Renovate the Old Rather Than Building New

Kintarō Hattori

Capital D was on the other night and a chap from Dublin City Council (or whatever it's called these days) mentioned that there has been planning permission granted to build on parkland by christchurch. I have to say my heart sank a little. Is a little green space not important anymore? Just look at what happened to the little park in front of Dublin Castle. They built a monstrosity on it.

Just last night there was an interesting programme on UTV. The presenter was questioning why the UK has so many abandoned properties and what can be done about them. It seems in some councils in the UK if a property has been abandoned for a set period of time they have officers who track down and encourge the owner to renovate or sell the property. If they refuse compulsory purchase orders are sought.

This is a brilliant idea, why can't we do the same here in dublin? Just stroll around the city and there are so many buildings in dire need of renovation or even demolition. Rather than creating new buildings and taking away much needed green spaces why can't we rebuild old buildings?

Does anyone else think this is the way things should go?

arse..biscuits

I know the patch of grass your talking about, thats a shame, not as if there isn't enough concrete around already. Have a walk along Thomas/James street and look at the amount of derelict buildings. DCC are a shower of tossers

jdivision

We have enforcement notices for run down buildings and can CPO but it's very rare.

Kintarō Hattori

jdivision wrote: »

We have enforcement notices for run down buildings and can CPO but it's very rare.

What are the conditions for an enforcement notice and what actually happens as a result of getting one? Do they realistically have any effect?

jdivision

AFAIK, if a building is derelict or in poor repair and it is reported to the council, it is investigated (eventually) and a letter sent to the owner. If the owner is willing to address the problems, no further action is taken but the work checked by the council afterwards. If nothing happens then an enforcement notice is issued which I think may carry a fine if it goes unresolved. The council regularly sends out lists of enforcement notices that have been issued and the actions resulting from it. They are usually distributed as part of the preview of council area meetings. more info here:
http://www.dublincity.ie/WaterWasteEnvironment/DerelictSites/Pages/ReportDerelictSite.aspx
although they call them sites, they also relate to existing structures.

Rashers

Much of the problem of 'them' taking over our small pieces of greenery, and especially on or near sites of historical importance is our own fault.

For instance how many of us here objected to the planning permission when it was decided to build that ugly thing over the little park at the castle?

Kintarō Hattori

Rashers wrote: »

Much of the problem of 'them' taking over our small pieces of greenery, and especially on or near sites of historical importance is our own fault.

For instance how many of us here objected to the planning permission when it was decided to build that ugly thing over the little park at the castle?

That's true enough but had I known they were going to build something there I absolutely would have objected. Does anyone know where exactly this space by Christchurch is?

jdivision

It's literally at the back of it, down from there to the council car park and opposite the Dublin Viking museum thing