Best news in years for BALLYMUN

Dublin City Council who currently owns 47% of Ballymun Shopping Centre has identified that acquiring a 100% interest in the existing Centre, could assist with the overall regeneration of Ballymun and help to increase economic activity and to create jobs in the area.  Following very constructive discussions with NAMA and its Receivers, the Council has reached agreement to acquire the 53% NAMA secured interest in the Centre.

The proposed acquisition is in line with the Council’s on-going strategy to rejuvenate Ballymun and promote job creation and development in the area. The major construction aspects of the regeneration programme are almost complete. All families and community organisations have moved from the flat blocks to new accommodation with thirty three of the original thirty six flat blocks demolished. Some 3,000 new homes, parks, playgrounds and recreational and local facilities have been provided. In addition, town centre developments accommodating City Council and HSE local services, a Garda Station, Social Welfare offices, hotels, Leisure Centre and office, residential and retail premises have been provided.
Both parties believe that the current issues affecting the Centre can best be dealt with by a single owner, in this case being the Council, given its objectives and wider interests in the area. In this context NAMA and its Receivers have agreed to facilitate this structure by disposing of the 53% interest to the Council.

Dick Brady, Assistant City Manager with Dublin City Council said “This acquisition, working with existing tenants of the Centre, along with placing on the market a site just to the north of the existing centre which will hopefully secure a major retail outlet, will create the conditions necessary to advance the complete redevelopment of the site and the completion of a new modern heart for Ballymun town”.

Pyrite in houses

The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Phil Hogan T.D, today (14 May 2014) announced that the Government has approved further Exchequer funding for the pyrite remediation scheme to be implemented under the auspices of the Pyrite Resolution Board (PRB).  This brings to €20m the amount of funding available to date.

“I have stated before that it would not have been reasonable or defensible that affected homeowners, who have no viable option for redress, would be left without a resolution, said Minister Hogan. “My officials and I have worked during the past year to put in place an alternative funding model for the pyrite remediation scheme.  While this has not been an easy task having regard to budgetary constraints in the current climate, I am pleased to announce that the Government which initially approved €10 million to kick start the scheme, has now added as promised, additional funding to be allocated over the next two years from the Capital Stimulus Programme.”

While the PRB estimates that there are approximately 1,000 dwellings affected by significant pyritic heave and requiring immediate remediation, a total of 418 completed applications have been received by the PRB as at the middle of last month and a further 146 individuals are at various stages of the application process.  Today’s additional funding therefore will ensure that the scheme is significantly funded into 2015. The PRB, with support from the Housing Agency, will implement the remediation programme in line with the scheme outlined on the Board’s website (see www.pyriteboard.ie).

The Minister added, “Solid progress for affected homeowners, in terms of applications being processed and remediation works
commenced has been achieved. The online application process was launched on 26^th February 2014 and can be accessed by applicants on the Board’s website www.pyriteboard.ie.”

The scheme will be reviewed on an on-going basis and any post-2015 funding requirement will be dealt with, having regard to developments over the next 18 months.  While it is difficult at predict with any degree of certainty, the indications at this stage are that the number of dwellings requiring remediation may not be as great as previously thought.

“The case management system has been developed for tracking and storing documents related to the remediation scheme and applicants are able to track progress on their application and the remediation works to their dwelling.”

In addition, the Minister said that a freephone number (1890 252 842) has been provided  to answer any queries regarding the scheme  and to provide assistance with completion of the application form and uploading of documents.

The Minister concluded: “I am acutely aware of the long wait that many affected homeowners have had to endure in waiting for solutions to the pyrite problems in their homes.  It has not been an easy time for those people and I understand how stressful such situations can be but I want to assure those homeowners that it has always been and, will continue to be, a high priority for me to bring about a final resolution to this problem as quickly as possible.  I am pleased to acknowledge that solid and meaningful progress has and continues to be made in the resolution of this most serious problem.”

Notes:

While the State is neither culpable nor liable for the pyrite problem, it nevertheless took responsibility to provide solutions for home-owners, whose homes through no fault of their own, have been significantly damaged by pyritic heave and who have been left with no viable means of redress following the withdrawal of cover for pyrite damage by HomeBond in the summer of 2011.