Family 'have to leave home of 22 years in six months' as new homes to be built

A family are appealing to save their home after being told they and three of their neighbours have to pack up and leave in six months - to make way for 21 new homes. The Jensen family have lived at their home on Fortlawn Park in Blanchardstown for 22 years. Their home is a detached, three-bedroom home that sits perpendicular to the other homes on the road. It faces out onto a small field that separates Fortlawn Park and Fortlawn Avenue. It is one of eight houses - four on the Park side, four on the Avenue side - that sit facing the field in this unique fashion. But four of the homes are now set to be knocked down after new plans were revealed by Fingal County Council this week. The proposed development, which went on display on Tuesday, consists of one four-bedroom house, six three-bedroom houses, and one apartment block - consisting of six one-bedroom apartments, and six two-bedroom apartments. An aerial view of Fortlawn Park and Fortlawn Avenue, with the four homes set to be demolished inside the pink box Evita Jensen says she was handed a notice by Fingal County Council officials on Tuesday about the plans. This, she says, was the first time she found out about the new development. She was then told her family will have to move out by January next year. And while they would be provided with a new home by the Council - who say there will be no evictions - they currently have no knowledge of where they would be housed next. She told Dublin Live: "We have to go by the start of the next year. They said they would look after us, but they didn’t say where we’d be going. "I told them: ‘I don’t want to leave - I want to stay here’. It’s not just a house, it’s my home of 22 years. I feel sick, I feel wrecked, I’m nervous, I don’t know where I’m going. Lara, Evita, and Jolene Jensen "I can’t get my head around it." Evita says herself and her neighbours have started petitioning Councillors, TDs, and other locals to help them keep their homes. Evita's daughters, Lara and Jolene, say the family is "wrecked" by the news. Jolene said: "We’ve been living here for 22 years. "We were the first people to move into this house. Our whole family is wrecked, we’re all stressed out. My Mam is panicking, she’s crying every day, she can’t sleep, she can’t eat. "It’s actually a disgrace. We’ve been talking to every neighbour. No one here wants to move, they are not happy with the situation. "They think it is a disgrace that we have to be put out of our homes for these new homes to be built." Lara added: "We want to try and save our home. "We’ve been here for years. There’s so many memories and love built into this home." A neighbour of the Jensens added that it is "disgraceful what the Council are doing". He added: "They’re chucking four families that have been here for years, they keep the place grand, and if they knock their house down where’s that lady going to go after 22 years living there? Why should she be forced to go?" A Fingal County Council spokeswoman told Dublin Live that the proposed development is being pursued "in response to requests from Councillors and residents to deal with serious issues in the area, particularly with regard to the open space". They added that the public consultation is open until August 7, and that they are "available to meet with any residents who may wish to seek further clarity on the plans". She said: "The proposed social housing infill scheme in Fortlawn was developed in response to requests from Councillors and residents to deal with serious issues in the area, particularly with regard to the open space. This project is subject to a public consultation process under the Part 8 process. "A public consultation commenced this week in relation to the proposed works and is open for submissions until Thursday 7 August 2025. Fingal County Council will be proactively engaging with all residents during the consultation process and all views will feed into the final decision. "Following the consultation period, the Chief Executive of the Local Authority will prepare a report which will summarise submissions or observations received, and the report is presented to the members of the authority. This report recommends whether or not the proposed development should proceed as proposed or should not proceed. "It can also include the examination of alternative proposals to deal with the real issues for which the proposal was originally conceived. Fingal County Council wish to clarify that there are no plans for evictions and the Council is available to meet with any residents who may wish to seek further clarity on the plans or with elected representatives." The portal to make submissions on the plans is available here. Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.

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