Life on a wasteland of derelict blocks fallen foul of downturn

It is 15 months since permission for the O’Devaney Gardens project was granted

On the side of every flat block and on corners throughout the estate, there are signs advertising the O’Devaney Gardens regeneration project. At this stage, they are an affront to the remaining residents.

It is almost nine years since the redevelopment proposals were put forward; just under seven since the then housing minister Noel Ahern confirmed the plans for a €180 million regeneration as a public-private partnership (PPP). Dublin City Council now says there is no funding for the project, which has been put on hold.

It is more than six years since developer Bernard McNamara was awarded the contract to redevelop the estate with a mix of social, affordable and private housing, along with shops, community facilities and some offices. It is four years since the PPP agreement fell apart.

Following the collapse of the deals with McNamara, which affected not only O’Devaney Gardens but the regeneration programmes for the flat complexes of Dominick Street and St Michael’s Estate, Dublin City Council developed plans to replace social housing in these estates, with commercial and private development to follow at later when the market recovered.

The plans published by the council in December 2008 proposed starting construction of housing at O’Devaney Gardens in 2011 with the first social houses to be completed by the end of 2012. It is two years since the council submitted plans to An Bord Pleanála for the €32 million project and 15 months since permission was granted. Not a sod has been turned.

Demolition

Almost all of the 276 flats have been emptied, a process which began when the original regeneration plans were put in place. Demolition of the vacant blocks began in September 2008 after a summer of vandalism and violence culminated in a stand-off with riot police.

Most of the blocks known as “the luxuries” – as they were originally built as private housing in the 1950s but were taken over by the council for social housing soon after construction – have been demolished.

Just 44 flats, known as “the long balconies”, so-called as access to each flat is off a communal balcony, are occupied. The small group of tenants who remain live amid a wasteland of boarded-up derelict blocks.

Few people living in O’Devaney Gardens want to talk. Some say they fear it will affect their chances of a transfer out, others say they don’t see what good talking to reporters has ever done them. Anyone who does talk insists their real name not be used.

“Danny” and “Claire”, both in their mid-30s, were born and raised in O’Devaney Gardens. They are raising their own children in the long balconies.

“This place is a down-and-out horrible kip. That’s a terrible thing to say about the place you grew up, but it’s true,” says Danny.