Urban, Community and Regional Planning Commons^™

The Heat Is On: The Collaborations, Capacities, And Management Style Required For The Establishment And Sustainability Of Community-Owned Renewable Energy District Heating Systems In Austria, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Wales, And Scotland, Gerard Doyle

Articles

International reviews of countries’ progress at tackling climate change show that Ireland is making small levels of progress on tackling issues associated with climate change. This paper will highlight the pivotal role the State performs, both at national and local level, in creating the conditions essential for the establishment of community-owned renewable energy district heating systems. In particular, the State can provide funding for these initiatives to acquire the management and technical expertise essential for their establishment and maintenance. This paper will also examine a theoretical framework, referred to as capacity analysis, to explain the capacities that need to be …

Dlr Covid-19 Mobility Review: Evaluation And Review Of The Phase 1 Covid-19 Mobility And Public Realm Works Undertaken By Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, Sarah Rock Dr., Dave O'Connor, Lorraine D'Arcy Dr., Odran Reid

Reports

Evaluation and Review of the Phase 1 Covid-19 Mobility and Public Realm Works undertaken by Dún Laoghaire- Rathdown County Council.

Interim findings, June 2021.

Unveiling Women’S Needs And Expectations As Users Of Bike Sharing Services: The H2020 Diamond Project, Andrea Gorrini, Rawad Choubassi, Federico Messa, Wafaa Saleh, Augustus Ababio-Donkor, Maria Chiara Leva, Lorraine D'Arcy, Francesco Fabbri, David Laniado, Pablo Aragon

Articles

Within the objectives of the H2020 DIAMOND project, the paper investigates women’s needs and expectations as users of the bike-sharing service managed by Syndicat Mixte Autolib et Velib Métropole in the territory of Paris Region-Petite Couronne (France). The paper presents a thematic literature review focused on gender inclusion in bike-sharing schemes. The proposed methodological approach is based on (i) Geographic Information Systems for the analysis of geolocated open datasets related to land, sociodemographic and mobility characteristics of the areas surrounding each docking stations. This was aimed at identifying a short list of suitable bike-sharing docking stations, which were further characterized …

Integrative Sonic Urbanism: Artist-Led Strategies For Urban Sound Design In The Contemporary City, Sven Anderson

Doctoral

This doctoral research advances the fields of urban sound design and acoustic planning, presenting new ways of exploring the interrelationship between individual and collective sonic experience, the dynamic potential of the urban sound environment and the complex evolution of the contemporary cityscape. It links urban sound art practices with larger urban design processes, revealing how sound contributes to the production of urban space. The research progresses by crafting a dynamic, integrative methodology that activates contrasting sonic perspectives to critically reassess the role of sound in the public realm. As it discloses this methodology, the research navigates the tension between new …

Relationship Between Participation And Social Inclusion, Louis Nwachi

Articles

Studies show that within most countries, there are generally many different socio-cultural, ethnic and religious groups and this diversity inevitably creates a level of inter-group tension, with income disparities, cultural differences, and intergroup segregation leading in turn to social exclusion. This paper sets out to develop a conceptual framework to examine the relationship between that participation and the social inclusion outcomes in the plan-making process. It addresses how social inclusion can relate to the plan-making process culturally, politically and institutionally, economically and socially with high level participation. In doing this, it adopts a case study approach using the Metropolitan Area …

James Joyce Run: Why Are We On The Move Again If It's A Fair Question?, Barry Sheehan

Academic Articles

I write a blog www.jj21k.com which looks at the works of James Joyce, the environment which he wrote about and changes that have taken place since he wrote about them. The blog posts are predominantly about Dublin.

During a time of injury, instead of running I was able to cycle. This blogpost describes the journey James Joyce made through houses in Dublin that he lived in whilst growing up. This is paralleled with a cycle I made and narrative I wrote.

You can see more background information and other posts on www.jj21k.com.

James Joyce, Bruce Springsteen And The Notion Of Exile: It's A Town Full Of Losers, And I'M Pulling Out Of Here To Win, Barry Sheehan

Academic Articles

“It’s a town full of losers and I’m pulling out of here to win.”

