In the zone: get ready for housing boom

A MAJOR study has revealed that nearly 40,000 homes are expected to be built, or under construction, within the next five years in Co Cork.

However, the shortage of suitable land for further housing growth on the outskirts of the city could be a stumbling block.

The final draft of the Housing Land Availability Study, compiled by experts in the county council’s planning policy unit in cooperation with the Construction Industry Federation (CIF), has calculated that there are 5,303 homes under construction.

Another 3,902 have been granted planning permission, but are not yet at construction phase. The report also predicts that developers will build 10,838 houses within the next two years and a further 18,899 within two to five years.

The county council estimates that at present it has enough land zoned to enable 28,966 homes to be constructed, but it is seeking more suitable land to be rezoned to deal with the expected demand.

The report excludes town council areas, meaning that it is likely the estimated figure of 38,942 houses built or under construction in the county in the next five years could be exceeded by several thousand.

It is no surprise that Monard, near Blarney, has zoned land for 5,000 houses because it will be the site of a new town, which will be served by an extension of the Cork commuter railway line.

Midleton is in second place with 4,723, and Carrigtwohill third at 3,069. Both will be linked to the rail line, which is expected to open in July 2008.

Developers targeted Carrigtwohill earlier than Midleton. Figures show that the county council expects 2,622 homes to be completed or under construction there within the next two years, whereas the total for Midleton will be 1,785.

Carrigtwohill also tops the list for the number of houses granted planning permission, but not yet under construction.

With a whopping 1,112 permissions, it is way ahead of second-placed Carrigaline (675) and third-placed Cobh (619).

Developers haven’t just targeted large towns. A small village like Ballyhooly, near Fermoy, is set to more than double in size. Already the council has approved permission for 151 homes there, and there are a further 116 in Newmarket.

Charleville has become a much more attractive place to live since the hourly train commuter service to Cork was announced, and this is reflected by the fact that it is expected 1,224 homes will be built there in the next two years. Already 312 of these have been granted planning permission.

The county council is helping to fuel the housing boom itself in Mitchelstown and Mallow. It is planning its largest ever developments of local authority housing at Gouldshill, Mallow and Stag Park, Mitchelstown, where more than 600 homes are set to be constructed.

The report reaches the conclusion that over the county as a whole there is a “reasonably robust supply of land” to meet the need for housing in the medium term.

But critically it identifies that a shortfall will arise in Metropolitan Cork [Greater Cork] and that additional steps will have to be taken to ensure that adequate landbanks are found for future development.

“Clearly it is critical that in conditions of strong population growth, the development of the county should not be held back by a shortage of land suitable for housing development. Such a shortage could artificially restrict the council’s potential to achieve population growth and could lead to an unnecessary degree of inflation in the market price of housing,” a council spokesman said.

The Construction Industry Federation believes that up to 10,000 houses could be completed this year and again in 2007.

Growth in the Metropolitan Cork area has taken place more rapidly than forecast.

The Joint Housing Strategy, adopted by city, county and town councils in October 2001 estimated that from that year until 2006, a total of 25,000 houses would be completed in the region, However, it is estimated that figure will be 35,650.

The latest census, published last July, shows the population of the city and county rose by 33,080 in the past four years, a 7.4% increase.

However, the increase in Metropolitan Cork, excluding the city itself, was a massive 14%, up from 134,293 to 153,107.

A few quiet spots left...

IF you desire a more peaceful life, far from the madding crowd, then there are still a few places where that possible.

According to the report there’s only enough land zoned in Gaggin, near Bandon, and Tragumna, near Skibbereen for just one new house each.

The quiet life can also be found in Farananes, near Macroom, where there’s only three spaces left. That’s followed by Waterfall with four and Lisavaird with five.

Churchtown South, which isn’t too far from Midleton, has potential for six houses and nearby Ballinrostig has nine.

Next on the list comes Cloghroe with 11 and Reenancreena with 17.

The West Cork village of Eyeries has 19 spaces to fill and at Carrigadrohid there are 22 and two more in Ballingeary.

The village of Leamlara doesn’t look a bad prospect considering it relatively close to Midleton and the railway connection to Cork will open in July 2008. It has enough land zoned for 32 houses.

Berrings and Crookhaven each have 35.

However, be warned that there are lot of these areas could be targeted in the next County Development Plan.

Developers have been taking a keen interest in recent months in looking a medium scale projects in small villages, rather than large scale projects in bigger towns.