Cork development: A roundup of some projects in the pipeline 

This year has been a busy one for Cork development so far. 

Reporter Martin Mongan takes a look through some of the major projects in the planning or construction stages.

Sod turning: 

Tánaiste Micheál Martin, alongside Minister for Finance Michael McGrath, recently turned the sod on a €9m infrastructure project in Ballyvolane which will “pave the way for 753 new homes in Cork city.”

The new homes will be built across six new neighbourhoods and the infrastructure work is being delivered by the Housing Infrastructure Services Company (HISCo) — a commercial joint venture between the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF) and Cork County Council to build supporting infrastructure for housing.

Mr Martin believes the project is “hugely significant” for the city and will ensure the delivery of “much needed” housing only 4km from the city centre.

“As one of the largest housing developments to ever commence in the history of Cork city, this project points to the building momentum we’re now seeing in the delivery of housing,” he continued.

Mr Martin paid tribute to HISCo for undertaking this project builds on the success that it has had to date in assisting to deliver thousands of homes across Ireland”.

HISCo’s objective is to deliver infrastructure that is holding up the delivery of much-needed residential accommodation throughout the country, where there is no state funding available to deliver the infrastructure in question.

The company provides a design-build-finance service for both on-site and off-site infrastructure that facilitates residential development.

It recovers its investment via an infrastructure fee only payable on the sale or first lease of each individual unit.

Speaking about the project in Ballyvolane, Mr McGrath said it “unlocks residential development land” for the construction of the 753 new homes.

“These investments are important elements of ISIF’s overall Impact Strategy which focuses on long-term transformational investments addressing key strategic challenges facing the country.

“The investment builds on ISIF’s existing housing investment programme where over €1bn has been committed to commercial investments that are expected to deliver more than 25,000 new homes for owner-occupiers, renters and those in need of social or affordable housing,” Mr McGrath added.

Meanwhile, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien said HISCo’s model is “seeing results now at scale around the country”.

“The model that HISCo have made available to housebuilders in conjunction with partners, like Longview Estates Ltd in this instance; is a blueprint for how we can deliver housing at scale across the country,” he added.

The project has been described as “exciting” by the CEO of HISCo Niall Morrissey.

“Cork County Council and ISIF deserve enormous credit for establishing HISCo with the objective of tackling the challenge that critical infrastructure poses for the delivery of residential development,” he said.

It is unknown as to when the housing units will be delivered but all involved hope the construction will be completed in a “timely fashion.” 

Initially, when plans were submitted it was described by many as “an exciting project” of “critical importance.”

Speaking to The Echo in 2020, Independent councillor Ger Keohane said that it was “an exciting project” but adequate transport infrastructure needed to be looked at.

Both the Cork Business Association and Cork Chamber welcomed the plans at that time.

Docklands: 

A decision on the largest residential development plan to date in Cork city centre is expected to be made by August 17.

Leeside Quays Limited, a subsidiary of O’Callaghan Properties (OCP), lodged an application with Cork City Council in June seeking 10-year planning permission to develop 1,325 residential units.

The plan includes apartments and duplexes in 10 buildings at the Goulding’s site, Centre Park Rd and Monahan Rd.

The Large-Scale Residential Development (LRD) application proposes the demolition of the existing on-site buildings and structures and site clearance to facilitate the construction of 658 one-bed homes, 465 two-bed homes, and 202 three-bed homes.

The proposed buildings range in height from two to 14-storeys over a single basement.

There are some mixed uses proposed at ground floor level across the development including cafés/ restaurants with outdoor seating areas, service retail units and a convenience retail store.

A standalone two-storey crèche with associated outdoor amenity space is also proposed.

Speaking in recent months, OCP managing director Brian O’Callaghan said the project, if approved, would be “an example of the emerging new city” and would make “an even bigger statement on the attractiveness of Docklands as a location to work and live”.

Mr O’Callaghan said the project would establish large-scale residential availability in this major regeneration project.

“Thousands of jobs have already been created in Docklands and it is imperative that residential development runs parallel, otherwise investment momentum will be impacted,” he added.

Leeside Quays Limited was last year given the green light for two separate planning applications elsewhere in the South Docks.

One sought 10-year planning permission for a mixed-use development comprising four new buildings and the conversion of the long-idle Odlums building.

The other sought 10-year planning permission for a proposed rehabilitation hospital also in the South Docks.

Appeals had been lodged with An Bord Pleanála in relation to these two developments but in May it was announced that the appeals had been withdrawn, clearing the way for the plans to progress.

Barrack St: 

A social housing development that will provide new homes at unused, derelict, and vacant sites on Barrack St — including the former Nancy Spain’s bar — is on track to be completed in October.

The site was the subject of extensive local and national interest in 2021, when skeletal remains of six bodies were uncovered during the monitoring of ground reductions.

Small fragments of bone taken from two of the skeletons to facilitate radiocarbon dating returned dates from the period between 1447 and 1636.

Independent councillor Mick Finn said it is welcome that the project is almost concluded.

“This proposed development goes back about five years and has had some major hurdles in the way of progress; it’s good to see that the development is almost complete,” he said.

Elsewhere on the street, adjoining properties 118 and 119 are also primed for development after city councillors voted last November to sell the long-derelict buildings acquired by the local authority using compulsory purchase order powers in 2021.

