Cork council to deliver 'rightsizing homes' for local authority tenants in four towns under pilot project

Project aims to free up three- and four-bedroom houses for families on Cork County Council's waiting list

Pilot project will be aimed at council tenants who are currently living in three- and four-bed homes which are too big and costly to heat for just one person. Stock picture

Cork County Council is to introduce pilot projects in four towns next year and in 2028 to deliver ‘rightsizing homes’ for local authority tenants.

However, it will have to pay for these itself as it is getting no funding from the Department of Housing.

Keith Jones, the council’s director of housing and land development, said the first pilot project would be created at a site in Cobh, and further projects are earmarked for sites in Youghal, Midleton and Macroom.

He said the council would build housing blocks with 10 or 11 one-bedroom units in Cobh, and probably similar sized ones in the other three towns.

Essentially ‘downsizing’, they will be aimed at council tenants who are currently living in three- and four-bed homes which are too big and costly to heat for just one person.

Moving these tenants into smaller houses will free up the larger ones, which will then be given to families on the council’s housing waiting list.

Mr Jones said bearing in mind many of those seeking the smaller units would be older people, the chosen sites would all be located in town centres, on flat ground and within easy walking distances of shops and other important services.

More of these projects will follow in the years ahead.

He announced the move at a meeting of the county council’s Southern Division in County Hall in response to a motion by Carrigaline-based Fianna Fáil councillor Patrick Donovan.

Mr Donovan asked if the council was getting any funding for such costly projects from the Department of Housing and was told by Mr Jones it was not.

He said this was “very disappointing”, especially considering the ever-aging population the country will face looking after in the coming years.

Mr Donovan said the Government should be funding a national scheme for such projects, and Fine Gael councillor Anthony Barry said it should not just include council tenants but the owners of private homes who could sell them onto the local authority and downsize into these purpose-built complexes.

Councillors across all parties unanimously agreed to write to finance minister Simon Harris and housing minister James Browne seeking the introduction of national funding to all local authorities to help them establish more of these projects in the future.

Mr Jones said the pilot projects were aimed at “utilising the full potential of our existing social housing stock.”