Delay in residential development on Cork's northside blamed on Covid and labour shortages

THE Covid-19 pandemic, along with labour and material shortages have been cited by Cork City Council as reasons behind the delay in a residential development on the northside of the city.

As part of the City Northwest Quarter Regeneration Project, 24 new residential units are being constructed on a site which is in the ownership of Cork City Council situated at Kilmore Road Lower in Knocknaheeny.

However, there have been delays in finishing the units, sparking concern from people in the locality.

“There are a couple of them where the upper floors are in and the solar panelling – a lot of them then they have just put in some of the bricks for the upper floors,” Sinn Féin councillor Mick Nugent told The Echo.

“It’s really holding up the show because people probably should have been in those houses now – there’s 24 of them – and that would allow other estates close by to be knocked as part of Regeneration and then they’d start building on those areas.” 

Cork City Council said the appointed contractor is on site and is “advancing works to deliver the required 24 units to the required standard”.

“The delivery of construction projects nationwide has been impacted by Covid-19, the availability of labour and materials in the past 18 months.

“The council continue to work with the appointed contractor to mitigate these impacts including where appropriate changes to the sequencing of construction works.

“Please note amendments to site access, including work at height scaffold, will occur from time to time during the project,” the council’s reply stated.

Mr Nugent said if further progress is not made on the site soon he will be following up with the city council.

“We are expecting a couple of Part 8s to come up for a couple of the new schemes to allow for the building of new homes in the area,” Mr Nugent added, speaking in relation to Regeneration.

“We’re expecting those to be coming before the local councillors and onto the council pretty soon.”