Government will revise housing targets upwards – Michael McGrath

WATCH: Video tour of new affordable homes in Ballincollig. Also, application portal opens for affordable homes at White's Cross

Cork City Council CEO Ann Doherty, Lord Mayor Kieran McCarthy, Finance Minister Michael McGrath and Paudie Murnane of Murnane & O'Shea, in one of the 70 affordable homes at Heathfield, Ballincollig, delivered by Cork City Council in partnership with Murnane & O'Shea. Picture: Michael O'Sullivan 

The Government plans to revise its housing targets upwards, the Finance Minister Michael McGrath has said during visits to two affordable housing projects in Cork.

The state is now “the central actor” when it comes to delivering housing, he said, with evidence across the country of “real momentum building”.

However, he accepted that more needs to be done, and housing delivery targets will be revised upwards significantly soon from the 33,000 target for next year.

“But revising the targets doesn't in and of itself build any additional homes,” he said.

“We have to make sure the funding is there, that the planning system is reformed, that we have the labour, enough zoned land, that we are able to service that land and that the private sector makes a contribution in terms of funding and capital as well.

“I would just encourage anyone who is highly critical of government when it comes to housing to have a look around and see the amount of developments that are underway — many of which simply would not be happening without the state being centrally involved in providing the funding or underpinning a form of purchase agreement through our local authorities, or through supports to the approved housing bodies.”

A visualisation of a three-bed semi at the affordable housing scheme at Danesfort, Whites Cross which opened for applications at 6pm on Friday May 3. See link below. Picture: Cork City Council.

Minister visits one new scheme and turns sod on another  

Mr McGrath turned the sod first on the 45-unit Glenmore Heights affordable housing scheme in Lehenaghmore, Togher, and later visited a showhouse in the 70-unit Heathfield affordable housing scheme in Ballincollig.

The Lehenaghmore scheme, a mix of two and three bedroom homes being developed by OBR Construction, will be advertised for applications in early autumn and is due for delivery in early 2025.

The homes will be offered for sale via Cork City Council at up to 20% below market value to those who qualify for the scheme. Those eligible purchasers then enter an agreement with the local authority which sees the council retaining a percentage equity share in the house.

Dan O'Brien, OBR Construction; Lord Mayor  Kieran McCarthy, Finance Minister Michael McGrath, and Cork City Council CEO Ann Doherty at the sod-turning ceremony for 45 affordable homes at Glenmore Heights, Lehenaghmore, Togher, which will be delivered by Cork City Council under the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme in 2025. Picture: Michael O'Sullivan

The first phase of the Murnane & O’Shea affordable housing scheme at Heathfield is complete, with the first tenants due to move in soon. All the remaining homes are under offer.

• Meanwhile, the city council has announced the launch of the 64-unit Danesfort affordable housing scheme at Whites Cross, developed by Vella Homes.

Its 58 three-bedroom homes are available from €296,000, and its six two-bedroom homes available from €261,000. The online application portal, which you can visit here, at www.danesfortwhitescross.ie has just gone live at 6pm today, Friday May 3. 

Applications for homes in the scheme will be accepted between noon on May 21 and midnight on June 11, 2024.