Ballymun Regeneration Masterplan - 1997 to 2005
Extracts from BRL MASTERPLAN
The Ballymun Regeneration project recognised from the outset that the involvement and support of local residents as partners in the process was crucial. A variety of means to actively involve residents were developed to ensure full and meaningful community involvement. The consultation was designed around the key objectives of involving people in agreeing priorities, considering options and identifying solutions.
The development of ideas and proposals in this way sought to build a strong local consensus in support of the Masterplan. The techniques involved included:
Consultation with Neighbourhood Forums
There are now five Neighbourhood Forums in Ballymun. The members of these five forums were actively involved in the development of the Masterplan and their enormous commitment ensured that the Masterplan reflects the views of the community of Ballymun and of the individual localities.
The Neighbourhood Forums were particularly important in ensuring that there was sufficient focus on the
different issues of particular interest to each area.
There were also many common concerns and issues raised by all the Area Forums including:-
- the proposed housing allocations policy for the regeneration project
- the timing of new house builds
- the impact of new housing on the existing low rise houses
- the size and type of new homes
- the type of heating to be installed
- the extent to which people would be able to influence the decisions on who would live next door to them
- the extent to which people would be able to remain living in their existing community and area
- the need for people to move more than once to free up sites for new build
Community Consultation
BRL will build on the success of the public consultation process to-date and will continue to engage in meaningful consultation and encourage the active involvement of the community, as a vital component of the future success of the regeneration of Ballymun. This is especially
important because the proposals are at such an early stage.
BRL recognises the vital role which existing groups and organisations have to play in the regeneration process. It also recognises that it is unwise to rely for public consultation solely on formal structures and groups and is aware that it is important that the wider community is offered a wide range of opportunities to engage in the process.
It will continue therefore to present the people of Ballymun and the adjoining areas with opportunities to influence the regeneration planning and implementation process through one to one meetings and through open public meetings and events
The events organised by BRL have placed particular importance on the need to cater for children at its public events thus ensuring that parents can participate and concentrate on the proceedings.
Such arrangements are particularly important as lone parents and others find it difficult to attend
formal meetings on a regular basis because of their child care or other responsibilities.
In addition it is committed to the merits and benefits of the newsletter as a means of dissemination
of ideas and the generation of feedback including a letters page. BRL will continue to concentrate upon working with the community and other groups to maintain a dialogue and a
consultation process that facilitates the community in developing participatory and leadership
skills.
BRL sees the Design Group, the Area Forums and Working Groups as an effective means of establishing a partnership approach to actively pursuing the successful implementation
of the principles enshrined in the Masterplan.
The targets, principles and performance indicators set out in the Masterplan will help to create a benchmark against which the project’s performance can be measured. They will also serve to show what is and what is not attainable from the project.
This page was updated on 19th July, 2006