£600 million plan set to regenerate north east inner city

The north east inner city area - bounded by Custom House Quay and Summerhill and from Marlborough Street in the west to the Royal Canal in the east - is mid-way through a £600 million Dublin Corporation controlled integrated action plan, and has started to see a resurgence of commercial, and community activity.

The strategy has developed a "creative industries quarter" on Foley and Corporation streets, established street markets and engaged the local community in a range of employment initiatives.

The corporation has also opened a regional office at lower Sean McDermott Street where the full integrated plan, which includes details of the social, physical, cultural and economic regeneration of the area, is available to the local community.

The plan goes beyond what has been expected from a local authority in planning terms in the past.

Apart from the new and refurbished corporation housing and public spaces, it addresses issues of raising education levels and skills, improved sports and community facilities, stimulation of community enterprise and arts and cultural development.

Architectural teams have been appointed to each major housing scheme and consultation committees have been set up to oversee the refurbishment.

Work on Liberty House, a 181-, new traffic routes and refuse and waste management facilities. An environmental plan to include play areas and parks is also being implemented.

Over 500 corporation flats are to be demolished and replaced with high quality duplex accommodation and two new schools are due for completion by 2002.

All corporation contractors in the area are required to source a local employment element of up to 20 per cent, a number of business and investment seminars have already been held with the result that many businesses are now relocating to the area. One example is the new Bord Gais headquarters at Foley Street.

Another is the 30,000sq ft of offices, 10,000 sq ft for retail and 54 apartments on Corporation Street.

Collaboration with partners such as FAS has resulted in retail sales courses with some of the city's large employers like Arnotts, Penneys, Marks & Spencers and Clerys.

An electronic data control course has been aimed at schoolleavers and telesales training courses are run in conjunction with Eircom. The regional office is also working on training in life skills, personal development, literacy, job presentation, and a wide range of career planning and guidance. A number of courses for the local community - notably one entitled Parents in Education - have been run in the Larkin Community Centre.

The total public redevelopment comes to about £100 million, financed by the corporation and various Government departments.