HARP project much more than music in Smithfield

Recent pop concerts and the resurgence of the "civic space" at Smithfield are indications that Dublin Corporation's HARP project is working.

But the project, an integrated approach to planning involving a range of features from new urban design to employment, education and commercial incentives through tax-breaks, covers an area broader than Smithfield.

It may see up to £1 billion (1.27bn) in public and private funds invested in the area by the end of 2003 - just in time for the arrival of the first Luas trams. There are six major corporation flats schemes in the area, a total of 469 flats in an area which spans O'Connell Street to the former Collins barracks and from the Liffey to the Richmond Hospital complex.

The corporation has not backed away from issues such as schooling and employment on the grounds that other state agencies are responsible.

Its plan to regenerate the inner city recognises the need to be pro-active and to bring in a committee of members of the public and other state agencies.

In commercial terms, Henry Street and Mary Street are undergoing a significant change in urban design to increase the vitality of the shopping precinct for the 33 million people who visit the area each year.

The main elements of the corporation's plan for the streets include the replacement of the existing street surface, using quality stones such as granite and wall-to-wall paving in a variety of colours and textures.

Access will be provided for the disabled and street furniture such as light standards, bins, telephones and so on will be integrated in the overall plan. Owners are being encouraged to redesign existing shopfronts and the upper floors of much of the area have been designated for tax relief as an incentive towards refurbishment.

Detailed plans for Capel Street and the markets area are also being prepared while improvement schemes are in train for Ormonde Square, Father Matthew Square, New Street/Church Terrace/ Church Avenue West, as well as Halston and Green streets, the Four Courts and the north quays.

In employment terms, the corporation insists that minimum levels of local employment are provided in all its own developments while a six-enterprise unit at Oxmanstown Lane is now complete.

The North King Street Community Resource Centre project involves the corporation and local committees meeting fortnightly, in some cases to plan the detailed design and use of the proposed centre.

Training for early school leavers is also being organised, particularly in computer work, and links with large employers such as Eircom, who are physically present in the area, have been developed. The LSB College, Aungier Street, in conjunction with the corporation is sponsoring students from the North Brunswick School to do a degree in management and information systems at the college.

Conservation projects which have been grant aided by the project include St Michan's Church, Coleraine House and George's Hill chapel.

The corporation has recently met with private owners of property in Henrietta Street, recognising the architectural heritage of the area and bringing together private and institutional owners to come up with a preservation plan. Proposals to designate the Street as a as an "architectural conservation area" are now well advanced. Physical improvements undertaken by the corporation directly include the Liffey Boardwalk, Millennium Bridge and the restoration of the fruit and vegetable market buildings.