Communities ‘ethnically cleansed’ by student housing in Cork

A 348-bed student apartment complex up to five storeys high is set to go ahead in Cork’s western suburbs after councillors voted to materially contravene the city development plan.

They voted by a margin of 25-3 for the move following a lengthy debate during last night’s city council meeting, in which the spate of student apartment development in the city was described as a form of “ethnic cleansing” of existing residential communities.

Fine Gael councillor John Buttimer made the comment as councillors discussed the proposed project near CIT in Bishopstown.