News that some work has been suspended on the city’s largest affordable housing project has been described as a “bombshell”.
Dublin City Council Manager Richard Shakespeare revealed in a report that the authority’s Building Control Authority had raised concerns over compliance with some building regulations with the developer Glenveagh.
According to the report: “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 with promptly and comprehensively.”
The issue was raised at Monday night’s full council meeting with several councillors raising concerns over the issue. Cllr John Lyons said: “This is quite a bombshell when I got the information earlier today that there were problems with, I would say, the flagship housing development on the Oscar Traynor Road.”
He added: “I think we need to know more about the seriousness of the various failures to comply with building regulations, the minimum building regulations. What’s going on here? I think we need a much more detailed report on this. This just isn’t good enough.”
Cllr Darragh Moriarty said the development was “very concerning” while Cllr Edel Moran said she “can’t believe this is happening”. She added: “This site is years and years in the planning and now they’ve started it and now there’s something wrong with it. I’d like to know what the problem is, where the problem is and how long it’s going to take to sort it out. These are expensive homes, as we know, to buy and to rent. We need to get it right and it shouldn’t take too long to sort it out.”
In response to the councillors’ concerns, Assistant Chief Executive Mick Mulhern told the meeting that Building Control had visited the site in October and November and identified a number of issues. He said: “We’re very keen to avoid issues where what we build as our own stock has defects etc in the future. We’re very encouraging of Building Control going out and looking at our stock as development is progressed…Building Control have flagged some issues that they had found with some of the works that had been carried out at Oscar Traynor Road.”
Mr Mulhern explained that the issues were raised with Glenveagh, who proved a “substantial response”. “What’s happening at the moment now is there’s ongoing discussions between Building Control and the contractor Glenveigh there to agree a set of works that are considered necessary to address any of the issues and the defects that were identified with some of the early phases housing,” said Mr Mulhern.
In relation to queries about delays in completing the development, he said: “We’re hopeful that it’s minimal and at the moment what we’re trying to do is finalise exactly what works are needed. Once that’s clear, the extent of the works that are needed to correct some of those problems, then we’ll be able to understand what that delay means.”
The northside site has already proved controversial. In 2021, councillors were told a two-bed unit on the site would cost between €227,000 and €284,000 but they are now priced at €355,769 to €427,500. Three-bed units were expected to be in the €250,000 to €306,000 range, but are now priced at €399,731 and €475,000.
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