THERE was relief in a Northside suburb last week when it was announced that funding is to be provided for a housing project, finally bringing to an end a campaign lasting 10 years.
A total of
?¬7.9 million in funding will see 35 new houses built at Lower Buttercup Estate in Darndale. Minister for Housing and Planning, Jan O’Sullivan, visited Darndale to deliver the news in person.
The money is being provided as apart of a
?¬68 million two-year national local authority house building initiative.
Susan French, a member of Darndale Tenants and Residents’ Association, is one of the local residents who was involved in the campaign from the outset all those years ago.
Ms French described the news as a mixture of delight and relief, given that residents have been
“tormented
? by anti-social behaviour due to the layout of the estate.
“It’s been 10 years since we started the campaign,
? Ms French told Northside People.
“It’s fantastic news for the local residents and we’re delighted. It’s a very positive development for the area.
“The last six years has been particularly tough and due to the downturn in the economy, I just thought it would never happen.
“Almost every day over the last five years, people were stopping me in the street and asking me had I heard any news as I was their point of contact.
“It was very disheartening to have to tell them all the time that I had heard nothing.
?
Ms French said residents were also in limbo for years because they didn’t know whether to decorate their homes, knowing that an announcement could be made at any time that they would be knocked down.
“My advice to them was not to put money into them just in case,
? she stated.
“It was a very difficult time.
“When improvement work was done in the area many years ago in phases, this area of Buttercup was left out.
“It was the only area that was left with laneways beside the houses and this was a magnet for anti-social behaviour. Residents in about 50 houses were affected.
“There were no gardens as such and residents had no privacy. It was very distressing for them. It was also scary at times, especially for people making deliveries and people visiting their families. You’d be embarrassed to ask people to visit you. It was very depressing.
?
Ms French, who has been living in the area for 36 years, said there will be 35 new three-bedroom houses built as part of the project.
“There will be no laneways or alleyways for people to congregate and cul-de-sacs will be an important feature of the new layout,
? she stated.
“This will prevent the anti-social behaviour we had to put up with before. The new homes will be more private and the occupants will take great pride in them.
?
Ms French said the tenants and residents’ association worked very closely with Dublin City Council over many years in a bid ot get the project over the line.
In particular, she praised council officials John Egan and Martina McHugh for all their support.
“There was a lot of public consultation and a lot of work went into the campaign over the years,
? she added.
“I would also like to thank the residents for their patience – they have been through an awful lot over the years.
?
Cllr Larry O’Toole (SF), a Darndale resident, commended the members of the local community who campaigned with him for many years to bring the project to fruition.
“I wish to thank the local residents for their tremendous efforts during the campaign,
? he said.
“They never gave up. I would also like to acknowledge the support of the Dublin City Council local office and in particular, John Egan, for sticking with us on this project.
?
Cllr O’Toole added:
“The work will now go out to tender and hopefully builders will be on site in a matter of weeks.
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