Dublin City Council has recently signed a contract with PJ.Carey (Contractors) Limited to build 56 new homes at O’Devaney Gardens, Dublin 7. Construction work will start in July and it is planned to be complete by early 2020. This work represents the first phase of the re-development of the wider O’Devaney Gardens site.

The scheme has been designed in-house by Dublin City Architects in conjunction with Waterman-Moylan Consulting Engineers.  The Department of Housing Planning and Local Government instructed DCC to develop detail design and tender documents in 2017, working off the planning permission granted in 2010 by An Bord Pleanála. Tender documents were issued in February 2018. The homes are arranged in two blocks: one block comprising a terrace of 14 two-storey houses and a second three-to-four storey block comprising a combination of apartments, duplex units and three-storey houses organised around a shared private landscaped courtyard.  The majority of the dwellings will be 2-bedroom units, with a significant percentage of 3-bedroom units also provided. All apartments will have private terraces as well as access to the courtyard.

The buildings have been designed for durability with a focus on robust, high quality materials such as brick, zinc roofs and a high performance triple glazed window system.  The public realm will be an important part of integrating the redevelopment with the surrounding district and ensuring that public spaces offer a safe and welcoming experience. The new streets within the scheme have been designed with care and include extensive planting of semi-mature trees.

All Dwellings will achieve a BER of A3 or better and Dublin City Council will be seeking Home Performance Index (HPI) Certification for the dwellings on completion. The HPI measures quality sustainable residential development and is co-ordinated by the Irish Green Building Council. Certification provides residents with the assurance that their homes have been designed and constructed with care to ensure low running costs, enhance occupant well-being and minimise environmental impact.

Dublin City Council has sought expressions of interest from businesses for the re-development of the remainder of the site, and is currently working through the process of seeking a suitable candidate for this.