An artist impression of the proposed €16m social housing scheme underway on the Deanrock landbank on the southside of Cork city.

Council signs contract on €16m Togher housing scheme

CORK City Council has signed the main contract on a €16 million social housing scheme which will provide up to 65 new homes in Togher, making it one of the largest schemes in the country.

Thirty-two three-bedroom houses, 24 two-bedroom houses, four two-bedroom maisonettes, three two bedroom apartments and two four-bedroom houses will be built at Deanrock in Togher.

A community building is also to be developed on the site.

Lord Mayor, Cllr Tony Fitzgerald said: “We are delighted to see work begin at Deanrock.

“This is a housing scheme that residents have campaigned hard for and the community building should be a major resource for them in the years to come.”

The housing scheme has been in the pipeline for several years and is designed to regenerate parts of the Togher suburb.

Cork City Council Chief Executive (CE) Ann Doherty said: “The project is an excellent example of regeneration in a key southern suburb. It is also a text book example of what can be achieved when a strong community group and its councillors work together to achieve an objective.”

The City Council says the project is part of an overall drive to build more than 400 new social homes this year.

Cork City Council Director of Housing, Brian Geaney, said: “This is a very significant housing project, not only here in Cork but also nationally. This is one of the largest social housing schemes to come on stream in the country and we are delighted to deliver it here in Cork.”

Figures from City Hall have revealed that more than 4,484 people are on the city council social housing waiting list. The waiting lists have continued to grow over the last year. In April, a further 156 applicants had applied for housing assistance for the first time.