Residents ‘demoralised’ by slow pace of regeneration

RESIDENTS living in a dilapidated social housing complex on the Southside say they are demoralised because of the slow pace of regeneration of the area.

Dublin City Council recently demolished two of the 16 blocks at St Teresa’s Gardens in Dolphin’s Barn.

The blocks that were demolished were vacant and in poor condition. According to the council, the demolition marked the first phase of the regeneration of the complex.

However, a recent survey carried out by the St Teresa’s Gardens Regeneration Board found that of the slightly more than 100 families who still live in the complex, about 80 per cent want to leave the flats.

The council says it is still in the process of drawing up a master plan for the area, but it says this will take three years to complete. The construction of 65 new units will take another 18 months after that although the Department of the Environment has not yet agreed to fund their construction.

Kris Taylor, who is a resident of Teresa’s Gardens and is also a member of the Regeneration Board, said the remaining tenants were

“demoralised

? because of the slow pace of progress.

“People are demoralised because the pace of regeneration is so slow, and because the funding for the rebuild hasn’t been guaranteed by the Department of the Environment,

? she said.

According to Ms Taylor, tenants were faced with a myriad of problems including damp flats, electrical problems, overflowing drains, sewage, anti-social behaviour and

“isolation

? on a daily basis.

“Because of the way de-tenanting has happened, some people are just left in blocks where there are just one or two people. That means they would be the only flat on the balcony.

“There are so many flats that are boarded up. The general cleanliness of the place is appalling.

?

However, despite the fact the that the survey found that a majority of the remaining tenants wanted to move out of the estate, she claimed that many of those who had already moved out wanted to move back into the complex.

“Many people who have moved out want to come back because they miss the community spirit,

? she stated.

Bernadette Quirke has lived with her four children in a flat in St Teresa’s Gardens for two and half years, but she has lived in the estate for 14 years in total.

“The flat is destroyed with damp,

? she said.

“Water is coming in from windows that don’t have any holes.

“I have bronchial asthma and the youngest young fella suffers bad with asthma. I’m in bits with the asthma.

“We wear dressing gowns going to bed because it is so cold. You put the heating on for an hour or two and it’s lovely and warm, but once you turn it off it’s freezing.

?

St Teresa’s Gardens was identified as a regeneration site in 2005, and was signaled for redevelopment via a public private partnership. However, in 2008 the PPP collapsed.

Cllr Criona Ni Dhalaigh (SF) said it was unacceptable that people have had to endure the conditions at the flats.

“I commend the residents for continuing their fight for the promised regeneration but I realise they are battle weary at the painfully slow progress being made,

? she said.

“The demolition is very welcome but it is only a small piece in the jigsaw. Residents cannot be expected to stay onsite with no guarantee of the necessary funding for the new build.

?

A spokesperson for Dublin City Council said the regeneration of the area was a

“priority

? for the council, as the accommodation the estate provides to tenants

“is not compatible with modern expectations

?.

“The development of a master plan that broadly sets out the aspirations and ambitions of the city council for the lands will allow the council to seek planning permission and funding for the replacement social houses to be built along the Eugene Street boundary,

? the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added that the council had substantially tackled sewerage problems in the flats after it cleaned out pipes in August 2011.

In addition, she said the council had investigated some 44 complaints of dampness in 38 units in the last 12 months, but had found that the cause was

“condensation

? and

“there were no cases of damp

?.

She also pointed out that there had been four cases in the last 12 months when the electricity supply was interrupted to the four blocks affected. She said the electricity cuts were a direct result of vandalism to the meter rooms.