Pear Tree Crossing Development at Digital Campus
The LDA has released a new vision document for their housing development Pear Tree Crossing in Dublin 8. They will create a masterplan for the site of the Digital Hub Development Agency Campus and other surrounding lands.
The site is around 9.2 acres, and the first planning applications are expected to be submitted in 2023. The proposals will be to provide affordable homes. The LDA is currently committed to delivering around 6000 homes throughout the country using state-allocated land. For this social housing development, they say they will be looking to cater to families and older people.
Heritage Seen As Central To The Project
In the vision document, the development has been given the working title of Pear Street Crossing. The pear tree at the centre of the site links in with folklore that holds it as the oldest fruit tree in Ireland. Along with St Patrick’s Tower, it is the centre of a unique heritage in the Liberties. The vision document sees history and heritage as part of identity, one of three key themes for the site.
The other two themes are living; seeing the delivery of affordable and sustainable housing, and unlocking, which focuses on green spaces and biodiversity, as well as public transport linkage.
There are plans for markets, artists and entrepreneurs to have a space, bringing these together with businesses that are already in operation in the area. The vision document outlines some of the challenges in the area including dormant buildings, unused space and street-walks with very little green areas. It aims to revamp the site and make it both a centre for the community and a tourist destination.
The actual split of the land into different use is still being decided on and will not be formally disclosed until the publication of the masterplan.
Consultation
In the vision document, the LDA recognises they will need to work with the community and stakeholders in the area. Proposals and consultation are set to take place during Summer and Autumn, and if plans go forward in 2023, they will be looking at a time-frame of about seven years phased delivery.
Overall, the vision document seems in line with other plans for the liberties, which increasing stress the importance of green bio-diverse spaces and are focused at least in some way on harnessing the heritage of this historically rich area. The document anticipates that the Liberties will be a powerhouse for creative industry and tourism in the coming years. It is worth noting however, that the Digital Hub was already doing great work in delivering on these fronts before the announcement of its dissolution.
The DHDA were disappointed back in June 2021 by the decision of Minister Eamon Ryan and The Department of Communications to shut down the agency. They did however state that they were pleased that the site would be used for social housing. They’ve also recently been given time to oversee an orderly transition. They will most likely still be in operation until at least 2025 .
As it stands, the vision document is exciting, but the full picture will not take shape until the arrival of the masterplan next year. For now, readers can find out more and have their say at:
https://peartreecrossing.ie/
