House stock levels ‘low’

A construction firm boss says the completed stock in Cork is equivalent to just three months normal demand, writes Tommy Barker

COMPLETED house stock in the greater Cork area is equivalent to just three months normal demand, says house-builder and vice chairman of the CIF national executive Stephen McCarthy of Astra Construction — who’s still building and selling 25 to 30 new homes a year.

Incredibly, there’s just 1,100 empty houses in what’s billed the ‘metropolitan’ area, which includes Ballincollig, Midleton and Carrigaline, according to official Department of Environment statistics for October 2011. Of that number, 737 are completed but vacant.