Cabinet signs off on €46m for Cork housing and road projects

CORK local authorities are set to receive major government investment to enable strategic infrastructure projects, as part of a €226 million fund announced by Minister for Housing Simon Coveney at Cabinet today.

Almost €46m, allocated as part of the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund, will support the development of critical infrastructure, and enable 3,040 new homes to be built across Cork city and county in the next five years.

The money comes from a national fund, which aims to see 23,000 new homes built nationally by 2021.

In Cork city, €9.89m will be invested in the Old Whitechurch Road to improve roads, drainage and relocation of powerlines. The work will allow for the provision of 600 housing units by 2021 and 600 more in the long term.

A €15.5m allocation will lead to road upgrades on the South Docks, where 700 housing units are expected by 2021 and 830 more in the following years.

Four projects will receive funding in Cork county, including a €7.4m allocation to the upgrade of roads in Ballincollig, where 520 new units are expected to be built in the next five years, with up to 3500 more in the long term.

A Carrigaline road upgrade project, which will receive €600,000 is expected to allow for 400 new builds in the short term, and 1200 more in following years, while in Glanmire, €5.9m investment to support road upgrades and the construction of an access road, will see 300 new units built by 2021, and potentially 1200 more in time.

Road upgrades and a link road project in Midleton will also receive €6.5m, where 520 new units are expected by 2021, and a potential 2500 more in subsequent years.

Announcing the successful proposals today, Minister Coveney called the project an example of “joined-up Government”.

“The response from Local Authorities has been impressive both in terms of dynamic and innovative proposals, and the willingness to put their own resources to work to play their part in solving the housing crisis,” he said.

“Together with other complementary and targeted measures under Rebuilding Ireland, the delivery of this housing in the next four years will have an extremely positive impact on the availability of housing in the short to medium term.

“In addition to stimulating supply in an overall sense, it will also encourage a strong mix of private, rental and social housing delivery at appropriate locations and create new and attractive communities to live in at affordable prices and rents.”