA said the metro would reduce traffic congestion, while creative a positive image of Dublin.
Mr Connolly said a comprehensive traffic management plan would have to be introduced to facilitate work on the construction of the metro. However, the RPA has predicted average peak-hour bus speeds will increase as a result of restrictions on private cars around College Green.
Several statues on O’Connell Street, including those of Daniel O’Connell and Jim Larkin, will be temporarily removed to the National Museum, while 20% of space in St Stephen’s Green will also be required for storage work which will result in the temporary removal of the Fusiliers’ Arch.
A temporary bridge will also be built over the River Liffey between Eden Quay and Burgh Quay, while 150 bus routes will be altered.
Addressing the fears of residents, Mr Connolly said the RPA was satisfied that the tunnel (at a general depth of 20 metres) will be sufficiently deep that its construction should not adversely affect any buildings directly overhead. However, he said the RPA had introduced a fast-track protection scheme for property owners along the route providing compensation of up to e30,000.
Mr Connolly said it was not releasing any estimate about its projected cost for commercial reasons.
The hearing is expected to last around eight weeks.
Irish Examiner
A public hearing of An Bord Pleanála yesterday heard that the controversial underground light rail system is the biggest public infrastructural project in the history of the state.
The Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) — overseeing the planning of the metro — said it would create 4,000 jobs during the construction phase, and another 2,000 indirectly. "If approved, it will bring a myriad of benefits to our capital city," said James Connolly SC, for the RPA.
Separately, Transport Minister Noel Dempsey hit out at critics yesterday who suggested the project should not go ahead due to the economic downturn.
Addressing a conference in north Dublin, Mr Dempsey said opponents of the metro had made "ill-informed" and "ignorant" remarks in claiming it required future growth to justify its construction. Mr Dempsey said he would be recommending that the Government approve funding. .
"I can assure you that I’ll be recommending it go ahead if it represents good value for the taxpayer. Every analysis, internal and external, says there is a very strong economic case," said Mr Dempsey.
The minister pointed out that average car journey time between Swords and the city centre was 81 minutes, compared with around 30 minutes by the metro.
Meanwhile, Mr Connolly told the hearing it was hoped construction could begin next year, with completion of the metro by 2015. The 18-km route will run from St Stephen’s Green to Belinstown, 2km north of Swords.
"It will be a fast, reliable regular and efficient transport option for north Dublin," he said, adding that the metro would carry 35 million passengers in its first year and would be staffed by 350. Trains will generally operate from 5am-1am and run at four-minute intervals at peak period, carrying 20,000 passengers in each direction on an hourly basis.
The RPA said the metro would reduce traffic congestion, while creative a positive image of Dublin.
Mr Connolly said a comprehensive traffic management plan would have to be introduced to facilitate work on the construction of the metro. However, the RPA has predicted average peak-hour bus speeds will increase as a result of restrictions on private cars around College Green.
Several statues on O’Connell Street, including those of Daniel O’Connell and Jim Larkin, will be temporarily removed to the National Museum, while 20% of space in St Stephen’s Green will also be required for storage work which will result in the temporary removal of the Fusiliers’ Arch.
A temporary bridge will also be built over the River Liffey between Eden Quay and Burgh Quay, while 150 bus routes will be altered.
Addressing the fears of residents, Mr Connolly said the RPA was satisfied that the tunnel (at a general depth of 20 metres) will be sufficiently deep that its construction should not adversely affect any buildings directly overhead. However, he said the RPA had introduced a fast-track protection scheme for property owners along the route providing compensation of up to e30,000.
Mr Connolly said it was not releasing any estimate about its projected cost for commercial reasons.
The hearing is expected to last around eight weeks.
Irish Examiner
Monday, March 9, 2009
Turning the corner in social housing design
YORK STREET flats were the last real slums in Dublin to survive into the 21st century, and probably provided a setting for films that needed an authentic "tenement" backdrop. But now they've been replaced by a superb social housing scheme that would put even the most "exclusive" private sector apartments to shame.
"The old flats were really appalling," says architect Seán Harrington, whose firm designed the replacement housing.
A Georgian terrace, rebuilt in 1949, the block contained 99 apartments, 45 of which faced northwards onto the street and the rest faced south, looking out over bleak concrete yards with washing lines.
Harrington is a committed architect who is passionate about housing. His "learning curve" in this area was a competition, sponsored by Dublin City Council, for an affordable housing scheme on Holles Street; a complex public-private partnership (PPP) project, it is only now nearing completion six long years later.
