Sod turned on 18 new homes in Cork town 

The sod has been turned on an €8.5m housing development in mid-Cork that will deliver 18 new homes and a specialist facility for people who have acquired brain injury.

Work on the development, at Clós an tSuláin in Masseytown, Macroom, began on Tuesday with a sod-turning ceremony led by Mayor of the County of Cork Mary Linehan Foley.

Ms Linehan Foley was joined at the ceremony by representatives from Tuath Housing Association, Cork County Council, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and Acquired Brain Injury Ireland (ABI Ireland).

The project, which is due for completion next year, will consist of 10 two-bedroom and eight one-bedroom age-friendly units, which will be managed by Tuath Housing and allocated to people on Cork County Council’s housing waiting list.

A key part will be a five-bedroom, purpose-built home operated by ABI Ireland.

FUNDED

The development is funded by the Department of Housing through the capital assistance scheme (CAS), and is being delivered in partnership with Cork County Council.

Tuath Housing is doing the project as a direct build, with contractor Cumnor Construction.

Ms Mary Linehan-Foley said the project demonstrated how collaboration between approved housing bodies, local authorities, and specialist organisations could provide housing to keep people in their communities.

“Soon, this site will be replaced by 18 much-needed social homes for older persons, alongside a five-bed communal residence for people living with acquired brain injuries to enjoy a high-quality life through their established connections within the community,” she said.

Cork native Angela Murphy, vice-chair of Tuath voluntary board of directors, said the approved housing body had worked with Cork County Council and ABI to get the project on site.

“This project demonstrates Tuath’s commitment to delivering diverse housing that responds to a wide range of housing needs, while working collaboratively with local authorities, community-based organisations, and the Department of Housing to support communities across Cork,” 

she said.

Keith Jones, director of service housing in Cork County Council, said the local authority had provided homes through a variety of delivery streams.

“This is evident today with the beginning of the construction of these new-build specialist housing units, through the capital assistance scheme here in Macroom,” he said.

Karen Foley, CEO of ABI, said the charity supports more than 1,300 brain injury survivors annually to rebuild their lives.

“This new service will enable us to reach more survivors living in the South-West of Ireland.”