Best social housing community design for Global Awards shortlisted
LOS ANGELES: The shortlist for the best social housing community design has been declared.
Over 250 designs have been considered by the awards secretariat. One of the finalists in this category is shown above.
At this month’s meeting of the Metropolitan District, councillors ignored the advice of officials who warned that reducing the height may make the scheme financially unviable.
The planned complex was put before the elected members for consideration as the project is earmarked for public land.
Following more than an hour of discussion on the development, at Ballycummin Road, councillors voted by a majority to amend the design of the complex – from 20 housing units down to 15 and from five floors down to three.
Prior to the vote, Conor Cooney, a senior quantity surveyor with council, warned: “I’ll be very clear: if you drop it to three floors, you are down five units. It is uneconomical and will not work.”
The caution was echoed by outgoing housing director Caroline Curley, who said: “While we will go away and try to comply with your wishes, there is a reality to life that we may not be able to do this.
Mayor John Moran added: “The Department (of Housing) might decide it is not viable.”
But Fine Gael councillor Dan McSweeney hit back giving examples of other housing projects which have gone ahead with a cut in units – despite similar warnings from council bosses.
“It’s on the executive to make this work. I have great confidence in them to make it work. We’ve already got the advice in the past that things could not be done, but under your leadership they have,” he said.
The Global Award winner will be announced in December in London. (Globals)