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Case Studies  Urban Regeneration in the City of Dublin: Partnership structures and integrated area planning
The impact of urban regeneration in Dublin
Urban regeneration in Dublin city initially takes the form of regenerating buildings and renewing streetscapes, and this is where Dublin City Council takes the lead role. One of the aims of the City Council is to minimise dereliction in the city. To a large extent that has been achieved, as the number of derelict sites has decreased, mainly due to the economic climate and the desirability of land available for development.
In recent years Dublin City Council has realised that development should also take into account social, community, environmental, cultural issues as well as economic ones. This is why the idea for the Integrated Area Plans was initiated, to ensure that small target plans for deprived areas would be integrated in every aspect.
In Dublin integrated planning was promoted by the government through a statutory and legal instrument called the Urban Renewal Act 1998. This act mandated Dublin City Council to be the lead role agency. Hence the City Council were the key partner but the Monitoring Committee set up involved councillors, city council representatives, business representatives, tenant representatives, community group representatives, a historical/architectural representative and a representative from the Dublin Congress of Trades Union. The project team of each IAP drives key initiatives to achieve physical, social and economic regeneration in partnership with stakeholders in the area.
The lead role taken by Dublin City Council has both advantages and disadvantages
Advantages:
- Clarity and consistency
- A lot of the land was owned by Dublin City Council.
- One of the main issues was housing which was Dublin City Council’s responsibility.
- Local democracy would be delivered through the City Council which is an over riding principle of Dublin City Council
Disadvantage:
- Dublin City Council is very involved in every aspect of regeneration, the deliverer, executor and beneficiary, this makes objectivity more difficult.
Partnerships oriented toward regeneration operate at different levels and with different foci within each target area. Below are examples from two of our case study areas of partnerships in practice.
Example of partners operating in Liberties-Coombe area
As mentioned earlier, the partnerships in Liberties-Coombe are informal ones, with different partnerships being formed as the need arises. The relevant partners are :
- Community Consultation :
Residents Groups
South West Inner City Network
South Inner City Community Development Association
- Tourism
Dublin Tourism
- Information Technology/Enterprise
The Digital Hub
- Policy
Dublin City Development Board
RAPID
Dublin Inner City Partnership
Drugs Taskforce
- Business Interests
Guinness Ireland
Meath St. Trader’s Association
Thomas St. Trader’s Association
- Education
National College of Art and Design
Liberties College
VEC
- Training/Employment
FÁS
City of Dublin Youth Services
- Other agencies
South Western Area Health Board
- Local Authority
Other departments in Dublin City Council
City councillors
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The North East Inner City IAP in practice
Each IAP is tailored to the particular needs of the neighbourhood which it serves. In the North inner city, the provision of housing has been a key aspect of the rejuvenation programme.
The purpose of the area plan is twofold:
- An integrated Area Plan to meet the DoE’s requirements for local authorities “seeking designation for parts of urban areas in most need of physical and socio-economic rejuvenation”
- A Housing Action Plan to primarily address social housing problems of the NEIC. Social housing improvements represent the most pressing need.
Key catalysts of change include the provision of a new community centre and sports facilities and the creation of high quality managed workspace to guide the establishment of a creative enterprise quarter to serve the wider area and provide focus for local employment. The Plan identifies the need for the phased renewal of five City Council flat complexes and their replacement with some 370 new units, primarily “own front door” type on existing sites and infill developments. The new housing developments are being laid out on traditional lines of streets and squares with overlooking of all public spaces and routes. This also includes new parks, playspaces, traffic-calmed street and planting as well as new community buildings to accommodate local educational, training, youth and childcare needs. Public sector capital and revenue expenditure over this period to cover housing and environmental schemes amounts to more than € 100 million, over five years. This will in turn unlock major private sector investment in adjacent areas and provide a high degree of confidence in the Northside as a whole, and could advance proposals for O’Connell Street and the Docklands. |
Provision of neighbourhood services  Examples of urban regeneration
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