Council to spend €50m on new town

Cork County Council is to spend €50m creating a new town which will ultimately have more than 5,000 houses, shops, four national schools, a secondary school and railway station.

Details of the long-term plan, which could take up to 20 years to reach fruition, include a novel clause to help young families get on the housing ladder.

According to senior council planner Nicholas Mansergh, developers will be told to build some houses at Monard which can be extended as families grow.

Speaking yesterday at a press conference to outline plans for the proposed new town, halfway between Blackpool and Blarney, Mr Mansergh said planning for extensions could be included in the initial permission and last for up to 10 years.

Monard is likely be the only town to be built outside Dublin under a Government-designated Strategic Development Zone.

SDZs involve a new type of planning which designates proposed street layouts and buildings in much more detail than normal plans.

The best known example is Adamstown in west Dublin but Monard will have a much lower density and, when completed, a population of 12,500.

County manager Martin Riordan said it was important to plan ahead for when the country comes out of recession and the housing market recovers.

He said the area around the city was popular with house buyers and having a commuter rail link, from Monard to Cork and Mallow, would make it very attractive in years to come.

The local authority intends to spend €50m on amenity landscaping, sewerage and water supplies on a phased basis as builders develop the 4,000-acre site.

Mr Mansergh said no expenditure will take place unless and until there are sufficient signs of economic recovery to justify it.

“The project will be very good value for money in achieving its main aim of increasing the proportion of the population of Cork who have access to high-quality public transport.

“The Cork-Mallow rail line is already there and already has a suburban service on it which Monard can benefit from as soon as it has a railway station. The estimated cost, €50m, is the cost of one kilometre of Luas so it’s very good value for money.”

The site will provide predominantly privately-owned family-type housing while 20% will be set aside for social and affordable units.

As Monard is a greenfield site, it has been easier to design more direct cycle ways and pedestrian routes to shops, schools and the rail station, planners said.

The draft plan for the project will be on public display from Friday until July 31.

People wanting to make submissions should do so by the end of next month.