Council backs plans for 4,000 new homes in Carrigtwohill

Councillors warn project will only be successful if the mothballed upgrade of the N25 between the town and Midleton was put back on track

Councillors urged Transport Minister Eamon Ryan to do a u-turn on the N25 in view of the badly needed housing projects in Carrigtwohill and Waterrock. Picture: Denis Minihane

A blueprint which is expected to create up to 4,000 new housing units in Carrigtwohill has been passed by Cork county councillors.

They have given approval to opening up about 70 hectares of land for development, but warned such a project would only be successful if the mothballed upgrade of the N25 between that town and Midleton was put back on track.

Green councillor Alan O’Connor proposed the adoption of the plan, saying Carrigtwohill “is ideally placed for such a development” because of its rail connection.

Mr O’Connor added it was likely the development would include a lot of high-density units and said he he was pleased a number of green areas in and close to the town would be protected from building.

The Carrigtwohill Initiative Urban Expansion Area Plan, as it is known, has earmarked the land for development just to the north of the railway line. 

It will include the creation of a number of new cycleways and walkways which will connect to large industrial parks in the area and the railway station. Several junctions in the town will also have to be upgraded, some of them significantly.

Fine Gael councillor Anthony Barry seconded adoption of the plan, but with a warning.

Necessary infrastructure

He said while the area needed housing, it must be developed in a proper manner with the necessary infrastructure put in place to support it.

Mr Barry said he could not see how the development in Carrigtwohill and the masterplan adopted to create a new 2,500-house town at Waterrock, just a couple of kilometres west of Midleton, could proceed properly without the upgrade of the N25 going ahead.

A year ago, Transport Minister Eamon Ryan decided to pull funding from TII (Transport Infrastructure Ireland) for the main road upgrade.

Mr Barry said there was already significant congestion in Carrigtwohill and while having a commuter rail connection there would reduce car use, it certainly will not eliminate it.

He said with higher housing density being demanded by An Bord Pleanála, the 70-hectare site could well accommodate 4,000 extra units, some of which will no doubt be high-rise apartments, and this would generate more cars in the area.

Both he and Fine Gael councillor Michael Hegarty urged Mr Ryan to do a u-turn on the N25 in view of the badly needed housing projects in Carrigtwohill and Waterrock.

Council officials have said the completion of the Carrigtwohill project in its entirety may involve the issuing of compulsory purchase orders (CPOs) on some land.