Work on social housing estate in Blarney proceeds despite protests
Residents took part in a protest in a bid to get the developer to engage with them on plans to build 44 social homes in the Lios Cara estate in Blarney. Picture: Denis Minihane
Construction is proceeding on a contentious social housing development in Cork after a battle between the developer and protesting residents threatening a blockade ended up in court.
Homeowners at the 94-home Lios Cara estate in Killeens near Blarney had been protesting at the entrance for the past number of weeks, threatening a blockade if the proposed construction of 44 social housing units went ahead.
They claim that they are "acutely aware" of the housing crisis in Ireland, but insist it would have been fairer to have a mix of social, affordable, and private housing, instead of the whole 44 earmarked homes allocated for just social housing.
Lios Cara was built in the early 2000s and was originally to be a development of over 100 private houses between Cork city and Blarney.
However, the financial crash put paid to the original plans, and the estate was not completed.
It fell under Cork City Council's jurisdiction following the city boundary extension, and new developer Bmor reached agreement with the local authority to complete the unfinished estate.
The existing residents claim it was conveyed to them originally that the 44 new homes would be a mix but that this was changed without them being consulted.
They began a protest at the entrance to the estate last month, threatening to blockade construction unless a resolution to their issues was found.
Meetings with the developer and the city council in the days after the protest began failed to assuage their concerns.
Bmor said it had been appointed by Cork City Council as the contractors to build 44 new social houses at Lios Cara following a "competitive dialogue public procurement process", and that it has engaged and met with the residents committee to discuss their concerns as recently as February 6, with several local politicians in attendance.
Residents indicated that they would continue with the peaceful protest indefinitely until their demands to change the development are met.
Bmor then sought a circuit court injunction to enable works on the site to continue, which was granted this week.
A spokesperson for the firm claimed: "While Bmor has no objection to peaceful protest, what is happening on site cannot be considered 'peaceful' as the contractor is physically being prevented access to the site for workers, equipment, and materials."
It left the firm with "no choice" but to seek out the injunction, the spokesperson added.
"While disappointing, this will enable us to recommence works uninterrupted, ensuring the delivery of these crucial new homes during a time when there is an urgent need for housing," the Bmor spokesperson added.
Contractors are now back onsite at Lios Cara.
In a statement, the residents said they intend to defend their position following the injunction.
In relation to their meetings with the local authority and developer, they claimed: "Both meetings had pre-determined outcomes and our case for a mixed development of social, affordable and private housing was not entertained."
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