More than 100 social housing units approved for Cork town

Cork city councillors approved Part 8 planning for a 64-unit housing estate in Ballincollig and a 43-unit social housing development at Denroches Cross.

Planning has been granted for more than 100 social housing units on the southside of Cork City — including the first social housing estate in a town since it became part of the extended city last year.

City councillors approved Part 8 planning for a 64-unit housing estate in Ballincollig, just southwest of the Poulavone roundabout.

They also approved a 43-unit social housing development at Denroches Cross which will require the demolition of vacant buildings between Glasheen Rd and Magazine Rd.

The Ballincollig project is significant because it is the first social housing scheme to be approved by the city council in an area which transferred from the county.

The design of the proposed development was begun by the county council, but the process was taken over by the city council when the city boundary was formally extended in May 2019.

It was originally advertised by the city as a 70-unit development, but this was reduced to 64 after a series of six three-storey apartment blocks were reduced in height and redesigned, arising out of concerns during the public consultation phase.

The development, Gairdin Ruachain, will comprise of 64 units in total on a 2.18-hectare site accessed through Inniscarra View, via Hawthorn Avenue and Sweetbriar Grove.

It will include a mix of one and two-bed apartments, a mix of one and two-bed terraced and detached homes, 24 three-bed terraced and semi-detached two-storey houses, several one, two and three-bed bungalows — some of which will be specially adapted for disabled persons — and two four two-storey homes.

News that a new estate is to be built on a site which has been earmarked for housing since the Inniscarra View estate was built almost 40 years ago was welcomed by local councillors — Fianna Fáil’s Colm Kelleher, and Fine Gael’s Derry Canty and Garret Kelleher.

Mr Kelleher said that 80% of his representations are on housing issues.

“This is a very, very welcome development and will go some way to meeting the demand for housing in the town,” he said.

It will be managed by an approved housing body and councillors also welcomed the news that the estate roads leading into it will be resurfaced.

Meanwhile, plans for a 67-unit social housing project, which was advertised to include 27 apartments in four three-storey apartment buildings and 40 two-storey maisonette units, on a long-time vacant site at Hawke’s Rd in Bishopstown, are due to come before councillors for decision in November.

It is understood the project that will be presented for decision will include a number of modifications arising out of the public consultation.

Separately, in response to a question from Labour councillor John Maher, councillors have been told that the city’s housing directorate has acquired 284 single dwelling units for the provision of social housing since 2014.