Ingka Investments to invest €100m in Social Housing Projects in Dublin
Ingka Investments has committed €100m of financing as part of a unique initiative for the construction of social housing units across the greater Dublin region. The investment is expected to result in the construction of approximately 150 units over a three-year period.
Ingka Investments, the investment arm of Ingka Group which represents the largest IKEA retailer, will finance the construction of the 150 social housing units, which will then be effectively leased to the local authority on a long-term basis. This approach to investing in the projects is unique for Ireland in that the lease payments from the local authority will be treated like mortgage repayments, allowing the transfer of these homes to the local authority at the end of the term at an estimated zero additional cost.
The initiative will create an increase in the stock of social housing in Ireland and produce a significant benefit to society.
Peter van der Poel, Managing Director of Ingka Investments, said, “Ingka Group is guided by the IKEA vision to create a better everyday life for the many. As a purpose-led company, our aim is to invest with impact, delivering positive returns for communities and the environment for generations to come. We hope this project will provide an innovative, community focused template for social housing provision in Ireland, demonstrating a new way for companies like ours to be part of the solution.”
Funds will be allocated to ensure the energy efficiency of the homes is of the highest standard, reducing the cost to the occupant and better protecting the environment. A percentage will also be invested in social facilities such as parks, playgrounds, community centres, and more.
The social housing initiative will be executed and delivered by Aurium Capital, a specialist sustainability focused investment manager. Aurium Capital is responsible for coordinating the construction and delivery of these social homes.
The planned developments will be ‘new builds’ across the greater Dublin region, designated specifically for social purposes. Each project is construction-ready and relatively compact in scale, averaging 50-70 units each, ensuring minimal impact on local services and better integration into neighbouring communities.
“We are delighted to be working with Ingka Investments on this ground-breaking strategy. Our objective is to deliver energy efficient and affordable housing for the benefit of the local community and with a lasting legacy for the public. This joint venture with Ingka Investments leverages Aurium’s experience in delivering real assets with a significant environmental impact to assist with the drive to net zero, whilst providing genuine social impact.” said Nimesh Kamath, Partner at Aurium Capital.
Construction is expected to commence in the coming weeks with an estimated total delivery of 150 social housing units over the next 36 months.
About Ingka Group
Ingka Group (Ingka Holding B.V. and its controlled entities) is one of 12 different groups of companies that own and operate IKEA retail under franchise agreements with Inter IKEA Systems B.V. Ingka Group has three business areas: IKEA Retail, Ingka Investments, and Ingka Centres. Ingka Group is a strategic partner in the IKEA franchise system, operating 392 IKEA stores in 32 countries. These IKEA stores had 657 million visits during FY21 and 4.6 billion visits to IKEA.com. Ingka Group operates business under the IKEA vision – to create a better everyday life for the many people by offering a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible can afford it.
About Aurium Capital
Founded in 2011, Aurium Capital provides investors with access to innovative investment opportunities across several asset classes with a focus on ESG and the drive to net zero. The Aurium team has a proven track record in renewable energy, asset finance and fund management. In addition to in-house expertise, the team collaborates and partners with highly respected industry experts with proven track record in each sector.
For further information, journalists and media professionals can contact us at press.office@ingka.com or by calling +46 70 993 6376.
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