"When we came on the scene in York Street, the city council had already decided to demolish the flats," he recalls. "We said we wanted to meet the remaining residents to find out what their needs, wants and worries were, and to introduce them to the design process, instead of just getting what they would be given.
"We had some experience of this in Ballymun and also in the UK and, although it can be difficult, it can also be very rewarding. As architects, it's great to meet the people you're housing because it focuses you in a way and makes you do a good job. So we ended up having 10 meetings in Aungier Street community centre."
By then, less than 60 of the York Street flats were occupied and the city council had agreed to sell a third of the site to the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, whose main teaching building is directly opposite.
The flats were also plagued by "quite serious crime, health and safety issues", according to Seán Harrington.
The brief was to provide 66 new homes on a relatively tight site, and the residents made it clear that they wanted a variety of apartments, duplex units and townhouses.
"Right at the beginning, they also said the things we wanted to hear about building 'eco-homes' with waste control and even a composter," he says.
Architecturally, the new building turns the corner at York Street and Mercer Street, heralding its presence with a flourish; previously, there was only a blank gable here. It is arranged around a Scandinavian-style courtyard, divided into useful compartments - including a sedum-roofed and timber-clad recycling centre.
Rainwater is harvested in large stainless steel drums, from which it can be drawn to water a variety of shrubs, vegetables and fruit trees. There's also a seating area, which conceals the basement carpark vents, a playspace for kids and a portico formed by a pair of salvaged Georgian doorcases, set back-to-back. The apartments, all dual-aspect, are arranged in a U-shaped block around the courtyard, with five cores of lifts and staircases serving just two apartments per floor.
To the rear, where the back yards used to be, there is a range of three-storey mews buildings - separated from each other to let the sun come through.
The footprint of the apartment and mews pavilions is quite shallow, at just 11 metres (compared to 13 or 14 metres for most private apartments). Spatially, they are very generous, with 85sq m (915sq ft) for two-bed apartments and nearly 110sq m (1,184sq ft) for three-bedroom duplexes - well ahead of minimum standards.
With the city council's backing, Seán Harrington Architects extended the environmental agenda to include very high levels of insulation (using sheep's wool, incidentally) as well as glazed shutters on balconies, so that they can become winter gardens, and solar thermal panels on the roof, to supplement gas boilers.
"We just thought that all of this was best practice, even though it was way in excess of Building Regulations at the time," Harrington says. "As a result, each home in the scheme will have a BER (Building Energy Rating) of A3 or B1, which is still higher than what's required by the latest Building Regulations."
As if that wasn't enough, all of the timber joists in the old flats were salvaged and re-used in the timber-frame construction of the new mews housing as well as "green" cement from Ecocem for the concrete casting.
Even MDF was shunned in favour of plywood and chipboard for the kitchen units and wardrobes.
There are no PVC drainpipes either; stainless steel was used instead. Lime mortar, rather than cement, was used to point the brickwork, which is "stacked" on the street elevations to show that it is merely a cladding material. And every balcony has been supplied with a built-in planter - another Scandinavian touch (project architect Jim Roche lived in Finland for a while).
On both street frontages, steel bands delineate the extent of each apartment while the projecting bay windows all have side windows in different colours to give a sense of individuality. "But street elevations in a sensitive location like this need to be polite and have certain uniformity," Harrington says.
Echoing the Georgian idiom, a railed dry moat on York Street "keeps people away from the windows", with short bridges leading to entrances.
Granite gate piers were carved to provide children's seats and the architects have even designed a 10-panel art work in baked enamel illustrating the area's history.
On Mercer Street, the balconies are diagonally arranged so that residents enjoying the afternoon sun will always just have the sky over their heads.
The balustrades are also solid, rather than glazed, to provide a greater degree of privacy - and also to conceal bikes and toys that would otherwise be visible. In the seven-storey corner tower, rendered in cobalt blue, the balconies are "stacked like drawers" to reinforce its verticality.
Solar panels are integrated into the design, as is a south-facing roof garden from which there are great views; pity about the incessant noise from the Mercer Hotel's air-handling units opposite.
Extract vents from the plant rooms read like Georgian chimneys - a device also used by Grafton Architects on their great new building for the Department of Finance on Merrion Row. It is also possible to see right through the apartment block on York Street to the garden, or rather "outdoor room", in the courtyard.
