Cork City social housing projects to deliver more than 800 social or affordable homes
Taoiseach Micheál Martin turning the sod on the Railyard Apartments on Monday with lord mayor Cllr Fergal Dennehy, Averil Power, chief executive of Clúid; Valerie O’Sullivan, chief executive of Cork City Council; and John Cleary, chief executive of JCD. Picture: Darragh Kane
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has turned the sod on two Cork City social housing projects which, when completed, will deliver more than 800 new social or affordable homes.
The two developments consist of the 217-unit Railyard Apartments scheme on the old Carey’s Tool Hire and Sextant site in the city centre, which will include Ireland’s tallest residential building, and the 606-unit Creamfields development on the old Kinsale Road.
Mr Martin said the new developments represented a major step forward in addressing housing need, while also building strong communities.
“Building more homes is this Government’s single biggest priority,” the Taoiseach said.
“Through the revised National Development Plan and the recently published new housing plan, we have committed almost €20bn for new social and affordable housing delivery.”
The Railyard scheme is expected to be completed by the end of 2027 and will comprise of a mix of studios, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments.
The development will include 118 cost rental homes, with rents at least 25% below the market average; 77 ‘general needs’ social homes; and 22 age-friendly social homes for individuals and families on Cork City Council’s housing list.
The development will feature the tallest residential building in Ireland, standing 85.35m high, with a landmark, slender 25-storey tower, stepping down to 12 storeys and then nine storeys.
PJ Hegarty is the main contractors on the project and has been on site for several months carrying out site clearance, road realignment and piling works.
The Creamfields scheme, on the old Kinsale Road, is being developed by approved housing body Respond in partnership with Cork City Council, the Department of Housing, the Housing Finance Agency and the Housing Agency, with construction led by Cairn Homes.
It is Respond’s largest development in Cork to date, and will be one of the largest mixed-tenure housing developments to be built in the city for several years, and it will provide 606 new homes on the former CMP dairy site.
The development will consist of 225 social homes and 381 cost rental homes, as well as residential courtyards, parkland, commercial units and a town square overlooked by a 15-storey residential tower.
The homes will be delivered in four phases, with the first phase due to be completed by the end of 2028, providing 112 homes.
Phases two, three and four will deliver 268, 167 and 59 homes respectively, and once complete, the development with consist of 558 apartments and 48 duplex houses.
The social homes will be assigned to tenants from Cork City Council’s housing waiting list upon completion, while the cost rental homes will be allocated by lottery, at rental rates at least 25% below local market rates.
The site has remained largely idle since the dairy closed in 2006, although it has been used occasionally to host a temporary funfair.
Cork City currently has a social housing waiting list of 2,761 people, and Cork City Council is actively engaged either directly or indirectly in the construction of or planning for 3,500 social or affordable homes at sites across the city, representing an investment of some €1.2bn.
Welcoming Monday's sod-turning ceremonies, the lord mayor of Cork, Cllr Fergal Dennehy said they marked an important milestone for the city.
“These projects, supported by Cork City Council, are about more than bricks and mortar,” he said.
"They are about providing secure, high-quality homes for families who need them most, and it’s about regeneration.
“The Railyard Apartments development will not only provide much-needed housing, but will also contribute to the regeneration of the Docklands and to the vibrancy of the city centre.
“The Creamfields development will transform a brownfield site into a vibrant new community,” Mr Dennehy said.
Valerie O'Sullivan, Cork City Council chief executive, said the developments showed what could be achieved when “ambitious and dynamic local authorities work in partnership with equally ambitious partners”.
The Railyard development “will provide high-quality social homes alongside new social and cultural spaces at the gateway to the city’s Docklands, and all within walking distance of the city centre's many attractions".
“And the Creamfields scheme will transform a large brownfield site into a new suburban neighbourhood with high-quality homes alongside new social and cultural spaces.”
Cork City Council assistant chief executive Brian Geaney said the Railyard Apartments scheme on Albert Quay was the result of a collaborative partnership between Cork City Council, Clúid and the JCD Group.
“It was procured through Cork City Council’s award-winning Competitive Dialogue process and was granted Part 8 planning approval by the elected members of council,” he said.
“We are delighted to see the sod-turning ceremony here, and at the Creamfields scheme, and we look forward to the schemes progressing.”
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