Preferred bidder for social housing project announced

Construction of the social housing units is expected to begin in January

The Comhar consortium has been announced as the preferred bidder for the construction of 534 social housing units over the next two years under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) agreement.

The units are to be built and maintained in Dublin, Kildare, Wicklow and Louth at a cost of approximately €100m and will be managed by the Northern Ireland-based Choice Housing, which is part of the Comhar consortium.

The tenancy management will be operated by Oaklee Housing part of the Choice Housing group which already acts as landlord for 9,900 homes according to its website.

The construction will be carried out by Sisk with Macquarie Corportate Holdings providing the equity.

Under the terms of the PPP contract, the Comhar consortium will build and maintain the housing for 25 years before it is returned to the State "in prime condition" according to the Department of Housing.

It is the first bundle of a plan to provide a total of 1,500 units social housing units.

Construction is expected to begin by January following formal signing of contracts, and take between 12 months and two years depending on the site.

The sites are: Ayrfield, Malahide Rd with 150 units including 50 for senior citizens; 70 in Scribblestown and Finglas, both in Dubin City Council's area; Corkagh Grange in South Dublin with 109 units; Dunleer, Co Louth with 80 units; Convent Lands, Wicklow Town and Craddockstown in Naas, Co Kildare.