Funding granted for 95 homes in Cork town

FUNDING for 95 new affordable homes in Mallow has been approved, members of Cork City Council have been informed.

A funding allocation of €7.125m was approved by Housing Minister Darragh Murphy for the acquisition of 95 affordable homes in Clonmore, Ballyviniter, Mallow.

Planning has already been granted on these houses and it is projected that the first affordable homes will be available for purchase by February 2023.

The news comes a month after Mr Murphy announced a plan to build 134 affordable purchase homes at Mallow’s St Joseph’s Rd. That development, and the Clonmore plans, will be financed through the Affordable Housing Fund, part of the Government’s Housing for All strategy.

In common with many other areas, Mallow has been experiencing an acute shortage of housing in recent times, and the area is expected to see population growth. The recently published Cork County Development Plan (2022-2028) predicts that Mallow’s population will grow to 15,351 by the end of the plan’s six-year span, an increase of 2,892 people.

Phased development

The houses in the Clonmore development will be built in three phases and it is likely the application process for the first phase will open in the next few weeks.

Prices will begin at €260,000 for three-bed houses and €280,000 for four-beds, which is below the current market price for new-build homes in Mallow. Under the affordable housing scheme, the price paid by each individual purchaser will vary depending on income.

Phase 1 of the development will see the construction of 10 three-bedroom and 28 four-bedroom houses and will be delivered between September and February.

For Phase 2, 29 four-bedroom homes will be constructed between February and May next year, while the final phase will see the delivery of 14 three-bedroom and 14 four-bedroom houses.

Fianna Fáil councillor Gearóid Murphy told The Echo he was delighted that funding had been allocated for what he described as new, high-quality affordable homes in Mallow.

“There is huge demand for housing in North Cork and a recurring issue among people I speak to is the difficulty for people trapped in the middle,” said Mr Murphy. “Many people who don’t qualify for social housing still find that suitable homes in the private market are out of their reach.

“Mallow is a growing town with many young families and is the perfect location for this initiative.”