Respond building 229 new social and cost-rental homes in Cork this year

Respond, Ireland’s largest construction-led approved housing body and service provider, will have 229 new homes under construction in Cork by the end of 2024.

The group delivered 138 new social and cost-rental homes in Cork last year, 45 in Cork county, and 93 in the city, bringing to 1,004 the amount of homes it now owns and manages throughout Cork.

Nationally, Respond will have a record 4,000 new social and cost-rental homes under construction by the end of 2024, as part of its €1.2bn construction programme, a threefold increase in its home-building programme over the past year.

Their strategy focuses on mixed-tenure schemes of both social and cost-rental homes to build diverse communities.

Committed

A spokesperson said: “Respond is strongly committed to increasing the national housing stock: This means buying the land, funding the construction at every stage with in-house experts to oversee the construction process, ensuring both quality and cost control, rather than competing for existing homes already built.”

The group finances construction through fixed-price contracts, enabling a saving of, on average, €65,000 in the construction of each home, meaning there is the potential for a saving of €260m on the construction of the 4,000 homes, compared to a housing-acquisition model.

Blueprint

Respond spokesperson Niamh Randall said: “Our unique construction-led model provides a blueprint for cost-effective, consistent delivery of large-scale, mixed-tenure homes, incorporating both social and cost-rental homes.

“We are building inclusive, long-term sustainable communities, with our developments placed close to amenities, including schools and parks, public transport routes and commercial centres.

“Each development follows our evidence-informed Housing Services Delivery model and includes community hubs, and often several of the additional community services we also provide, including Early Learning and School Age Care services, and services for older people, readily accessible for families.”

Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien added: “I would like to commend Respond’s work in supporting families across the country, both in terms of delivering new homes and the essential community support services it provides.

“Through the hard work of approved housing bodies like Respond, our social and cost-rental housing supply is increasing and we are going in the right direction in meeting the demand for affordable housing.”

Respond also supports communities through a wide range of services that address family homelessness, childhood education, and the needs of families and older people.