The completed scheme, with its lavishly furnished showflats (all with lots of storage space), contrasts with the grim blocks of flats on the west side of Mercer Street, built by Dublin Corporation in the 1970s - none of which addresses the street; they're almost crying out for demolition and replacement.
Built by McNamara for €16 million (including fees), the York Street housing may be the swansong of a particular form of procurement and seems unlikely to be replicated elsewhere.
The critical thing now is that it gets good estate management, most effectively involving its justifiably delighted residents.
The Irish Times
"The old flats were really appalling," says architect Seán Harrington, whose firm designed the replacement housing.
A Georgian terrace, rebuilt in 1949, the block contained 99 apartments, 45 of which faced northwards onto the street and the rest faced south, looking out over bleak concrete yards with washing lines.
Harrington is a committed architect who is passionate about housing. His "learning curve" in this area was a competition, sponsored by Dublin City Council, for an affordable housing scheme on Holles Street; a complex public-private partnership (PPP) project, it is only now nearing completion six long years later.
"When we came on the scene in York Street, the city council had already decided to demolish the flats," he recalls. "We said we wanted to meet the remaining residents to find out what their needs, wants and worries were, and to introduce them to the design process, instead of just getting what they would be given.
"We had some experience of this in Ballymun and also in the UK and, although it can be difficult, it can also be very rewarding. As architects, it's great to meet the people you're housing because it focuses you in a way and makes you do a good job. So we ended up having 10 meetings in Aungier Street community centre."
By then, less than 60 of the York Street flats were occupied and the city council had agreed to sell a third of the site to the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, whose main teaching building is directly opposite.
The flats were also plagued by "quite serious crime, health and safety issues", according to Seán Harrington.
The brief was to provide 66 new homes on a relatively tight site, and the residents made it clear that they wanted a variety of apartments, duplex units and townhouses.
"Right at the beginning, they also said the things we wanted to hear about building 'eco-homes' with waste control and even a composter," he says.
Architecturally, the new building turns the corner at York Street and Mercer Street, heralding its presence with a flourish; previously, there was only a blank gable here. It is arranged around a Scandinavian-style courtyard, divided into useful compartments - including a sedum-roofed and timber-clad recycling centre.
Rainwater is harvested in large stainless steel drums, from which it can be drawn to water a variety of shrubs, vegetables and fruit trees. There's also a seating area, which conceals the basement carpark vents, a playspace for kids and a portico formed by a pair of salvaged Georgian doorcases, set back-to-back. The apartments, all dual-aspect, are arranged in a U-shaped block around the courtyard, with five cores of lifts and staircases serving just two apartments per floor.
To the rear, where the back yards used to be, there is a range of three-storey mews buildings - separated from each other to let the sun come through.
The footprint of the apartment and mews pavilions is quite shallow, at just 11 metres (compared to 13 or 14 metres for most private apartments). Spatially, they are very generous, with 85sq m (915sq ft) for two-bed apartments and nearly 110sq m (1,184sq ft) for three-bedroom duplexes - well ahead of minimum standards.
With the city council's backing, Seán Harrington Architects extended the environmental agenda to include very high levels of insulation (using sheep's wool, incidentally) as well as glazed shutters on balconies, so that they can become winter gardens, and solar thermal panels on the roof, to supplement gas boilers.
"We just thought that all of this was best practice, even though it was way in excess of Building Regulations at the time," Harrington says. "As a result, each home in the scheme will have a BER (Building Energy Rating) of A3 or B1, which is still higher than what's required by the latest Building Regulations."
As if that wasn't enough, all of the timber joists in the old flats were salvaged and re-used in the timber-frame construction of the new mews housing as well as "green" cement from Ecocem for the concrete casting.
Even MDF was shunned in favour of plywood and chipboard for the kitchen units and wardrobes.
There are no PVC drainpipes either; stainless steel was used instead. Lime mortar, rather than cement, was used to point the brickwork, which is "stacked" on the street elevations to show that it is merely a cladding material. And every balcony has been supplied with a built-in planter - another Scandinavian touch (project architect Jim Roche lived in Finland for a while).
On both street frontages, steel bands delineate the extent of each apartment while the projecting bay windows all have side windows in different colours to give a sense of individuality. "But street elevations in a sensitive location like this need to be polite and have certain uniformity," Harrington says.
Echoing the Georgian idiom, a railed dry moat on York Street "keeps people away from the windows", with short bridges leading to entrances.
Granite gate piers were carved to provide children's seats and the architects have even designed a 10-panel art work in baked enamel illustrating the area's history.
