Sillogue Forum Issues and Decisions in 2005
Monthly Meeting – February 1st – 2005
Attendance:
- Silloge and Sandyhill Forum
- Dublin City Council (DCC)
- Garda Siochanna
- Ballymun Neighbourhood Council (BNC)
Apologies:
Noted.
The following issues were discussed and where necessary, actions agreed.
Minute of previous meeting
The minutes were read and agreed.
Correspondence
The BNC representative confirmed that the Sillogue office phone line has been reconnected and the line has been threaded through a steel conduit pipe to prevent vandalism. The Forum Treasurer has the current phone bill outstanding, which will be paid presently.
A flyer was prepared for the residents of Connolly Tower by the BNC and delivered by a Forum member, which confirmed that the cleanup of Connolly Tower was as a direct result of the issue being brought to the Forum.
The BNC representative provided the meeting with copies of a BNC letter to Ballymun Regeneration Ltd on behalf of all five Forum areas, condemning the move by an Bord Gais to halt the installation of pre-paid gas readers which allow residents to monitor and pay for gas as it is used rather than paying a bi-monthly estimated bill. A copy of the MABs (Monetary Advice Bureau) petition and a letter of support for the collective position from BRL to An Bord Gais was also provided. The Forum requested that the BNC representative also send a letter to all local TD’s and local City Councillors asking for their support.
The BNC representative confirmed to the meeting that the Dublin City Council Area Housing Manager was leaving the estate to work on another project near the City centre. The Forum thanked the outgoing Housing Manager for his hard work on behalf of the Forum area over his many years in Ballymun and wished him every success in his new role.
Reports:
Levins Associates (Building Contractor).
There were no new reports of anti-social activity received.
Garda Report.
• The representative Garda was in attendance and gave a brief update on local activities. A Garda colleague will be attending these meetings from here on.
• A Forum member asked for consideration to be given to the installation of CCTV in the Senior Citizen housing complex. It was agreed that this is matter for DCC and would be handled by them.
Neighbourhood Management Sub Committees.
• Minutes of the Neighbourhood Management meeting held on Thursday the 27th of January were distributted.
• A list of allocations, maintenance and anti-social activities was distributed to the Forum members by the Dublin City Council (DCC) representative.
• A complaint made before Christmas that parents are blocking the main Sillogue road in the mornings and afternoons when dropping off and collecting children is to be handled by DCC. It was requested that DCC install double yellow lines to restrict these practices.
• Following a meeting between DCC and representatives of Sillogue Gardens and Connolly tower followed by a subsequent meeting with BRL, it was agreed that the large concrete blocks and other traffic restricting measures between the Connolly tower, Gateway and Sillogue gardens will be co-ordinated by both DCC and BRL as part of the upgrade work due to commence in Sillogue Gardens shortly.
Dublin City Council (DCC) Report.
• Damaged gutters that were repaired are still laying in residents’ gardens. DCC will ensure that they are removed. Signs prohibiting ball games have been erected as requested. DCC received complaints in relation to leaking window frames and leaking radiators in specific homes.
• DCC are still to repair the broken railings opposite the Forum office and outside the Senior Citizens housing, as it is being used as a shortcut by some people and causing distress.
• Two road cleaners will work on the Sillogue gardens area every Tuesday or Wednesday. It was agreed by the Sillogue Gardens residents that improvements are visible and they hope that this continues to be the case.
• The Sillogue gardens residents have met with BRL to agree on the environmental improvements to the area which will bring the area back to its original standards. Improvement works planned for the area will not be affected or delayed as a result.
• DCC will look at the possibility of installing CCTV in the Senior Citizens complex.
• Dirt build up on Sillogue road will be removed by DCC.
• A complaint of a heavy goods vehicle parked close to the Holy Spirit School was raised as the vehicle is being blamed for damage to the road. DCC will investigate.
Regeneration Affairs Sub Committees.
• The minutes for the Forum regeneration meeting held on Thursday, January 27,05 were distributed.
• A Forum member reported that the problem of lighting and phones in Pairc Ni Chuillean, is ongoing.
• A copy of the BRL progress report for January 2005 was given to the meeting.
• The next meeting of the five Forum Regeneration Liaison Working group will be given an overview of the Phase 4 housing regeneration programme. The next local Regeneration meeting will be briefed by BRL on the implications of Phase 4 programme for the Sillogue Forum area.
end
SILLOGE/SANDYHILL NEIGHBOURHOOD FORUM.
