State land agency in talks to buy former Cork psychiatric hospital

By Sean O’Riordan

The Land Development Agency (LDA), established two months ago by the Government, has confirmed it is in talks with the Health Service Executive (HSE) to transform a former psychiatric hospital in Cork City into a major housing project.

The LDA revealed to the Irish Examiner it has agreed in principle to acquire the former fire-damaged St Kevin’s Hospital off the Lee Road and its 14 acres of adjoining land.

However, it has not disclosed the price it will pay for the badly-gutted building, which was near destroyed by arsonists in July 2017.

Video by Evan Shelly

Known as the ‘Red Brick’ hospital, it dates to the late 19th century but quickly became derelict after its shutdown by the HSE in 2002.

The iconic building, with panoramic views of the Lee Fields, had been targeted by vandals on numerous occasions since, and the HSE had been forced to spend a substantial amount on security.

As talks are continuing between the two parties, the HSE has taken the property off the open market where it was on sale for €2.95m.

It had been on the market since March through agents Lisney who advised the site had “clear residential development potential”.

“The LDA is in the process of carrying out a feasibility study on the site with a view to bringing forward a proposal,” said a spokesman.

The four-storey over-basement main building at St Kevin’s is the largest on the campus. However, the total building space accounts for more than 90,000 sq ft.

If a deal proceeds, St Kevin’s will be the second psychiatric hospital the LDA has earmarked for housing.

The agency has already agreed on a deal to turn the former Central Mental Hospital, Dundrum into 1,500 housing units and hopes to commence construction on the site in the autumn of 2020.

Both Cork city and county councils were previously urged to jointly buy the property and convert the site into badly-needed housing.

There are thousands of home seekers on the waiting list in the Cork Metropolitan Area.

Fine Gael councillor Deirdre Forde, who proposed the move at a county council meeting last Monday, said she was delighted that, at last, some agency had taken on the project.

“We have so many people on the housing waiting list in the city and in the county council-controlled areas on its periphery that projects like this are a matter of extreme urgency,” she said.

It’s an ideal location which is very close to a number of amenities and to public services.

Ms Forde said she was hoping the LDA would consider at a mixture of social and private housing when it draws up a plan.

The government has committed long-term funding to the LDA of €1.25bn.

The agency’s mission is to develop 150,000 new homes over the next 20 years.