Five-year plan to redevelop inner city Dublin

The Government will tomorrow announce plans to redevelop three of inner city Dublin's most deprived areas in partnership with private developers.

The Minister of State for Housing and Urban Renewal, Mr Noel Ahern, is to formally announce the signing of a five-year plan to redevelop Fatima Mansions in conjunction with Elliot-Mortitz, a consortium of private developers.

Similar public-private partnerships are due to be signed in the coming months for the redevelopment of flats complexes at St Michael's Estate in Inchicore and O'Devaney Gardens, close to the Phoenix Park.

The redevelopments will include a mixture of public and private housing, along with sports, community and retail facilities.

While details of the partnerships have yet to be finalised, it is expected they will involve the sale of lucrative State-owned land to private developers, who in turn will be required to provide an agreed level of social housing.

However, the Government's decision to relinquish control of these developments is likely to cause concern among some residents' groups who have questioned whether private developers will have the best interests of the community at heart.

Mr Ahern, meanwhile, said he was confident the five-year plan for Fatima Mansions would transform the area into a desirable location with high-quality housing and access to the Luas.

Plans for Fatima Mansions involve the demolition of all the existing flats and replacing them with two, three and four-storey homes in the form of duplexes and traditional houses.

The first phase will include the construction of about 110 local authority homes which are expected to be built "within 15 to 18 months" and will be followed by more than 400 affordable and private dwellings. The new Fatima development will also include retail units, a swimming pool, creche and playing area.