A FORMER office block on the Blackrock Road will become a €10m gated community for residents looking to downsize their homes under plans approved by Cork City Council.

Springville House will be adapted into a 35-unit residential project consisting of three-bedroom, two-bedroom, and one-bedroom apartments with a live-in caretaker.

The apartments will be integrated into the existing office building — a first for Cork city in a public housing project.

It is expected work will begin in late this year with residents moving in early to mid-2021.

The project aims to help people in social housing or in private homes that are no longer at full capacity to downsize and free these properties up to those on the social housing list.

City Hall director of housing Brian Geaney said the units will be managed by an approved housing body and will not be eligible for parking permits as it’s a gated community.

“It’s a very positive example of meaningful consultation with the stakeholders involved,” Cllr Mary Rose Desmond (FF) said. 

“The whole downsizing approach by the city council has been very progressive on this project.”

Lorna Bogue (GP) described the downsizing approach to housing as “innovative”.