Vote scheduled for disposal of lands in Cherry Orchard
By Maurice Garvey
DUBLIN City Council are scheduled to vote on the disposal of lands in Cherry Orchard for a Nabco housing project, at City Hall on Monday, July 6.
Cooperative housing body Nabco, received government funding, to construct 72 homes for social housing at Cherry Orchard Park.
Residents living near the park say they are not against housing, but are vehemently opposed to the development on open green space in an area lacking vital amenities.
The majority of the 12 Dublin South Central councillors are expected to vote in favour of the disposal of land to Nabco – except for Fianna Fáil’s Daithí De Róiste.
Cllr De Roiste said: “I’m the only councillor who is a resident in Cherry Orchard. We all know there is a housing crisis, but rather than build on every blade of grass, we should be aspiring to something better.
“I genuinely think it’s the wrong thing to do, with all the land that is available in Cherry Orchard and Parkwest. If they want to build more houses, we are going to need more amenities and more gardaí. There is no doctor’s surgery, post office or secondary school in the area.”
The Stone Soup Project took ownership of the park in 2013, transforming the site with planted flowerbeds, memorial trees, and a communal grotto.
Eddie Fitzpatrick, SSP founder, invited Dublin South Central councillors to the park on Sunday, to discuss resident concerns – Sinn Féin’s Daithi Doolan and Independent Paul Hand attended.
Residents expressed their anger with the plans, and intend to protest on Monday at City Hall.
Nabco were granted planning permission in 2007 for the development, but couldn’t proceed at the time due to the downturn in the economy.
In response to requests by residents for information on project costs, Cllr Doolan said the “current cost estimate is €12.2 million – working out at just under €170,000 per home.”
