State-owned land could yield 16k homes in Cork city; 'substantial work' needed to unlock potential

A NEW report from the Land Development Agency (LDA) has identified 14 sites in Cork City which have the potential to deliver up to 16,080 affordable homes.

The Report on Relevant Public Land identifies 83 state-owned land sites nationally and assesses them as having the development potential for up to 67,000 homes. 

“Much of the land involved is brownfield and located in existing urban centres in cities and towns with strong public transport links, suitable infrastructure, and other facilities nearby,” said the LDA. Some of the sites are currently in use by public bodies.

The LDA said there are complexities with many of the sites and “substantial further work will be required to unlock their potential”.

“This process is likely to be complex and any development projects will take varying lengths of time to complete depending on the level of constraints involved. Some of the sites may require rezoning.”

Class 1 lands with the least known constraints with near- to medium-term delivery potential - within five years - include a 5.5-hectare car park and undeveloped land owned by Cork City Council at Estuary Drive and St Michael’s Drive, near Mahon Point, potentially yielding between 290 and 410 homes.

The 5.9 ha Cork County Council Depot near the Farranlea Rd could yield between 360 and 510 homes. A 5.2 ha parcel of land adjacent to Gas Networks Ireland on the Rockboro Rd owned by Bord Gáis Éireann, ESB, may yield between 220 to 310 homes.

Other possible projects 

Class 2 sites considered to have “moderate known constraints with medium- to long-term delivery potential” include a 2.1ha animal laboratory on the Model Farm Rd owned by the minister for agriculture, yielding 140 to 200 homes, and the 2.5ha Capwell Rd bus depot owned by CIE, with potential for 150 to 210 homes.

A part of the 7.3ha ESB Networks site on Sarsfield Rd is identified for transfer to the LDA under the Housing For All plan. It has potential for 310 and 450 homes. A 5.1ha ETB site at Rossa Avenue, owned by Cork Education and Training Board, has potential for 300 to 420 homes. A 4.9ha site at the Cork North Docks owned by CIE is currently used for car parking, a bus station, or is undeveloped land. It has potential for 400 to 520 homes.

The 4.7ha CSO HQ at the Lough Mahon Technology Park has potential for 300 to 400 homes. A 4.3ha former prison and part of a military barracks, adjacent to Cork Prison, owned by the minister for justice, may yield up to 570 homes.

A 7.6ha Marina Generating Station site owned by the ESB is estimated to yield 690 to 930 homes, while a 2ha Monahan Rd site owned by Bord na Móna has a yield potential of between 170 to 220 homes.

Long-term potential

Class 3 sites considered “complex land with numerous constraints”, requiring “infrastructure and a forward-planning-led approach” and which generally “need long-term delivery potential” include 77 ha of land at Kilbarry owned by the IDA, yielding up to 3,250 and 4,420 homes.

Also in this category is the 61 ha Tivoli Industrial Estate owned by the Port of Cork Company which has the potential for 4,830 to 6,510 homes.

Speed of delivery crucial 

Cork North Central Fine Gael TD Colm Burke TD said State-owned companies can be slow to deliver on projects.

He said where State-owned lands are available, “there should be detailed discussions in the fastest possible time period with those State agencies to see what land they can release, which can be used for housing, and which would not in any way interfere with their future development plans.

“Could you set up a time frame, that the owners of every one of those 14 sites would be able to come back within a six-month time period and confirm: ‘This is what we are prepared to make available, or this is the reason we can’t make it all available’?”

He said they should “set out a clear plan for what their future proposals are for the remaining land, so you don’t have a scenario where you go in and start building on land which would not be advantageous to those residents who might be moving into those houses.”