Bruce Springsteen (1975) Thunder Road, Track 1 of Born to Run [CD], Columbia.

“So it returns. Think you're escaping and run into yourself. Longest way round is the shortest way home.”

James Joyce (1998) Ulysses, p.309.

James Joyce was born towards the end of the nineteenth century, in Dublin, Ireland. He spent most of his life writing about Dublin while living in exile.

Born in the United States in the middle of the twentieth century, Bruce Springsteen has spent a career …

James Joyce: I. Am. A. Discover Dublin By Reading And Running, Barry Sheehan

Academic Articles

You are walking through it howsomever. I am, a stride at a time. A very short space of time through very short times of space.

James Joyce (Ulysses,p.31).

In Ulysses, on the morning of the 16th June 1904, Stephen Dedalus is striding on Sandymount strand, thinking about time and place as he moves. Later in the day, Leopold Bloom writes I. AM. A.with a stick in the sand on the same Sandymount strand. His scrubbed words will wash away with the tide but remain forever in the novel.

Using geotracking, I recreated the same ephemeral I. AM. …

James Joyce Run: Nothing Happens In The Public Houses, People Drink, Barry Sheehan

Academic Articles

I write a blog www.jj21k.com which looks at the works of James Joyce, the environment which he wrote about and changes that have taken place since he wrote about them. The blog posts are predominantly about Dublin. As part of discovering Dublin by reading and running, I have written several longer pieces.

This piece creates a running narrative that runs past every pub that is mentioned in Ulysses that is still a pub.

You can see more background information and other posts on www.jj21k.com.

Investigating The State Of Play Of Geobim Across Europe, Claire Ellul, Jantien E. Stoter, Lars Harrie, M. Shariat, Avril Behan, Maria Pla

Conference papers

In both the Geographic Information (Geo) and Building Information Modelling (BIM) domains, it is widely acknowledged that the integration of data from both domains is beneficial and a crucial step in facing the multi-disciplinary challenges of our built environment. The result of this integration – which can broadly be termed GeoBIM – could answer questions such as identifying an appropriate Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning system for a building based on room usage, outside air temperature, solar exposure and traffic pollution or validating whether a proposed built asset meets relevant planning constraints.

Developing a coherent approach to GeoBIM integration requires …

Demography Is Destiny: Strategic Planning And Housing In Ireland, Brian Hughes

Articles

The approach to this demographic-based paper on housing comprises a demand-led perspective to spatial planning and housing provision. The principal arguments are that end-use demand is driven by demographic growth and that successful planning is predicated on sustainable market-led implementation. Accordingly, the thrust and direction of Ireland’s National Planning Framework (NPF) must be driven by rational responses to population projections, its growthdriver of job creation, and anticipating the primary locations of future employment and for city-led end-use demand. Since 2006 Ireland’s potential to invest in capital formation has been handicapped by state economic constraints. In the intervening decade its Fixed …

What Lessons Can Be Learned From The Delivery Of The First Building On The Grangegorman Campus Using Building Information Management (Bim)?, Pat O'Sullivan, Avril Behan

Conference papers

There is an acceptance that BIM, via data management, can be integrated with FM to reduce costs during the Operations and Maintenance stage of a project. However, what has not been documented is the ‘on the ground’ reality which can be reviewed as a lessons learnt exercise to improve the implementation of BIM FM for future projects. This case study sets out to explore the realities of a client’s adoption of BIM based upon the actual experience of the Greenway Hub. Rather than relying on anecdotal evidence the research was based upon the real practices and experiences of the Dublin …

Santry River Greenway Feasibility Appraisal, David O'Connor, Matthias Borscheid, Odran Reid, Meadhbh Ní Lochlainn

Reports

The North East Dublin area has been identified for the development of a plan addressing health inequality and promoting a Healthy Community (WTO 2011) by the Northside Partnership (NSP), a local development company established in 1991 to address social exclusion, and the Dublin North Health Promotion Department. Poor health has been identified as an issue for people who live in areas affected by structural disadvantage and social exclusion in North East Dublin. A community survey in 2008 and a health needs assessment in 2003 both highlighted risk factors for high levels of chronic disease risks in the surveyed neighbourhoods and …

Pivot Dublin: A Discussion On The Bid For Dublin To Become World Design Capital, Barry Sheehan, Ali Grehan

Articles

In this article, Barry Sheehan interviews Dublin City Architect, Ali Grehan, about PIVOT Dublin, the bid for World Design Council, how and why it came about, what happened to the bid and where PIVOT Dublin is now.