Speaking at a council meeting last year, the city council’s director of corporate affairs and international relations, Paul Moynihan, said the properties were deemed unsuitable to be developed as social housing by the council’s housing directorate. Mr Finn said it will be “good to see this [site] brought back to life also”. The former Lord Mayor also said other social housing units at the nearby Pouladuff Rd are in the process of being allocated.

“I wasn’t in favour of the design of these units — they stick out like a sore thumb — but they got through the planning process but have also been empty for over a year since completion. Nine of the 11 have been allocated and two more are in the process,” he told The Echo last month.

Blackpool: 

A planning application for a residential development in Blackpool, designed to be used as sheltered housing, has been green-lit by Cork City Council.

Last November, Summertime Developments Ltd lodged the application seeking permission from the local authority to develop 18 units at 95 Gerald Griffin St.

Located to the rear of Neptune Stadium, the site is understood to have had a former industrial use. It is currently vacant.

The proposed development would see the existing buildings on site retained and converted and new infill buildings constructed.

The residential units have been “designed to suit a use as sheltered housing”, according to the plans.

The site consists of a three-storey warehouse building fronting onto Gerald Griffin St with a two-storey outbuilding to the rear.

The planning statement argued that the existing buildings, whilst in poor condition, “contribute to the architectural character of the area” and the applicants therefore proposed to retain both structures.

Summertime Developments Ltd proposed to convert the warehouse building into three apartments over three levels and convert the outbuilding into a bin and bike storage area on the ground level with storage rooms on the upper floor.

It said the other residential units would be constructed in two new blocks.

Cork City Council required some further information before making a decision on the application, which resulted in some modifications to the proposals.

Among the points raised by the local authority was a concern that the four-storey element of the eastern residential block, containing one of the units, unit 18 – would have an “overbearing impact on the existing adjoining property to the north”.

As a result, unit 18 has been omitted from the revised plans, with that element of the development reduced to three storeys.

The council has now approved the proposed development subject to 23 conditions.

Former Evergreen Bar:

A former Cork pub looks set for a new lease of life following approval last month for a residential scheme to be developed at the site.

In March, a planning application was lodged by Edward O’Connor who sought permission for the development of houses and duplex units at The Evergreen Bar at 32-34 Evergreen Rd in Turner’s Cross.

The proposed development included the demolition of the existing rear extension, the change of use and internal and external alterations of the pub to facilitate a residential development consisting of three one-bed houses, four two-bed houses, a one-bed duplex unit and one three-bed duplex unit.

The plans also included the provision of private amenity spaces and car and bicycle parking spaces, with vehicular and pedestrian access via Murphy’s Gardens.

A planning report submitted with the application contended that the proposed layout of the scheme “pays consideration to the existing properties surrounding the site” and that the proposed development would make a “positive contribution to the existing residential area”.

“The mix of single-storey and two-storey design is consistent with the housing typology in the immediate area,” the statement continued.

The proposed development, it said, would facilitate the development of “an underutilised and infill site within the built footprint of Cork city”, providing “compact residential development on a site which is currently vacant”.

In April 2021, planning permission was granted for a separate planning application lodged by a different applicant, however, the residential development was never progressed.

Cork City Council sought some further information before deciding on the latest application, but the plans were approved last month subject to 23 conditions.

One stipulates that, “in the interests of traffic safety”, parking supply for the development must not exceed three car parking spaces.

That condition also states that the development must provide high quality cycle parking facilities “of which the design, quantum and location are to be in line with [the] Sustainable Urban Housing: Design Standards for New Apartments document”.

Former Sunset Ridge Hotel:

Back in March Cork City Council gave the green light for the site of the former Sunset Ridge Hotel to be redeveloped into 43 residential units, a medical facility, and a pharmacy.

The site in the townlands of Rathpeacon and Killeens, between the northern outskirts of Cork city and Blarney, had become an eyesore and attracted anti-social behaviour since it was ruined in a fire last year in a suspected arson.

The former hotel had been a favourite haunt for local people to socialise in.

The hotel changed ownership over the years. It had ceased to trade some years ago and was declared derelict in 2019 after officials inspected the site when the city boundaries were extended around it.

Speaking at the time permission was granted, Fine Gael councillor Damian Boylan welcomed the news.

“Killeens is a place of huge potential. It needed that dereliction removed. It needs a few facilities to make it into a proper community,” he said.

The development will breathe new life into the area, Mr Boylan said.

“It’s going to be a beautiful place to live. You have Blarney which is within walking distance. The bus service is just outside the door.”

Planning permission was lodged in July last year and Cork City Council gave the go-ahead to developers Oshawott Limited, subject to 53 conditions.

The plans sought permission to demolish the former hotel building and replace it with a two-storey commercial building including a pharmacy and medical consulting rooms with four medical consulting rooms and services on the first floor.

The plans include 43 residential units including four one-bed duplex apartments, 17 two-bed terrace dwellings, two two-bed semi-detached dwellings, 10 three-bed end of terrace dwellings, and 10 three-bed mid-terrace dwellings, all from two to two-and-a-half-storeys.

Provision is made for 67 car parking spaces, and the replacement of the two existing accesses with a new access and raised table.

Traffic calming measures will include a new footpath and cycle lane to the L2785 road and two new pedestrian crossings, a new front boundary stone wall with metal railing, and landscaping works.