TIME: 7.30PM, TUESDAY 1ST OF FEBRUARY 2005
VENUE: SILLOGE/SANDYHILL FORUM OFFICE.
DECISION SHEET.
• Ballymun Neighbourhood Council will send a letter to all local TD’s and local City Councillors asking for their support vis-à-vis installing pre-paid gas metres in homes.
• DCC will investigate the feasibility of installing double yellow lines near the entrance of the local school to restrict potentially dangerous car parking practices.
• DCC will ensure the removal of gutters that are still laying in resident’s gardens.
• DCC will investigate complaints in relation to leaking window frames and leaking radiators in specific homes.
• DCC are still to repair the broken railings opposite the Forum office outside the Senior Citizens housing.
• DCC will look at the possibility of installing CCTV in the Senior Citizens housing complex.
• Refuse that has built up on Sillogue road will be removed by DCC.
• DCC is to investigate a complaint regarding a heavy goods vehicle being parked close to the Holy Spirit School.
END
Sillogue & Sandyhill Regeneration Affairs Meeting
January 27, 2005
Attendance:
Silloge & Sandyhill Forum
Ballymun Regeneration Ltd (BRL)
Dublin City Council (DCC).
Ballymun Neighbourhood Council (BNC)
Apologies:
Noted
The following issues were discussed and where necessary, actions agreed.
Minute of previous meeting:
Proposed and Agreed.
1. Update on decision sheet from November 2004.
1.1. BRL has yet to organise a meeting as agreed, between the Forum and BRL representatives, to consider possibilities for the productive usage of the Green space in Sillogue Gardens e.g. shrub planting etc which may restrict disruptive activities. This issue is separate to the proposed €50k to be spent on the area, as this particular meeting was to begin the process of designing the long term landscaping needs of the estate following the eventual regeneration of Sillogue Gardens.
1.2. The drainage work in Sandyhill should be completed by May, 2005.
2. BRL Update:
Sillogue 2a Housing.
The defects liability period is almost over and the contractor is continuing to work on internal snagging at the moment. DCC and BRL are looking at external design e.g. walls etc in relation to anti-social issues. The present contractor may not be carrying out the work. Some railings have been installed and all homes are now occupied.
Sillogue 3a Housing
Construction clearance has been secured from the Dept of the Environment to proceed with the new build and architects Howley Harrington now on site. The project will take approximately one year to complete. BRL and Levins Contracting are to co-manage the project. Sustained anti-social activity is being experienced by workers. A meeting to discuss the various issues was arranged and attended by the site manager, BNC, DCC and the Forum on Tuesday, December 7-2004.
Sillogue 3b Housing
Drainage diversion in the 3a housing site is complete and house construction in the 3b site is moving along and should be finished by September 2005.
Sillogue 4 Housing
Tenders for the contract are due back by the end of January and a construction contractor should be on site by April/May 2005.
Sillogue 5 Housing
Silloge 5 Housing is a design and build scheme. However, due to strong opposition from community and local representatives to the original designs, the project has now been re-designed. The new design has been approved by City Council and Pinewood residents. A copy of the new design will be provided to the Forum.
Gateway Housing.
The last house in this scheme has been handed over. An ongoing dispute in relation to external works has yet to be resolved. Dublin City Council will not take the estate in charge until it is sure building standards are achieved. Snagging is ongoing. A florist shop is to open at the base of the nine-storey gateway tower and it is expected that the units should be occupied soon.
Sillogue Gardens
Some funding (approx €50k) has been sourced by BRL for upgrading works to Sillogue Gardens. BRL have met with residents and a works plan has been agreed. Some of the issues which were raised at the DCC Estate Management Meeting which preceded this meeting, (relating to the need for bollards or concrete blocks to restrict vehicular access to the estate) are included in the plan. Work should begin very quickly. In the meantime, a clean-up of the area took place before Christmas. An up-to-date map will be provided to the Forum. DCC is to meet with BRL in order to co-ordinate both organisation’s activities.
The landscaping company (Groundworks) will be working on two sites near Scoil An tSeachtair Laoch.
Sandyhill Flats Demolition
The demolition of the two Sandyhill blocks is completed and the site is being cleared. The site will be covered with top soil and fenced off until it is incorporated into the Sillogue 6 housing site.
Silloge 6 Housing.
The plans for Sillogue 6 housing were displayed in the Civic centre at the beginning of December and are to go to planning soon. BRL are to inform the Forum as to which of the existing flats blocks the Sillogue 6 residents will be drawn from. As there will be no security on the site, the Ballymun Neighbourhood Council representative voiced concerns in relation to illegal dumping on or at the site and fears of it becoming a focal point for anti-social gatherings and joyriding.
