A FORMER 'GHOST estate' in Douglas which lay idle for more than 11 years has finally seen work get underway to finish the 44 homes.

Contractor Murnane & O’Shea has begun work at Clarendon Brook, on behalf of Cork County Council. The council acquired twelve of the units in 2018. It is believed the local authority is set to purchase the remainder this year for social housing.

Ardstone Homes had acquired the housing estate in December of 2017 and had plans to finish the site, which had fallen into disrepair and had been vandalised.

Cork South Central TD, Michael McGrath, said the unfinished development, on the Old Carrigaline Road, near Ardarrig, in Douglas, has become an eyesore.

“The site changed hands a number of times over the years. The building firm, Murnane & O’Shea, has been contracted to develop the site as a ‘turn-key’ development for Cork County Council.

“In other words, the completed development will be sold to the council and the units made available as social housing,” he said.

“Work has now commenced on cleaning up the site and finishing off the nine (three-bed) houses at the front of the development.

“The council has recently granted planning permission for the completion of 24 (three-bed) duplexes in behind. In addition, planning has been granted for a further 11 (two-bed) houses to be built. The permission for the completion of the 24 duplexes, and the construction of the 11 houses, could still be the subject of an appeal to An Bord Pleanála.

“Provided the planning is not overturned, the completed development will eventually comprise a total of 44 units,” he added.

The original planning application, for 36 homes, was launched in 2005 and contained 10 terraced houses and 26 duplexes, which were built by Murphy Construction.

The terraced, three-bedroom houses were put on the market in 2007, for over €500,000, but prices had fallen to around €205,000 by 2012, when the development was relaunched. By 2015, NAMA had sold the loan on the development, which was placed in the hands of a receiver.

Some houses were left unfinished and the site fell into disrepair. It was eventually cordoned off, due to security concerns, but has been the subject of vandalism.

Councillors in the Ballincollig-Carrigaline municipal district had been asking for several years for Clarendon Brook to be put through the derelict sites process.