On Mercer Street, the balconies are diagonally arranged so that residents enjoying the afternoon sun will always just have the sky over their heads.
The balustrades are also solid, rather than glazed, to provide a greater degree of privacy - and also to conceal bikes and toys that would otherwise be visible. In the seven-storey corner tower, rendered in cobalt blue, the balconies are "stacked like drawers" to reinforce its verticality.
Solar panels are integrated into the design, as is a south-facing roof garden from which there are great views; pity about the incessant noise from the Mercer Hotel's air-handling units opposite.
Extract vents from the plant rooms read like Georgian chimneys - a device also used by Grafton Architects on their great new building for the Department of Finance on Merrion Row. It is also possible to see right through the apartment block on York Street to the garden, or rather "outdoor room", in the courtyard.
The completed scheme, with its lavishly furnished showflats (all with lots of storage space), contrasts with the grim blocks of flats on the west side of Mercer Street, built by Dublin Corporation in the 1970s - none of which addresses the street; they're almost crying out for demolition and replacement.
Built by McNamara for €16 million (including fees), the York Street housing may be the swansong of a particular form of procurement and seems unlikely to be replicated elsewhere.
The critical thing now is that it gets good estate management, most effectively involving its justifiably delighted residents.
The Irish Times
Wad River Blog is Online!
This blog was set up by the emerald housing co-operative as a forum of communication for ideas on sustainable living in Ballymun. We invite everyone to contribute to the blog with information such as local news, project updates and also anything you stumble upon that might be of interest to the future sustainable community that will be living at Wad river road!
it is very simple to add posts and comments so don;t be shy in adding content!
it is very simple to add posts and comments so don;t be shy in adding content!
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Brakes are on and plans are on hold, but Treasury says it's in it for long haul
TREASURY HOLDINGS: Even in a recession and with the commercial property market in the doldrums, Treasury Holdings is building two major office schemes in Dublin – with not a single tenant yet lined up
TWENTY YEARS after it was conceived as a project and following three competitions for the tender to build it, the National Conference Centre (NCC) is well under way at Spencer Dock, on a pivotal Liffeyside site controlled by developers Treasury Holdings – and it looks as if the massive building will be completed on schedule by September 2010.
Richard Barrett and Johnny Ronan, who own Treasury and its multiplicity of subsidiaries and who control two publicly quoted companies – Real Estate Opportunities (REO) and China Real Estate Opportunities (CREO) – are old hands at the property game and show no signs of cashing in their chips at this stage; they’re in it for the long haul.
Even at a time of recession and with the commercial property market in the doldrums, they are building two major office schemes – one called Montevetro in the Grand Canal Dock, funded by a 50 per cent pre-sale to a Quinlan Private syndicate, and the other at Central Park, Leopardstown, in partnership with David Arnold and Derek Quinlan. This bullish behaviour is remarkable when
not a single tenant has yet been lined up for either scheme, which will deliver 18,600sq m and 16,700sq m of office space respectively.
As a result, it is likely that No 1 Central Park will be built only to “shell and core” until tenants are found, by offering rental levels 50 per cent lower than in the city.
However, plans for two major golf resorts in the Dublin area are “on hold” – at Milverton, Skerries, where there is full planning permission for a 300-bedroom “green” hotel, 50 houses and two Arnold Palmer-designed golf courses, and Roundwood Park, Co Wicklow (bought for €17 million in 2005) where a similar scheme is being planned.
“We’re bullish by nature but, in this market, we would be absolutely mad to press the button [on either scheme] unless we had pre-takers committed,” said John Bruder, Treasury’s managing director for Ireland. Its experience with the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Enniskerry, which cut rates since it opened in October 2007, has been salutary.
Other major plans are being delayed for one reason or another.
The huge Ballymun town centre, with 60,000 sq metres of retail space at its core, is under appeal to An Bord Pleanála.
One of the appellants is N1 Property Holdings, owner of Northside shopping centre; it is controlled by Brian O’Farrell, who ironically is a partner in the Milverton scheme.
O’Farrell, who is planning to replace Northside with a much larger shopping centre, fell out with Barrett and Ronan over his acquisition of the property, in which REO had a 21 per cent stake. After a case came before the High Court, O’Farrell paid a total of €100 million to buy out AIB Investment Managers and REO, which received nearly €30 million.
Last month, Treasury initiated a High Court action against docklands entrepreneur and impresario Harry Crosbie, seeking to compel him to pay his alleged €3 million share of a €19 million bill relating to the development of Spencer Dock, in which he has a stake. Crosbie counterclaims that Treasury owes him €70 million.
