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Ballymun regeneration will be worth it

Thursday, 26 June 2008

Ballymun Regeneration Limited (BRL) celebrated its 10th anniversary last week - something no one would have expected given the original timeline for the project.
The massive redevelopment of the disadvantaged area has taken longer and cost more than initially expected but it will be worth it, according to Ciaran Murray, managing director of BRL.
“The original estimate and budget for the project was unrealistic given the scale of the scheme,” he told Northside People.
“This size of regeneration, where there is so much demolition and construction while residents have been kept in situ, has barely ever been attempted in Europe, never mind Ireland.
“This is why unexpected problems have arisen in these unchartered waters where the services for the area had not been mapped out.”
The original master plan for the project expected that the project could be completed in just eight years by 2006.
It is now hoped that the project will be completed by 2012.
The costs have also almost doubled, with final figures for the regeneration expected to reach a whopping e1 billion.
According to Mr Murray, the project has progressed “remarkably well” given the teething problems that BRL has had to grapple with.
“We ran into underground piping which caused a delay,” he explained. “Traces of asbestos were found in the old high rise flat block which stalled demolition.”
Adding to delays were a number of High Court challenges (all of which were successful for BRL). The latest problem to plague the regeneration is the discovery of pyrite in the foundation of some new developments.
“Pyrite is an issue that we have to address,” Mr Murray acknowledged. “We needed to put a halt on the development until we resolved the issue rather than having people move into the houses and then having to deal with the effects of the pyrite a few years down the line.”
He added: “The people of Ballymun have shown enormous patience over the years and we have enjoyed the close relationship we have shared with them while working on this project. None of this could have been achieved without them.”
Meanwhile, 80 per cent of the new replacement homes for locals are in place while 24 of the 36 blocks of flats have been demolished.
It is estimated that in four years' time all the old flats will be gone and a total of 2,400 new homes will be occupied.

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