CASE STUDY F


Ballymun Regeneration Project In 1966 the government attempted to address the issue of urban decay in Dublin’s inner city areas by moving residents to newly built tower block apartments in Ballymun. At the time, the high- rise accommodation was considered to be one of the best examples of social housing in Europe, with a total of 36 blocks of flats built, and over 3,000 dwellings. Some of the tower blocks were 15 storeys high. Te construction of the blocks was completed in 1969, but it was not long until major problems began to surface.


l


Te buildings were made of poor-quality materials, meaning the apartments were damp and cold. Te elevators rarely worked and the general maintenance of the buildings was poor.


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Te government failed to provide basic amenities for the community, such as shops or recreational areas (e.g. playgrounds or green spaces).


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Tere was a high level of unemployment among the residents of the Ballymun towers. A low percentage of children finished school, with many dropping out at a very young age.


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Te people who leſt the inner city felt isolated from their families and friends, leading to an absence of community in Ballymun.


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High levels of unemployment and low levels of education led to increased alcohol and drug abuse in the area, which in turn led to increased crime rates.


Urban Renewal


In 1997 Ballymun Regeneration Limited was set up and given the task of planning the renewal of the area. Te project was given a budget of €2.5 billion to be used to create 5,000 new homes, half of which housed the residents of the tower blocks and the other half of which was to be sold as private housing. It was hoped that this mix of public and private housing would lead to the creation of a better sense of community and reduce social stratification in the area.


Besides housing, the project created a town centre with a range of facilities for the 30,000 people living in the area. Retail and commercial services were built in the town centre to create employment for residents. Local sports and civic centres were also developed to provide recreational services for young people.


Te project was completed in 2014 with a tree-planting ceremony taking place in 2013 with the then Minister for Housing and Planning.


URBAN PROBLEMS 167


; Fig. 6.15 Aerial view of regenerated Ballymun


: Fig. 6.14 The Ballymun tower blocks caused many social problems.


Elective 5: Human CHAPTER 6


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