Out go the tower blocks and in comes a new town centre

Associated for decades with unemployment, deprivation and crime, the north Dublin suburb of Ballymun is about to undergo a remarkable facelift. Out go the tower blocks and in comes a complete new town centre with its own satellite neighbourhoods.

Like too many of Dublin's other ill-conceived suburban developments, Ballymun was created and grew to over 17,000 residents without proper commercial or retail facilities and without a village centre, a core around which the population could expand. Ireland borrowed from the worst of 1960s urban planning which applied a simple equation - stack 'em high and pack 'em in.

The tower blocks are now all for the chop, and next week, the Minister for the Environment and Local Government, Mr Dempsey, will preside over the official launch of the development strategy prepared to rejuvenate Ballymun. Outline plans were prepared long ago, but now Dublin Corporation - via its trading entity, Ballymun Regeneration Limited (BRL) - is about to open tendering for the proposed new Main Street. This will include a large retail centre, commercial and office sites and housing.

Immediately on offer will be about 20 site components of the Main Street project, says Niall O'Higgins, divisional director of property management at Lisney. The estate agency was selected to act as consultants for the Ballymun project after international tendering which saw competition from both US and British companies.

These sites, including housing, a new shopping complex and commercial and office accommodation, represents about 1.1 million sq ft of space in total. The land parcels are positioned along the proposed Main Street, effectively a 1km stretch of the old Ballymun Road, although the plans call for a new roadway and removal of the huge Santry Road roundabout which currently sits at the feet of the tower blocks. The Main Street project includes about 250,000 sq ft of retail, 700,000 sq ft of commercial/office and between 100,000 and 200,000 sq ft of residential as housing or apartments. And this is only the beginning.

THE launch by the Minister is really to assure the market that the "master plan" for Ballymun is truly going ahead. "We perceive that there has been an extent of disbelief. People have to be reassured that the Government and the corporation are fully behind it," says Mr O'Higgins. Developers and builders which are expected to seek options on the sites that will become available on a phased basis will also be invited. "Here are the sites, this is when they are going to be available and if you are interested, we will talk to you," is the BRL approach, says Mr O'Higgins. The infrastructure will be built by the corporation in accordance with the development plan. BRL, as the landowner, will retain an involvement in each of the parcels and will become involved as a partner with developers which win contracts. "Joint venture companies is probably the way it will go in 90 per cent of the cases," says Mr O'Higgins.

The continued BRL involvement is meant to protect against anything delaying progress on site. The idea is to have as much of this initial phase in place and able to benefit from the tax incentives before they run out in 2002. It is not designed to create a "large pot of money" to be redirected back towards the corporation or the Government. Any cash flow will be used to fund civic amenities in the area.

EACH of the 20 sites has its own outline description of what in general terms is wanted, but there will be free rein - within reason - for the developer to put his own stamp on the project. "Plots on the Main Street will have an indicative land use. These sites will be open to interpretation by any developer with a feasible development."

The overall plan is still under consideration, in particular, the phasing aspects. This should be finalised before October 7th, and after that, he expects all of the 20 parcels to be locked into joint venture agreements with developers within six months. However, the phasing works out, the first parcels to be awarded will be the "sentinel sites" located at the effective entrance to Ballymun town, down Ballymun Avenue towards Glasnevin. These will provide a "gateway" for Ballymun as it takes on its new shape and are expected to include both housing and apartment units.

The plan calls for all of this Main Street development work to be completed before 2002. Construction must reach "practical completion" in order for the builders to benefit from the tax incentives organised for the Ballymun project. A quick turnaround is achievable because there is nothing standing in the way of the development, says Mr O'Higgins. The corporation is the primary land holder and is in agreement; the Government is in agreement; and the local community is in agreement, he says.