URBAN IMPROVEMENTS

In western cities, attempts by planning authorities have tried to alleviate social and economic problems by:

Inner city renewal and redevelopment Planning of new towns

Urban renewal ‘Demolition of old sub standard homes in the inner city and construction of modern houses in the same area’ The residential function remains the same

Urban redevelopment ‘Demolition of derelict buildings and their replacement with offices, hotels and apartments’

The function of the area changes

Case Study: Fatima mansions in Dolphin’s barn Dublin

Dolphins barn is located in Dublin’s south inner city and were at an economic and social disadvantage

Lone parents headed 44% of households (greater risk of poverty than two parent/income families)

Children under 15 made up 38% of the population

61% of adults had no formal education Unemployment was 39% in 2005

Community had high levels of ill health, high school drop out rates and a serious drug problem

Renewal of the area

The Fatima Regeneration board began the process of renewing the Fatima community

In 2005 demolition and rebuilding began

Fatima mansions have been replaced with socially mixed homes

The regeneration board realised that the quality of peoples lived had to be improved

Planning for new towns

Planners have created new towns in order to control urban sprawl, e.g. Tallaght, Lucan, Clondalkin, Blanchardstown and Adamstown

Tallaght

Tallaght is located on the south west of Dublin

In the 1960’s it was a village surrounded by farmland

Much of Tallaght was built in the 1970s

The population consisted of people from Dublin's inner city and people who came from outside the Dublin area

Population has grown from 1,402 in 1961 to 64,281 in 2006

Poor services

Housing densities were low

Services such as leisure, shops and public transport were poor

A high percentage of the population was under 15

High unemployment during recession in 1980s

Tallaght Today

Tallaght Today

The Square is one of Irelands best known shopping centres

A regional hospital serving south west Dublin

The terminal of the Luas red line

Industrial estates that have many international companies

The Tallaght Institute of Technology

Sporting facilities such as the National basketball arena, GAA clubs and Tallaght Stadium

Cultural projects that have two theatres

Adamstown: Irelands’ first twenty first century town

Located 16 km west of Dublin city centreConstruction began in 2004High density development Unlike Tallaght services were provided early Adamstown has two primary schools and a secondary school 2008 planning permission granted for development of shops, leisure activities and offices