Social housing projects are still on track for West Cork

BY JACKIE KEOGH

A SIGNIFICANT number of social houses are expected to be delivered in West Cork in 2021.

Cork County Council’s director of housing, Maurice Manning, confirmed at a Western Committee meeting in Dunmanway that the local authority is on target to meet its county-wide social housing target of 562 for 2020.

In West Cork, he said: ‘There are a lot of housing projects that have been in the planning stage for some time and these are expected to go on site later this year, as well as early 2020, which means that a significant number of social houses will be delivered in West Cork in 2021.’

Mr Manning said the delivery rate means the Council ‘is in line to exceed the three-year target that has been set by the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government.’

Cork County Council’s successful strike rate first emerged in 2018, when it exceeded its social housing target by 90 units. 

Mr Manning enumerated the housing projects, which include the 57-house Beechgrove scheme that is now ‘on site’ in Clonakilty and will be completed in early 2021.

Among the other schemes in the works are a 20-unit development in Dunmanway that will commence early in the New Year.

A long-awaited six-unit scheme for Townshend Street in Skibbereen is currently out to tender, and a 17-unit housing development in Courtmacsherry is going through the planning process and should be on site in mid-2020.

Mr Manning said Cork County Council is the lead authority for the public private partnership bundle that will see the construction of 50 houses in Skibbereen, 52 in the Miles in Clonakilty and 50 houses in Macroom. 

The Skibbereen development will include 21 two-bedroom units; 26 three-bedroom units; and three four-bedroom units. Meanwhile, in Clonakilty there will be 18 two-bedroom units; 29 three-bedroom units; and five four-bedroom units.

Cllr Karen Coakley (FG) said the decision to build more two-bedroom units will be welcomed by single applicants, and couples, who have traditionally fared badly when houses are being allocated.

Mr Manning said all three are expected to take a year to complete and, in early 2021, they will be allocated to people on the Council’s waiting list.