Bríd Smith warns strategic housing undermines Cherry Orchard
Bríd Smith spoke in a parliamentary debate about strategic housing development and the lack of local infrastructure. She argued strategic housing development, which is practically all build to let, will prevent the creation of sustainable communities and permanent homes for families on local waiting lists.
Criticism of strategic housing development
Bríd Smith said the Taoiseach's introduction mentioned affordable, social, cost rental and help to buy housing but omitted strategic housing development. She warned that in areas such as Drimna and Crumlin, Walkenstown and Ballyfermot a surge of strategic housing development applications will mean no sustainable communities and no permanent homes for the tens of thousands of families on the waiting list.
Conditions in Cherry Orchard
She described Cherry Orchard as lacking facilities despite population pressure: since she moved to Ballyfermot 30 years ago it has had one shop and still has one shop, with no cafes, no chemists and no post office. She noted a very good national school and an equine centre exist, but said hundreds more apartments could add thousands to the local population and contribute to a rise in anti-social behaviour rooted in social conditions.
Community engagement and requests
Bríd Smith said community representatives, including Councillor Dahi De Roche, signalled they would contact her and the Taoiseach requesting visits. She urged the Taoiseach to visit Cherry Orchard and said she will accept community requests to come to the area.
Government response and policy direction
The Taoiseach replied he was familiar with the area, said he would visit and outlined work at a cabinet subcommittee to develop coordinated policy responses. He said officials are working on measures spanning social development, community development, housing and safety, with emphasis on childcare and early education and approaches similar to past drug task forces and area partnerships.
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The Taoiseach, in your introduction there you mentioned affordable, social, cost rental, help to buy housing and you didn't say a word about strategic housing development which is practically all build to let. In the Drimna and Crumlin area, in Walkenstown and Ballyfermot, we have been swamped with applications for strategic housing development which means that there will be no sustainable communities, no permanent homes for the tens of thousands of families who are on the waiting list in those areas but it also means another thing is that sustainable communities will not be built. You, I think, are going to be asked by the community in Cherry Orchard to come out and visit them. They have been subjected to a barrage and a massive increase in anti-social behaviour which arises from the social conditions. I hope you do come to Cherry Orchard but you will be shocked. Cherry Orchard, since I moved into Ballyfermot 30 years ago, has one shop and it still has one shop. No cafes, no chemists, no post office. It does have a very good national school which the community fought for in a good equine centre. Beyond that, there are no facilities and yet we have a strategic housing development being given plan and permission to go into that area with hundreds and hundreds more apartments which probably means a few thousand added to the population. Where does the thought go for infrastructure for sustainable communities? Deputy Smith raised the issue of affordable, social and rental. Councillor Dahi De Roche wasn't touched me in terms of what has transpired in the last week and he did say that the community would be contacting me as well, asking me to visit the area which I will do. I am familiar with the facilities in Cherry Orchard, particularly in the schooling and all because I would have been in government when that was last developed. It was a very comprehensive solution at the time. But in terms of sustaining communities, I am at a cabinet subcommittee level developing a policy position in terms of key areas that require a coordinated government response in terms of development around social development, around social development, community development, housing and safety in terms of communities being given the tools to be safe, emphasis on childcare, early education and so on. Somewhat similar to the drug task forces that we had in the past and the area partnerships that were developed. I think that is the way we have to proceed in areas to give them the supports that are required and officials in my department are working on that agenda as I speak. Thank you. Thank you.
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