[dropcap]A [/dropcap]series of apartment blocks and parking spaces a short distance away from DCU are set to begin construction next year.
Fergus Lynch and Kieran Gannon of Scanron Ltd. bought the 6.75 acre development site for €30 million, with plans to begin building the 358 apartments and over 500 parking spaces on Swords Road in Glasnevin.
Gannon said the apartments will be a landmark project with construction due to begin in the new year and that they are in a “great location”.
As well as being near to the university, the site is only a 10-minutes’ drive from the airport, as well as being near to the Omni Shopping Centre in Santry. The site was originally on the market for over €18 million. A feasibility study found that it would be possible to increase the number of apartments to over 400 without increasing the gross floor area.
“The development is an ideal addition to other ongoing projects we have,” he told The Times.
The related company, East Wise Homes’ paid €18 million for a 5 acres site on Botanic Road with planning permission for 119 homes. They are beginning development of 35 new family homes on the site next month.
Similarly, Cairn Homes is planning to build 320 new residential places on Griffith Avenue located just a few minutes from the site on Swords road and within walking distance of DCU as well, reported the Irish Times.
Cairn bought the site in 2015 for €105.6 million with planning permission for only 101 houses or apartments.
The announcement of the construction of the new apartments by Scanron on Swords road came after activists occupied a house on Frederick Street, sparking the following ‘Take Back the City’ protests. Activists defied the Higher Courts order to vacate the house.
The rallies were to protest the government’s response to the housing crisis, lack of affordable housing and specifically against actions taken to evict people from homes.
“The housing crisis is an islandwide problem,” they said on their Facebook event, mentioning examples of illegal evictions in Rathmines.
The protest dubbed ‘Raise the Roof’ is scheduled for October 3rd at Leinster House, and will be made up of student unions, trade unions, housing agencies, and campaign groups, says the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.
The protests will coincide with the Dail Eireann budget debate.
Sonja Tutty
Image credit: The Irish Times