Plans for 350 homes in Cork city

Draft plans for 350 new affordable homes at a site in Wilton have been published by the Land Development Agency (LDA).

The proposed development will include 154 one-bed apartments, 180 two-bed apartments and 16 three-bed townhouses, as well as a creche, landscaped open spaces and new pedestrian and cycle greenway links.

The homes will be a mix of cost rental and affordable purchase, the latter delivered through the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme.

An agreement was made on the transfer of the site on Sarsfield Rd between the LDA and ESB earlier this year.

The LDA is encouraging local residents, businesses and community groups to contribute to this initial consultation process, to help inform and shape the proposals.

A development brochure has been created, which outlines the initial design plan, and a public drop-in clinic will be held on Tuesday, December 3 from 2pm – 7pm in the SMA Wilton Parish Community Centre.

“We are pleased to be moving to the next stage of the process to deliver these much-needed affordable homes in Cork,” Phelim O’Neill, head of property at the LDA said.

“The draft plans outline our vision for this development– with connectivity, sustainability and affordability at its core.

“The LDA is acutely aware of the importance of meaningful community engagement and wants to ensure that local people have an opportunity to meet with us and contribute to the design process to deliver a housing development that caters for families, first time buyers and older people in a key Cork suburb”.

A planning application will be submitted in early 2025, and subject to planning approval, construction could start in early 2026, with the first homes being delivered in late 2028.

Communication channels including a dedicated email address, wilton@lda.ie, are now active.

Information on the development is available at www.lda.ie/projects/wilton.