Sandyhill Gardens
An information session for residents has taken place. A Forum representative outlined problems relating to cracked walls to the meeting, which DCC is still to examine. The eastern drain is finished and good progress is being made. The residents are happy with the work to date and with the contractor. It is hoped that the works will be finished by May of 2005.
Poppintree 4 Housing
The construction contractor is on site and work should be finished by the end of the year.
Cluid Social Housing
The tender price has come back but is outside expected budget. The works required are currently being re-examined in order to ensure that essential works are valued correctly. The Forum wants to see the revised plans to ensure that the original objectives of the scheme are consistent with the revised plans.
Poppintree Park Designs
A public exhibition was held at the beginning of December.
The land at the back of the park has been sanctioned by the North-West Area Committee for sale with an agreement that a maximum of 270 units be constructed and the privacy of exiting homes be protected by the design. GAMA Construction is the contractor for the site.
Ceannt Tower
The demolition programme is about 12 weeks behind schedule, which makes the likely completion date, July 2005.
Balcurris 2 Housing
The project should be completed by the end of February 2005.
BRL updated the meeting on the ongoing issues in Pairc Na Cuilleen and Gateway in relation to the lack Eircom services and other issues.
• The majority of public lights in the area and at the Gateway site have been connected. The road is to be black-topped in the coming weeks.
• The problems with the phone lines are ongoing. The BRL architect with responsibility for the North of the estate is putting pressure on the contractors (Carey’s and GAMA) to check the cable and ducts on that side. The BRL architect with responsibility for the South of the estate is working with GAMA who have re-laid their cables and replaced any damaged ducts.
Any Other Business
The next meeting of the five Forum - Regeneration Liaison group will be given a presentation by BRL on the recently announced Phase 4 of the BRL Master plan. At the Silloge Regeneration Affairs meeting later that same day, BRL will talk the Forum through the projects that will impact or affect the Sillogue Forum during the course of the phase four build.
End.
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SILLOGE/SANDYHILL FORUM
ESTATE MANAGEMENT SUB-COMMITTEE MEETING
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2004.
Attendance:
Silloge-Sandyhill Forum
Dublin City Council (DCC)
Ballymun Neighbourhood Council (BNC)
The following issues were discussed and where necessary, actions agreed.
Dublin City Council update:
• DCC made an oral presentation of the number of vacancies and allocations made by them since December 2003. The vast majority of vacancies are in 1 bedroom flats which will not be re-let, as only current Ballymun residents are applicable and residents are generally only interested in moving to larger accommodation. Those flats not for re-letting are being sealed up.
• A list of Voids in non-phased blocks was provided and DCC agreed to provide the Forum with a list of voids in the phased blocks so the Forum can monitor the risk of increased anti social activity in these areas.
• No maintenance lists were available at this time.
• DCC gave a broad description of complaints received by DCC in relation to minor antisocial activities. They explained that very few residents are coming in to register complaints about other residents. Most complaints are generated as a result of contact with resident about other non related issues.
Forum Issues and Updates:
• Sillogue – Sandyhill Forum requested that DCC clean the ground-water shores in Sillogue Gardens as a number of shores are blocked or full.
• Ballymun Neighbourhood Council on behalf of the Forum have again requested that the damaged railings at the senior citizens dwellings be repaired or replaced, as the breach in the railings is being used to gain entry to the area and the residents are being intimidated by local youths.
• The Forum requested that obscene graffiti on the basement and lower floors of the Sillogue Road eight-storey blocks be removed. The 3rd spine block on Sillogue Road is particularly bad and refuse dumping is also on the rise in the area.
• The Forum reminded DCC of their commitment to obtain and place concrete blocks or boulders at areas identified on an inspection walkabout the previous month. The blocks or boulders are required to stop motor traffic passing through the pedestrian lanes of Sillogue Gardens.
• DCC informed the meeting that following representations from caretakers and the successful implementation in other high rise areas outside of Ballymun, DCC would seal all the remaining rubbish chutes in the flats. Car parking spaces would be used to house exterior rubbish bins for the use of residents of the flats. This action is expected to occur this coming summer (2005). DCC provided few specific details of their proposals, but will provide information as it becomes available. The Forum and BNC expressed concern at the potential for increased dumping, Health and Safety concerns, and the possibility of waste charges being introduced by stealth. The timing of the move was questioned, when every effort is being made to empty the blocks of remaining residents.
This page was updated on 20th July, 2006