Now in its fourth year of construction, the Ballymun Regeneration project is the largest urban renewal scheme ever undertaken in Ireland, and the largest of its kind in Europe.
The 10-year, 2.5 billion project encompasses the redevelopment of the entire Ballymun area, with the construction of a new town which will be home to 30,000 people.
The plan, first announced seven years ago, also involves the demolition of the original Ballymun housing complex, which became synonymous with urban deprivation. Built in the late 1960s it comprises a total of seven 15-storey tower blocks, 19 eight-storey blocks and 10 four-storey blocks, which are being pulled down to make way for nearly 2,000 new houses and apartments.
The project is being carried out on a phased basis, and 400 new homes have already being completed and occupied. The master plan also includes a major shopping development, offices, a technology park and a new civic centre.
The plan is overseen by Ballymun Regeneration Ltd, a company wholly owned by Dublin City Council. Most of the project is funded from public monies, although there is significant private-sector commercial development as part of the plan.