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INSPECTIONS HAVE IDENTIFIED problems at the development for Dublin City Council’s flagship social and affordable housing scheme.
The Oscar Traynor housing project in Coolock, which is being constructed by private developer Glenveagh, is intended to deliver more than 800 homes under social, affordable and cost-rental schemes.
However, some of the works on the site have been paused after issues were raised during the course of inspections.
Dublin City Council’s chief executive Richard Shakespeare updated councillors on the situation at a meeting of the council yesterday evening.
Site inspections were carried out on 28 May, 3 July, 27 August, 15 October and 17 December. Concerns were subsequently raised regarding the compliance of the works with Building Regulations.
Shakespeare informed councillors that “concerns were raised with Glenveagh site management and the Assigned Certifier that the works were not progressing in a workmanlike manner in accordance with the requirements of the Building Regulations”.
“It is essential that where defects are identified that they are dealt with promptly and comprehensively,” Shakespeare said.
He said that Glenveagh Developments is “engaging with the process” and “continuing investigations on site to identify all potential issues including pausing of some works to allow for these investigations to be carried out”.
Discussions are ongoing to agree what works are required to rectify the non-compliant elements.
Those works will “need to be carried out by Glenveagh in a timely manner”, Shakespeare said.
“Due to the scale and importance of this large housing development the Building Control Authority has prioritised inspection of this development,” he said.
“Building Control Officers will continue regular, routine inspections over the coming weeks, months and through to completion of the project, to ensure adequate public oversight is provided and provide the necessary confidence that the requirements of the Building Regulations will be achieved.”
“It is understood increased resources have been provided on site by Glenveagh in terms of supervision and site management which is very welcome considering this scale and breadth of this large 17 ha site.
Councillors voted in favour of the housing development back in November 2021.
853 homes were proposed for the site, made up of 341 social homes (40%), 341 cost-rentals (40%) and 171 affordable-purchase homes (20%).
The council selected Glenveagh to construct the residential units along with associated infrastructural works, commercial units and open spaces through a procurement process.
Some councillors criticised the decision at the time as they wanted to see the project managed publicly rather than being handed to a private developer.
The project came to attention again last year when it emerged that the prices for the ‘affordable housing’ scheme in the area were as high as €475,000 for a three-bedroom home.
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Ffg dna off handing housing infrastructure to thier mates has created a profit based housing system that isn’t fit for purpose, But the cowardly irish voting citizens are so terrified of change, The keep reflecting the ffg entitled wasters
@Robert Halvey:
One of the reasons the left vote went backwards in the recent election was their repeated suggestion of directly employing builders.
Anyone over the age of about 40 or so will likely recoil in horror at that idea due to experience of the efficiency of the state sector in Ireland.
I worked for 16 years in the semi state, wife spent her entire career in the public service and no way in hell would we suggest they start building.
@P. J.: back in the nama days they gave cosgraves cheap loans to build apartment blocks for rich multinational , how is that housing policy for the average paddies, I own my own gaff and I am nearly 60 And I have seen the irish electrode cowar away from change and at the same time bitch
@Robert Halvey: that wasn’t NAMA’s remit at all so you’re talking nonsense. Cosgrave’s portfolio was in NAMA, and they had to source private funding to exit it…
@Sea Point: I spent 15 years scaffolding for Cosgrove me and my crew done all the houses , the shopping centre a 4 thousand apartments in honey park and 800 apartments I’n santry wood ,throw in all the brothers houses and get your facts sorted before you mouth off
@Robert Halvey: facts are sorted, being a subbie for Cosgrove doesn’t make you the oracle about their dealings with NAMA…
Just another FFG blunder, the incopentience goes on, and on at the end of the day, the book stops with the government
@N D K: in this case it’s Dublin City council not central government. The good news is that these problems have been identified before the houses were handed over, there’s cases up and down the country where councils haven’t robustly inspected new builds and are then left with a massive bill to remedy the properties and the building company has been liquidated.
@The next small thing: if the were built to guidelines and regulations as they were been built there would be no problem, wouldn’t happen on a private house build, so some inspections in the department of government were not doing ther job as usual
@N D K: nothing to do with government, it is as already pointed out a Dublin City Council project. They are responsible for overseeing the developer. This is the problem all councils face, being involved in areas where they don’t have the expertise in house (becasue all the top people are in the private sector side making he big bucks) to effectively oversee..
People want house not a box apartment.
@087 bed: you don’t speak for everyone. id rather a small place close to town rather than a huge house somewhere.
In the middle of a housing crisis, nothing but the highest of standards must be met, where there are huge profits been made by some
Throwing up houses and finish is brutal
This is the issue with developers, when they hear social housing they think of it as a golden opportunity to profiteer and build sub-standard accomodation. Not an issue in Ireland alone, I can personally attest to. Who ever is regualting the develpment has to sit on developers every step of the way to make sure they deliver according to specification ..
Fianna Fail is committed to ending homelessness
@Meatball Martin: haha
It comes down to DCC not doing the inspections as required they have forgotten what happened in priory Hall shame on them
@Thomas Brophy:
And who built Priory Hall?
A fat ex hunger striker with strong connections to Provo Sinn Fein
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