A new dance and municipal arts centre is the flagship of the North East Inner City Integrated Area Plan, which will transform the derelict area around the Five Lamps on Amiens Street, Dublin 1.

The new centre, the largest of its kind in the country, is part of an investment plan which will completely build up the north inner city over the next few years. The plan will invest more than cash in the area and Dublin Corporation has been working with the community on the plans for redevelopment.

A number of social outlets are planned to redress the social imbalance in the area and two schools have already been completed. Security is no longer as big a problem to those worried about investing in the area, according to Dublin Corporation; crime has reduced considerably and the roll-out of CCTV cameras will further alleviate concerns.

£500 million of private investment and £100 million of public investment will have been spent on improvements to the precinct between July 1999 and January 2003. The number of residential units in the area is set to increase from 1,500 to 4,000 in that time, and a number of existing corporation flats are to be demolished and redeveloped. There will be no more new social housing units built in the area, but many of the new sites will have affordable housing.

As the IFSC has issued the last of its licences, it is hoped that there will be a spillover of e-commerce and financial services and expansion of companies into the area.

Under the integrated area plan, new tax-designated sites with 100 per cent commercial incentives and 50 per cent owner-occupier incentives for new homes are on offer. In addition, there is a 100 per cent write-off available for refurbished residential units.

In the first 12 months, one third of the required number of developers have been attracted to the scheme, and by December 2003 (the end of the tax incentive period) the corporation expects to have attracted most developers. There will not be any extensions of the tax incentive period and developments must be complete within the time period to qualify.

200,000 sq ft owned by Dublin Corporation and private owners are available for commercial development in the area and the corporation is also looking for developers who want to take large derelict sites to build a mixed-use development in an open tender situation.

Although one of the last areas of the city to undergo such radical renewal, the redevelopment has the attraction of being at the biggest transport hub in the city. The Amiens Street Quality Bus Corridor, Busaras, Connolly Station and the proposed Luas line all border the area.

In addition, in 2002 a traffic cell, which includes a survey of all traffic in the area, will be completed and traffic calming measures introduced.

Bord Gais is building its new £10 million headquarters in the area: it will have 30,000 sq ft of offices and 10,000 sq ft designated for retail and enterprise.

The area will also be graced with the presence of a new pub, on newly-named James Joyce Street (formerly Corporation Street), as part of a development encompassing 25,000 sq ft of commercial space, 30,000 sq ft of retail and enterprise space and 70 apartments. There will be a new boulevard on Foley Street, linking Amiens Street to James Joyce Street.

The Linders Group of Smithfield is involved in building the 30,000 sq ft of commercial space and 10,000 sq ft of retail space on James Joyce Street as well as 50 apartments.

A sports and leisure complex, which includes a swimming-pool and the largest childcare centre in the area, is to be built opposite the proposed civic centre on the site of the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity Convent on Sean MacDermott Street, where there will be another creche.

Three additional childcare centres are planned, two of which will open immediately to assist parents back to work and education.

In January, redevelopment of the Royal Canal from Amiens Street Lock to Summerhill Lock will begin to make the area suitable for watersports.

Quality accommodation is a feature of the NEIC plan and there is planning permission for a quality hotel. Two other sites have been designated for hotels.