Meanwhile, progress on Ballymun has been slow.
Nine years ago, Treasury paid Sisk Properties €8 million for its 500–year lease on the eight-acre town centre site. It then claimed that it was entitled to acquire Dublin City Council’s freehold title and a further six acres for €25 million. The council held out though and was paid nearly €60 million.
Treasury’s much-revised scheme for Stillorgan shopping centre, which Barrett and Ronan bought in 1996, will not proceed for at least two years, although a local area plan was adopted in late 2007. This plan also covers two other Treasury properties (Blake’s and Stillorgan Leisureplex), which brought its holding in the area to more than 13 acres.
In Sligo, full planning permission for another long- delayed shopping centre was granted last December, but construction cannot get under way until the borough council completes a compulsory purchase order for parts of the site.
“We have sufficient tenant interest that it could start very quick, by the end of this year,” according to John Bruder.
He also said that a planning application for the proposed container port at Bremore in north Co Dublin, would probably be made in the first quarter of 2010. An environmental impact statement is currently being prepared, including reference to the sensitive archaeology of the area, although he believes that this could be “worked around”.
The new deepwater port, a joint venture between REO and Drogheda Port with Hong Kong maritime conglomerate Hutchison Whampoa lined up to develop the master plan, could ultimately replace Dublin Port if the Government was to decide that it should be relocated; one of Bremore’s selling points is its close proximity to the M1 motorway.
It was Treasury’s Chinese connections that led to the acquisition of Battersea power station in London.
Based in Shanghai since 2003, Richard Barrett heard at a dinner party that Hong Kong property tycoons George and Victor Hwang were willing to sell the 38-acre site – and the deal was finally done in November 2006 for £400 million. This equated to almost €600 million at the time – an enormous sum, reflecting the fact that it was close to the peak of the property boom. REO was the vehicle used to acquire the old power station with its iconic table-leg chimneys, availing of a £185 million “debt facility” from HBOS; the bank later lent £110 million to buy adjoining properties.
Uruguay-born “starchitect” Rafael Violy was commissioned to draw up the master plan, unveiled last June, which included a transparent tower 300 metres high. This element of the huge ecologically branded scheme generated strong opposition, even from London mayor Boris Johnson, mainly because of its impact on views of Westminster.
The controversial tower has now been dropped and Violy is recasting his master plan with a view to REO making a planning application later this year.
However, Battersea power station has been the subject of
so many unrealised plans by different developers over the past 20 years that it seems as if some sort of jinx hangs over it.
In the meantime, REO has been revaluing its property portfolio, which was reportedly worth €2.4 billion at the end of 2007. Six months later, net asset values had fallen by 7 per cent and they are bound to have taken another tumble since then.
As company chairman Ray Horney said, REO could not have “remained immune” to the downturn. Neither, it seems, will CREO.
The prospect that China would have immunity to a global economic recession has evaporated, with up to 40 million workers in danger of losing their jobs as the country’s extraordinary export-led boom fizzles out and hundreds of factories close down due to the worldwide drop in demand for their products.
Series concluded.
Irish Times
TWENTY YEARS after it was conceived as a project and following three competitions for the tender to build it, the National Conference Centre (NCC) is well under way at Spencer Dock, on a pivotal Liffeyside site controlled by developers Treasury Holdings – and it looks as if the massive building will be completed on schedule by September 2010.
Richard Barrett and Johnny Ronan, who own Treasury and its multiplicity of subsidiaries and who control two publicly quoted companies – Real Estate Opportunities (REO) and China Real Estate Opportunities (CREO) – are old hands at the property game and show no signs of cashing in their chips at this stage; they’re in it for the long haul.
Even at a time of recession and with the commercial property market in the doldrums, they are building two major office schemes – one called Montevetro in the Grand Canal Dock, funded by a 50 per cent pre-sale to a Quinlan Private syndicate, and the other at Central Park, Leopardstown, in partnership with David Arnold and Derek Quinlan. This bullish behaviour is remarkable when
not a single tenant has yet been lined up for either scheme, which will deliver 18,600sq m and 16,700sq m of office space respectively.
As a result, it is likely that No 1 Central Park will be built only to “shell and core” until tenants are found, by offering rental levels 50 per cent lower than in the city.
