South Dublin County Council has voted in favour of a controversial development in Clondalkin from a private developer.

Plans to build 900 homes at the Grange/Kilcarberry site were approved by the council.

Approximately 30% of the houses will be social, with the remainder being sold at open market prices.

The 681 private houses include a comprehensive range of three and four-bed houses as well as 272 one, two and three-bed apartments.

Despite the approval, Sinn Féin councillors voted against the bid.

Sinn Féin Clondalkin Councillor Mark Ward said: "Sinn Féin has campaigned for five years for a Council led mixed-income and mixed-tenure development on this site. Clondalkin needs social, affordable rental, and affordable sale homes, alongside community and economic infrastructure.

-- Advertisement --

"The current proposal, while containing many positive elements, would see 70% of the homes sold at inflated unaffordable prices. At a time when people are crying out for affordable homes, selling this land would not be a good use of such a strategic public asset.

"Nearby residential developments in Adamstown and Shakelton have a price range of between €320,000 and €500,000 for two-bedroom and three-bedroom family homes. Working people on modest incomes simply cannot afford these prices. Public land should not be sold to allow developers make profits for such unaffordable prices."

Sinn Féin group leader Cllr Cathal King added: "Last month, when we deferred the decision on this issue, we called on Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy to intervene to resolve the matter. Five TDs from different political parties wrote to the Minister three times seeking an urgent meeting to ensure that affordable housing would be included on the site. Unfortunately, the Minister refused to meet.

"I am disappointed that a majority of Councillors voted to sell the land today. Rather than stand with hard working modest income families to ensure that they would have access to affordable housing, they have chosen to sell land to a private developer who will be the big winner for this deal."

(CM/MH)