Noonan's Rd tenants to be consulted on redevelopment plans in new year

TENANTS living in city council-owned flats, which residents had previously described as “abandoned” by the local authority, will be consulted in the new year about redevelopment proposals for the site.

Independent councillor Mick Finn said councillors were recently informed that the redevelopment of the Noonan’s Road flats are currently at feasibility stage and that discussions with residents will take place early next year.

Mr Finn, who has long advocated for the residents of this complex as well as those on St Finbarr’s Rd, Dean St and Fort St at council level, welcomed the update.

“While it has taken a long time to get to this stage, I am hopeful that it will not take as long to get moving on action planning, but the residents must have a say in how their homes and their area will look into the future,” he commented.

Mr Finn had tabled a motion that a community facility, “including a creche/family/youth centre, be considered as part of the Noonan Road regeneration, similar to the Tom O’Sullivan facility at Shournagh Grove in Togher”.

He was informed that the council’s housing delivery and regeneration directorate “will consider the inclusion of a community facility as part of the overall plan for the Noonan Rd regeneration, and that this will form part of the full feasibility study on the area’s redevelopment”.

Some 164 council tenants on Noonan’s Rd, St Finbarr’s Rd, Fort St, and Dean St — made up of 129 adults and 35 children — were informed by the city council, in September, that it favours the demolition of their homes and the redevelopment of the sites.

In a letter to the area’s tenants, the council said: “This would require, on a phased basis, the temporary relocation of all residents.”

The council’s letter added that the displaced tenants would then have “an option to return to the redeveloped new homes or, if they wish, remain living at their relocated home.”

The council’s letter also assured tenants that they would be consulted on the redevelopment proposals to their homes and the site, and that ongoing maintenance issues would be addressed by the council.

They were further told that any redevelopment plans would take time and that nobody would be asked to leave their homes immediately.

Residents have previously highlighted concerns over the conditions of the flats to the council.

These included crumbling walls, leaking ceilings, recurring instances of black mould and mildew, as well as rodent infestation.