However, plans for two major golf resorts in the Dublin area are “on hold” – at Milverton, Skerries, where there is full planning permission for a 300-bedroom “green” hotel, 50 houses and two Arnold Palmer-designed golf courses, and Roundwood Park, Co Wicklow (bought for €17 million in 2005) where a similar scheme is being planned.
“We’re bullish by nature but, in this market, we would be absolutely mad to press the button [on either scheme] unless we had pre-takers committed,” said John Bruder, Treasury’s managing director for Ireland. Its experience with the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Enniskerry, which cut rates since it opened in October 2007, has been salutary.
Other major plans are being delayed for one reason or another.
The huge Ballymun town centre, with 60,000 sq metres of retail space at its core, is under appeal to An Bord Pleanála.
One of the appellants is N1 Property Holdings, owner of Northside shopping centre; it is controlled by Brian O’Farrell, who ironically is a partner in the Milverton scheme.
O’Farrell, who is planning to replace Northside with a much larger shopping centre, fell out with Barrett and Ronan over his acquisition of the property, in which REO had a 21 per cent stake. After a case came before the High Court, O’Farrell paid a total of €100 million to buy out AIB Investment Managers and REO, which received nearly €30 million.
Last month, Treasury initiated a High Court action against docklands entrepreneur and impresario Harry Crosbie, seeking to compel him to pay his alleged €3 million share of a €19 million bill relating to the development of Spencer Dock, in which he has a stake. Crosbie counterclaims that Treasury owes him €70 million.
Meanwhile, progress on Ballymun has been slow.
Nine years ago, Treasury paid Sisk Properties €8 million for its 500–year lease on the eight-acre town centre site. It then claimed that it was entitled to acquire Dublin City Council’s freehold title and a further six acres for €25 million. The council held out though and was paid nearly €60 million.
Treasury’s much-revised scheme for Stillorgan shopping centre, which Barrett and Ronan bought in 1996, will not proceed for at least two years, although a local area plan was adopted in late 2007. This plan also covers two other Treasury properties (Blake’s and Stillorgan Leisureplex), which brought its holding in the area to more than 13 acres.
In Sligo, full planning permission for another long- delayed shopping centre was granted last December, but construction cannot get under way until the borough council completes a compulsory purchase order for parts of the site.
“We have sufficient tenant interest that it could start very quick, by the end of this year,” according to John Bruder.
He also said that a planning application for the proposed container port at Bremore in north Co Dublin, would probably be made in the first quarter of 2010. An environmental impact statement is currently being prepared, including reference to the sensitive archaeology of the area, although he believes that this could be “worked around”.
The new deepwater port, a joint venture between REO and Drogheda Port with Hong Kong maritime conglomerate Hutchison Whampoa lined up to develop the master plan, could ultimately replace Dublin Port if the Government was to decide that it should be relocated; one of Bremore’s selling points is its close proximity to the M1 motorway.
It was Treasury’s Chinese connections that led to the acquisition of Battersea power station in London.
Based in Shanghai since 2003, Richard Barrett heard at a dinner party that Hong Kong property tycoons George and Victor Hwang were willing to sell the 38-acre site – and the deal was finally done in November 2006 for £400 million. This equated to almost €600 million at the time – an enormous sum, reflecting the fact that it was close to the peak of the property boom. REO was the vehicle used to acquire the old power station with its iconic table-leg chimneys, availing of a £185 million “debt facility” from HBOS; the bank later lent £110 million to buy adjoining properties.
Uruguay-born “starchitect” Rafael Violy was commissioned to draw up the master plan, unveiled last June, which included a transparent tower 300 metres high. This element of the huge ecologically branded scheme generated strong opposition, even from London mayor Boris Johnson, mainly because of its impact on views of Westminster.
The controversial tower has now been dropped and Violy is recasting his master plan with a view to REO making a planning application later this year.
However, Battersea power station has been the subject of
so many unrealised plans by different developers over the past 20 years that it seems as if some sort of jinx hangs over it.
In the meantime, REO has been revaluing its property portfolio, which was reportedly worth €2.4 billion at the end of 2007. Six months later, net asset values had fallen by 7 per cent and they are bound to have taken another tumble since then.
As company chairman Ray Horney said, REO could not have “remained immune” to the downturn. Neither, it seems, will CREO.
The prospect that China would have immunity to a global economic recession has evaporated, with up to 40 million workers in danger of losing their jobs as the country’s extraordinary export-led boom fizzles out and hundreds of factories close down due to the worldwide drop in demand for their products.
Series concluded.
Irish Times
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