Council puts 51 conditions on Cork's largest-ever development of 1,300 homes

Developers told they must not sell any of the new docklands properties to hedge funds

A visualisation of the planned south docks development in Cork, looking north east towards the river Lee, Kent Station, St Luke's, and Montenotte.

Planners at Cork City Hall have signed off on the city centre’s single biggest ever residential development plan — but has told developers they must not sell off any of the apartments to hedge funds as one of the conditions of its approval.

Leeside Quays Limited, which is a subsidiary of O’Callaghan Properties, lodged an application with Cork City Council earlier this summer seeking permission to develop over 1,300 residential units at the Goulding’s site, Centre Park Rd, and Monahan Rd, in the city’s docklands. It is expected the development is likely to be worth over €600m.

Conditions imposed

Attaching 51 conditions to its approval of the development, Cork City Council said the development was in accordance with “the proper planning and sustainable development” of the area.

One of the conditions requires the developer to enter into an agreement with the council prior to commencing construction that “restricts all houses and duplex units permitted to first occupation by individual purchasers ... and/or by those eligible for the occupation of social and/or affordable housing”.

The approved scheme near Cork city centre will include 658 one-bed, 465 two-bed, and 202 three-bed units in a number of buildings ranging in height from two to 14 storeys.

The council has said that the homes must be sold to either individual buyers or sold for social or affordable housing. They must not be sold to hedge funds and other corporate entities.

Another of the conditions does not permit the development of the proposed creche facility on site as planned. The council said that prior to the commencement of the development, revised details for a similar-sized creche should be submitted by the developers.

From two to 14 storeys 

The proposed buildings range in height from two to 14 storeys. There are also plans for cafés/restaurants with outdoor seating areas, service retail units, and a retail store on the ground floors of the scheme.

The 1,325 homes in the proposals are a mixture of apartments and duplexes, and include 658 one-bed, 465 two-bed, and 202 three-bed units.

At the time permission was sought, the company’s managing director Brian O’Callaghan said thousands of jobs have been created in Cork’s docklands and it was imperative that residential development runs parallel with this.

He said the project will be an exemplar for the 15-minute city as it will be highly sustainable and served by efficient public transport.

Enterprise Minister Simon Coveney welcomed the grant of planning permission.

“The broader docklands development in Cork is a hugely exciting opportunity for the city,” he said. 

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“Cork City has yet to build on about 20% of its footprints along the quays. We want a lot more people living in the city.

The Cork South-Central TD said: “We want high quality, affordable apartments, both to buy and rent in Cork city centre and I think the docklands can provide a lot of that in the years ahead so seeing another planning permission granted, which hopefully will result in breaking ground on that project soon. I think it’s very positive for the city.”