Private developer gives discount to Dublin City Council on block of apartments for social housing trade-off

It has emerged a block of apartments recently bought by Dublin City Council were sold to it at a discount by a private developer.

The 53 homes at Shelbourne Plaza in Ringsend are part of a trade-off which means Chartered Land now will not have to include social housing in a new development in Ballsbridge.

Dublin City Council's Deputy Chief Executive Brendan Kenny said the deal is a first of its kind.

"At the end of the day, our job is to get housing units. There's a housing crisis in the city at the moment," he said.

"We think this is a better deal. We do have problems mixing social housing into private developments. There's tension there [with private residents]. It is better for us, in this situation, to have a full development," he added.

Digital Desk