Group ‘devastated’ 4,000 homes could be built at Murphy’s Rock on Cork's northside 

A group on Cork’s northside have said they are “devastated and appalled” that there could be more than 4,000 homes built on “the last natural green space” in the area.

An email sent by the Murphy’s Rock and Bride Valley Support Group to Cork city councillors, as well as to Taoiseach Simon Harris and the minister for housing, has opposed potential housing units for Dublin Hill.

The Land Development Agency (LDA) announced last week that 41 hectares in Dublin Hill are to be surveyed to assess their suitability for affordable and social housing. The land, and its potential to provide housing, was identified in the Report on Relevant Public Land published by the LDA in 2023, where it was estimated that it could yield 3,250 to 4,420 homes with estimated total costs of between €1.07bn and €1.3bn for the project.

“We are devastated and appalled to understand that the LDA have begun a feasibility study to prepare for building of housing units in Murphy’s Rock ahead of public consultation,” said Murphy’s Rock and Bride Valley Support Group chairwoman Joan Lewis.

“Murphy’s Rock is the last natural green space available in the northside of Cork city.”

Their email explained that the area is a natural habitat and “building of any sort here is likely to devastate very delicate ecological balance in this natural wild space. It will also be detrimental to public health”.

“We strongly believe that any development should cease in Murphy’s Rock until the Local Area Plan for Blackpool/Kilbarry is completed and the public have a chance to review how they see this area being developed. We understand this Local Area Plan is currently being compiled by the Cork City Council with a plan to go to public consultation. The development of Murphy’s Rock as a public amenity as ‘a wilder space’ is essential to public wellbeing and has been proposed under this plan.”

Green Party councillor for Cork City North East Oliver Moran told the group that the LDA will not proceed with any developments until the North Blackpool/Kilbarry framework plan is completed.

“This will include a public consultation, and I have already spoken with officials about including your group in a pre-consultation phase,” he said.

He said the public consultation on the framework plan will take place over the next 18 months, led by the strategic planning directorate in Cork City Council, who he said “are very familiar with the area, its value, and its sensitivity”.