Emmet Road development ditches the sports pitch
A five-a-side football pitch has been excluded from the final draft of the Emmet Road housing plans development.
The plans at Emmet Road, Inchicore, are proposed under the Housing Land Initiative as part of a pilot cost-rental project.
The site is 4.9 hectares and will be developed into a mix of 70% cost rental and 30% social housing units.
A football pitch was included in the original proposal in 2018 and 2019.
“A five-a-side sports pitch was supposed to be included in the redevelopment, but in April 2021 it was confirmed to me at area committee that this was now not feasible for design reasons. It is vital that we provide appropriate community infrastructure and amenities for the local community as part of this redevelopment,” Cllr Darragh Moriarty (Labour) told The Liberty.
“Discussions are ongoing now about the relocation of this sports pitch adjacent to the St. Michael’s Estate site,” he said.
“It is an essential first of a kind public housing scheme in Dublin which will include cost-rental and social housing.”
– DARRAGH MORIARTY, SOUTHWEST INNER CITY LABOUR COUNCILLOR
The plans for the new development include rooftop spaces, bike parking, communal living and working areas, laundry facilities and communal sustainable gardens. The main objective of the development is “to provide sustainable facilities that will benefit the environment, the residents and the broader community as a whole”, according to Dublin City Council.
“I can’t speak for the whole community, but broadly, I believe the redevelopment is welcome – I certainly welcome it and fully support it,” Moriarty said.
“It is an essential first of a kind public housing scheme in Dublin which will include cost-rental and social housing,” Moriarty added.
Some of the rough estimates indicate that a two-bed apartment will cost €1,400 per month which Moriarty says is “too expensive”. His key priority is how affordable the cost-rental homes will be.
“This will deliver housing for those who are falling between the cracks of not being able to afford to rent privately but earn too much to qualify for social housing. Through the social housing provision, we will also reduce and bring down our DCC Social Housing Waiting list,” Moriarty said.
The cost of rent will be based on the cost of construction of housing, financing costs and the maintenance of the building.
Eoghan Murphy, then Minister for Housing, Community and Local Government announced the housing plans in July 2018. This area was previously called St. Michael’s Housing Estate, or Richmond Barracks and Keogh Square.
“This is just one example of the type of community amenities we need in the Inchicore area to make this public housing project a sustainable success,” Moriarty said.
Moriarty has been active on social media in advocating for the relocation of the football pitch.
Socialise
