Dolphin House & Park Joint Regeneration Board
About
The Dolphin House and Dolphin Park Joint Regeneration Board is the formal structure where decisions about the social and physical regeneration of Dolphin House Estate take place jointly between local stakeholders.
Established in 2007 the Board comprises of residents’ representatives from the Dolphin House Community Development Association, local City Councillors, Dublin City Council representatives, local Dáil Éireann members, representatives of statutory agencies including the HSE and An Garda Siochana, along with the Regeneration Coordinator as secretary and an independent Chairperson.
The Joint Vision for Regeneration
In July 2013 a vision for the regeneration of Dolphin House and Dolphin Park was agreed between Dublin City Council, the Department of the Environment, the Regeneration Board and the Dolphin House Community Development Association setting out a shared commitment and agreed principles for the physical, social and economic regeneration of the community :
‘Memorandum of Understanding’
We the undersigned are committed to realising the agreed vision of the regeneration of Dolphin House & Park which is to provide physical, social and economic regeneration in order to create a new sustainable Dolphin estate that involves sustaining the existing community, fulfilling its human rights, addresses the key housing, urban design and social issues, and integrates the Dolphin community with the wider Rialto Area.
The key principles underpinning this regeneration include: -
A) Providing high quality housing and social infrastructure that sustains the community
- The regeneration will involve providing 436 new or refurbished high quality social housing units to meet the needs of everyone living in Dolphin House and Park and will address current housing problems (sewage and damp, small size etc).
- The regeneration has to be planned and designed on the basis that the majority of residents want to stay living in dolphin and thus aims to keep the community of the blocks together and neighbours together.
- The regeneration will address the key social and economic infrastructure gaps by providing a community centre, park, playground, multi sports pitches and other aspects as agreed.
- A new Dolphin Park to be regenerated in an area close to where they are, keeping the services, keeping the numbers of units. If a housing association is to undertake the regeneration this will have to be agreed by Dolphin Park residents and done in partnership with all parties mentioned above.
- While there might be some private/commercial development at some point in the future, this is subject to agreement by all parties - the priority is social housing for the tenants of dolphin house.
- The new regeneration will give like for like accommodation.
- Regeneration is to be progressed in a reasonable timeline.
- There is a balance of unit types to promote a mix of family types to ensure a sustainable community.
- Funding for regeneration is to be exchequer funding. If a housing association or other forms of delivery are to be involved this will only take place on full agreement of all parties.
B) Consultation and partnership will be the hallmark of Dolphin regeneration
- Regeneration plans are to be developed in full consultation and participation with the community. Any decisions affecting the community have to be agreed by the community (Dolphin House Community Development Association) and Dublin City Council together at the Joint Renegertion Board. The process will abide by the best practice guidelines outlined in the Regeneration Learnings and Insights guide agreed by Dublin City Council in 2007.
- Upon completion and agreement of the ‘schematic’ master plan and Phase 1, the detail design plans for the rest of estate will be negotiated and agreed at the JRB on an on-going basis.
- A full consultation will take place with residents in relation to the schematic master plan.
- The community will have access to independent advice to ensure their confidence in the plans.
C) Transition is temporary and as short as possible
- The transition phase is about sustaining and supporting the community and will follow best practice as outlined in the Fatima and St Michael’s guide Two Communities in Transition document, 2005.
- Relocation of tenants, either off site nearby or internally within dolphin, will be temporary. Permanent transfers will take place according to the regular scheme of lettings priority.
- A time frame for temporary allocation should be agreed by the parties, with residents getting rent reductions if time is extended unreasonably.
- Allocations should be maintained in Dolphin House as is necessary to ensure that large numbers of voids do not arise in Blocks not in the first phase.
- Estate management and maintenance of blocks in later phases is kept up to highest standard.
- Minimise impact of construction phase on the remaining community.
D) Social and Economic regeneration is of equal value to physical regeneration
- Community capacity, leadership and training will be provided to residents to empower residents to lead regeneration.
- A social and economic regeneration plan and initiatives will be developed and funded to address key issues of unemployment, education, health, mental health, poverty, community safety, family support, children’s quality of life.
- Ensure opportunities are provided that promote community gain and the human rights of residents such as community benefit clauses, co-operatives, community gardens and enterprise.
Membership of the Regeneration Board
- Independent Chairperson: Fergus Finlay
- Veronica Hand: Dublin City Council Area Housing Manager
- Stefan Lowe: Dublin City Council City Architects Office
- Fiona O'Shea: Dublin City Council Estate Mananger
- Cllr. Maire Devine: Dublin City South Central Area Councillor
- Cllr. Tina MacVeigh: Dublin City South Central Area Councillor
- Angela King: HSE
- Sargent Pat Culhane: An Garda Síochána
- Deputy Aegeus Ó’Snodaigh: Dublin South-Central TD
- Deputy Joan Collins: Dublin South-Central TD
- Deputy Brid Smith: Dublin South-Central TD
- Debbie Mulhall: Dolphin House Community Development Association
- Jim Monaghan: Dolphin Park residents
- Susan Lawlor: Dolphin House Community Development Association
- Una Lowry: Dolphin House Community Development Association
- Barbara Brennan: Dolphin House Community Development Association
- Phyllis McGlynn: Dolphin House Community Development Association
- Paddy Moore: Dolphin House Community Development Association
- Michael Byrne: Rialto Youth Project
- Tina Donaghy: Fold Ireland
- Lorraine Doherty: Tusla
- Gwen Redmond: City of Dublin Education &Training Board
- Secretary: Manus Bree