Small Housesholds Left Out In Cold By One-Size-Fits-All Policy, Lorcan Sirr

Media

In Ireland, homeowners can pay up to 31% of their after-tax income on their mortgage, and the situation is worse if you are a single-person mortgage holder. That’s according to figures released by AIB mortgage brand EBS and DKMEconomic Consultants last month.

You’Ll Like The Tenancies Bill And Poppintree Build, But Not A Lot, Lorcan Sirr

Media

Two things exercised my brain this week, both of which reminded me of a late, lamented magician. The first is the government’s Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016. This is the bill that will send planning applications for 100 or more residential homes directly to An Bord Pleanala. As I have said before, this will not be the panacea for a perceived problem, mostly because the problemdoes not exist. In 2015, 985 appeals in relation to residential developments were made to An Bord Pleanala, and about 75% of judgments confirmed the local authority’s decision. Indeed, 82% of …

We Should Heed Research Into What’S Happening In Rural Areas, Lorcan Sirr

Media

Ireland’s rural population has increased by just over 19%in the past 20 years, according to Teagasc, the state research body for the food and agriculture sector. A study, carried out by Dr David Meredith, senior researcher at Teagasc, looked at rural Ireland —its economy and where people are going to live. Media reports tend to focus on specific components of population decline, especially the headlinegrabbing “Can’t even field a GAA team” line, which focuses on young men. Populations comprise more than young men, however, and increases can be found in other age categories, such as the over-55s.

James Joyce Dubliners Run: He Went Through The Narrow Alley Of Temple Bar Quickly, Barry Sheehan

Other resources

I write a blog www.jj21k.com which looks at the works of James Joyce, the environment which he wrote about and changes that have taken place since he wrote about them. The blogposts are predominantly about Dublin. As part of discovering Dublin by reading and Running I have written several longer pieces.

This piece creates a running narrative that runs through each of the Dubliners stories, physically connecting them and making observation on them and the city of Dublin.

You can see more background information and other posts on www.jj21k.com.

State Must Play To Crowd On Renting Or Face The Consequences, Lorcan Sirr

Media

In 1895, the French polymath Gustave Le Bon published his seminal work, The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind, on the behaviour and danger of crowds. For decades after, Le Bon’s theories influenced generations of politicians and their policies. Le Bon was influential at a time of rapid urbanisation, social upheaval and worker organisation. Social order was under threat and it was feared that “the masses” might break with patriarchy, social order and religion.

Help-To-Buy Scheme Is Detached From How We Really Live, Lorcan Sirr

Media

The government’s help-tobuy scheme, announced in the budget, was rightfully criticised by many people. Various ministers seemed a little surprised, if not a bit tetchy, that fewpeople had rowed in behind their latest genius wheeze. In research carried out by Davy stockbrokers and the property website myhome.ie, even firsttime buyers did not expect a helpto- buy scheme (people are not too easily schmoozed these days). Two other things flew under the radar when the proposal was announced. First, the silence from retail banks was deafening, which was strange given the allegedly positive response from the Central Bank. It nowlooks as …

Let’S Stop Calling This A Crisis And Start Building More Homes, Lorcan Sirr

Media

Over the past couple of years I have made a concerted effort not to use the phrase “housing crisis”, and I’ve been doing quite well, too. Recently, however, I have been using the dreaded phrase more often than I like. I don’t like the word “crisis” because it often gets abused, and although I’m talking about housing here, the same point can be applied to many economic and social problems and solutions.

