More than 60 social homes officially opened across Cork city 

MORE than five dozen new social homes have been officially opened at four locations across the city.

Independent councillor Kieran McCarthy, Lord Mayor of Cork, accompanied by Cork City Council chief executive Ann Doherty, yesterday officiated at the formal opening ceremonies of the 62 new homes.

The day commenced at Haig House, Boreenmanna Rd, where the ribbon was cut on 27 new homes.

The scheme, constructed on the site of the former Glenanaar Bar, comprises of 17 one-bed apartments, nine two-bed apartments, and one three-bedroom house.

Developed by Respond, it was supported by Cork City Council through Capital Advance Leasing Facility (CALF) with funding in part from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the Housing Finance Agency.

Cork City Council said the scheme provides an excellent example of an “urban infill development” on lands zoned for residential development in the Cork City Development Plan 2022-2028.

In addition to the Boreenmanna Rd development, the Lord Mayor also officiated at the opening of 12 A-rated apartments at Wallace Court on Coach St, with the development named after the Wallace sisters who were prominent figures in the War of Independence.

The scheme was developed by Cumnor Construction and will be managed by Focus Ireland on behalf of the council.

The third scheme attended by the Lord Mayor was at Upper Cattle Market St, where 14 new homes — a mix of houses and apartments — were officially opened.

Designed by the city architects department and constructed by Cahalane Brothers Ltd, it was developed as an urban regeneration project to replace blocks of flats built in the early 1980s that were no longer fit for purpose.

The Lord Mayor concluded the day’s ceremonies at Mary MacSwiney Court on Glenryan Rd, formally opening the new development of nine apartments.

The scheme is named to honour Mary MacSwiney, a prominent figure in the War of Independence, and a sister of Terence MacSwiney, former Lord Mayor of Cork.

Developed by HRP Construction, it will be managed directly by Cork City Council’s housing operations directorate.

The Lord Mayor commended Cork City Council on utilising a variety of mechanisms to achieve housing delivery, which he said is one of the local authority’s “key priorities”.

Meanwhile, the council’s chief executive Ann Doherty added: “The four residential developments formally opened today, provide an insight into the creative design solutions, which Cork City Council is bringing to fruition in its housing delivery programme, and includes the transformation of three formerly derelict or vacant sites into new residential communities.”