No progress on new halting site on Cork city's northside

Cork City Council has said it is working on progressing plans for new housing at a Cork city halting site, as a councillor has said that residents feel the redevelopment approved a year and a half ago will never progress.

Plans for the redevelopment of the overcrowded Spring Lane halting site at Ballyvolane, along with the construction of a new purpose-built group housing scheme on the land adjacent to Spring Lane, known as Ellis Yard, were approved by council last year.

The proposed development will comprise of the demolition of existing structures such as mobile homes, as well as the construction of 27 residential units. The provision of temporary accommodation will be required on-site to facilitate phased construction.

Green Party councillor for the area, Oliver Moran, told The Echo: “It’s coming up to 18 months since the plan for the regeneration of Spring Lane and Ellis Yard was agreed. In that time, there hasn’t been any progress on the redevelopment. For residents of the site, conditions continue to be deplorable.

“For them, it’s the day-to-day issues that are paramount. I think most don’t believe the redevelopment will ever happen.

“A point holding up the plan is that it involves identifying a location for some of the residents, as part of a separate standard housing department. That’s tied up in negotiations with a potential developer, but it means the overall plan cannot proceed until that is confirmed.”

Mr Moran asked ahead of Monday’s council meeting for an update on delivery of the housing development; if the necessary “third site” has been identified as part of the redevelopment plan; and if it is possible to proceed without the “third site” or to identify another.

The council’s acting director of housing, Nicky Carroll, told Mr Moran: “The third site is currently being considered under a competitive dialogue public procurement process.”

On a supplementary question, Mr Carroll said that they “will have a fallback” in case any of the expected processes do not complete, adding that he expected it to be clarified in “a number of months”.