First-Time Buyers’ Grant Is For The Developers’ Back Pocket, Lorcan Sirr

Media

Over the last few weeks, political feelers have gone out to test the likely response to a grant for first-time buyers. Perhaps surprisingly for the government, the reaction has not been totally positive. The broad idea is that first-time buyers would get a lump sum payment, or other credit, of between €5,000 and €15,000 to help them to meet newmortgage lending thresholds, depending on the price of the house they are buying, perhaps up to €350,000.

No Landlord Exodus But Still The Same Old Eviction Problems, Lorcan Sirr

Media

There has been a lot of discussion this year about concerns that landlords are fleeing the rental market in the face of rent freezes and difficulties in making a profit — but are they? First, it is important to note that it is not the number of landlords in a market that is relevant, it’s the number of tenancies, which is a measure of the size of the sector. The sector has actually expanded in the past 12 months from about 319,000 tenancies at the end of last year to 324,000 in mid-2016. The number of landlords also increased in …

To Solve Housing Crisis, We Must Get Over Our Problem With Cities, Lorcan Sirr

Media

Housing is a many-headed beast with elements of technology, planning, finance, sociology and of course, politics. At its core, however, it is a simple thing: buildings for people and this is why it’s crucial to keep an eye on our population statistics. Preliminary results fromthe recent census are throwing up some interesting figures, all of which have implications for where we should be focusing our efforts to build housing. The location of our empty houses should have told us by nowthat there’s little point in building homes where there’s no demand for them.

Eroding Planning Powers Leaves Us At The Mercy Of The Market, Lorcan Sirr

Media

There is little evidence to show that the planning system in Ireland hinders the delivery of housing, yet it is regularly blamed for preventing developers from building. Consistent with our political tradition of “anecdote as fact”, no credible evidence is ever presented to prove these allegations that the planning system—and indeed, planners themselves—are a blockage. The elephant in the room is, of course, owners sitting on land with planning permission who won’t build, or who won’t sell if they can’t afford to build. Critics of the planning system are fewin reality, yet they are vocal and influential. Diluting the system …

European Road Trip Reveals Housing Sectors United By Strife, Lorcan Sirr

Media

I recently undertook a 6,000km road trip that began in Glenties, in Co Donegal, and went as far as Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina, before returning home via Trieste in Italy. During the trip the housing similarities and challenges that many European countries face became evident.

How Failings In Policy Making Give Us Plenty To Worry About, Lorcan Sirr

Media

Journalist Mick Clifford recently questioned the will and ability of any new government to solve the housing crisis. It’s a legitimate question as governments get caught between the needs of the electorate—more and cheaper housing—and those of the economy, and in particular the banks—higher house prices to pass European Central Bank stress tests.

Stumbling Block Of Social Housing Stalls O’Devaney Gardens, Lorcan Sirr

Media

Last week, Dublin city council (DCC) resolved a dispute with its own councillors over the regeneration of O’Devaney Gardens, a council estate behind Arbour Hill in Dublin. Named after Bishop O’Devaney, who was hanged at Arbour Hill in 1612 as a friend of Tyrone rebel chief Hugh O’Neill, O’Devaney Gardens is a 1950s corporation-built estate of 300 flats in 12 (originally 13) blocks.

Rental Sector Reform Must Look At The European Dimension, Lorcan Sirr

Media

One of the key points of interest for me in Rebuilding Ireland, the recently published Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, was how it proposed to deal with reform of security of tenure in the private rental sector. Under the plan, where a landlord proposes to sell 20 or more units within a single scheme, the tenants can remain in situ “other than in exceptional circumstances”. Hopefully, this will be amended in due course; the proposal affects few landlords, offers protection to only a small proportion of tenants, and is riddled with legal holes. I would argue that landlords with …

Beware Profit-Driven Lobbyists When It Comes To Housing Policy, Lorcan Sirr

Media

Lobbying involves trying to influence political decisions using various forms of advocacy that is targeted at policymakers, usually on behalf of amembers’ interest group, organisation or professional body. At its most benign, lobbying merely provides policymakers with information and legislative support; at its worst, it is selfserving and is self-promotion of often lucrative vested interests