CONTRACTORS and housing associations have welcomed the rezoning of more land in West Cork for housing, following a variation to the County Development Plan.

Several local politicians have been critical of the updated development plan because it designates just 10% of the total land for new homes to West Cork.

Most new developments under the changed zoning will happen in Cork city and surrounding areas.

Dunmanway-based contractor Donal Cahalane, of Cahalane Brothers Ltd, said the variation and revised wording in relation to waste water treatment in Dunmanway was positive. He said that, along with revisions to planning exemptions, it allows Uisce Éireann ‘to progress with further upgrades to the plan and housing development to be delivered in turn’.

The utility could in future meet the plant’s discharge license capacity of 3,500 population equivalent, he said. The contractor, whose firm has been in business since the 1930s, said he noted the work councillors Deirdre Kelly, Daniel Sexton and Isobel Towse have done to support this.

‘The plan also includes details on green infrastructure and biodiversity supports which offer an exciting opportunity to reimagine our town,’ he added.

Meanwhile, Jose Ospina, chairperson of Carbery Housing Association (CHA), said the Skibbereen-based association welcomed the news that more land will be zoned for housing.

CHA has been looking for suitable sites for small, targeted social housing developments for many months.

‘Finding suitable building land has proved an almost impossible task so far. We have plans for social housing for young people and families, for elderly persons, for people with disabilities,’ he said. He added that CHA is asking anyone with newly zoned land to contact them with a view to possible cooperation.

‘We are particularly interested in smaller sites, from five to 20 homes, all over the county and especially in West Cork. This is a great opportunity for landowners to help those in greatest need,’ he said.

He added that the government is making funding available to councils to buy land for social housing, for their own developments and those of Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs).

‘At the moment we have yet to be offered any land by Cork County Council. The last time the council offered CHA a site was 2003 in Bantry, which was then blocked by the Western Committee.’

The variation to the development plan, which was adopted earlier this month, includes zoning to cater for an additional 857 houses in Clonakilty, 429 in Skibbereen and 180 in Dunmanway.

The villages of Courtmacsherry and Timoleague are also mentioned. An extension of Timoleague’s boundary will include a cluster of homes south of the bridge along the R600. The boundary change means that existing public infrastructure can be used for new housing.

Special Areas of Conservation mentioned in the revised plan include the Bandon River and Glengarriff Harbour and Woodland.

A closer look was also taken at Clonakilty Bay, Roaringwater Bay and the Islands, which could be impacted by new housing targets for Skibbereen, Schull, Ballydehob and Baltimore.