Cork County GAA Board has secured planning permission for a strategic housing development (SHD) on the northern fringes of Cork city – a project which it says will provide “much-needed housing on the northside of the city, while using the sale of the site to reduce the debts of Cork GAA”.

The site is located next to the Old Whitechurch Road in Kilbarry and the proposed development includes 319 homes, a crèche and riverside park.

These homes would be made up of 85 semi-detached houses, 118 terraced homes, 53 duplex units and 63 apartments.

The site extends to 14.80 hectares and is, the GAA said, adjacent to public lands in LDA ownership which have scope for further strategic development.

“We welcome this decision by An Bord Pleanála,” CEO of Cork County GAA Board, Kevin O’Donovan, said.

“This parcel of land was bought by Cork County Board in the 1960s and the land has since been zoned for mainly residential use.

“The intention in recent times has always been to use this asset to provide much-needed housing on the northside of the city, while using the sale of the site to reduce the debts of Cork GAA.

“We will now review the decision in detail, with an intention to proceed with the sale at the earliest opportunity.

“The shortage of housing in Cork and across the country is well documented and this development will now provide homes for hundreds of families in the heart of a great GAA community.” 

The Development's Purpose

The GAA bought the 14.80 hectares site in the 1960s on the northside of Cork city. It has since been zoned as residential for housing.

Cork GAA was seeking the planning permission to enable it to maximize the value of the land with the proceeds of the sale being used to help offset the €30 million debt that it incurred in the €96 million redevelopment of Páirc Uí Chaoimh. The proposed development is located next to the Old Whitechurch Road in Kilbarry and includes 319 homes and a créche.

In its proposal, Cork GAA was seeking planning permission from An Bord Pleanála for 85 semi-detached houses, 118 terraced homes, 53 duplex units and 63 apartments at the site which was zoned for housing in the 2015-2021 Cork City Development Plan.

A Strategic Approach to Housing

The site is adjacent to public lands owned by the Land Development Authority (LDA) which have scope for further strategic development. The price that the site will realize if it is sold has not been disclosed but the money will go towards the county board’s debt.

Cork GAA suffered a setback for its proposal to add value to the asset in August 2022 when Cork City Council, as part of the Strategic Housing Development process, prepared a report in which it recommended that An Bord Pleanála refuse planning permission for the project.

But following a number of changes to the proposal, An Bord Pleanála has now granted planning permission with conditions.

Cork County GAA board chief executive Kevin O’Donovan welcomed the decision by An Bord Pleanála under its strategic housing development fast-tracking process which sees developments of scale going straight to the board.

“We will now review the decision in detail, with an intention to proceed with the sale at the earliest opportunity.

“The shortage of housing in Cork and across the country is well documented and this development will now provide homes for hundreds of families in the heart of a great GAA community.”

Conditions and Concerns

Approving the proposed development, An Bord Pleanála said it considered that, subject to compliance with the conditions set out, the development “would not seriously injure the residential or visual amenities of the area or of property in the vicinity, would be acceptable in terms of urban design, height and quantum of development and would be acceptable in terms of traffic and pedestrian safety and convenience”.

There are 30 conditions attached to the board’s approval of the development. One condition stipulates that with reference to the “historic dumping of waste construction material on the site”, prior to commencement, the applicant must agree on an “extensive suite of sampling and testing throughout the site with the planning authority, to ensure any pockets of contaminated material are identified and managed appropriately, before construction activities begin”.

Another states that no additional development, other than those shown on the drawings, is permitted to take place above roof level.

Cork County Board said it will now review in detail the decision of An Bord Pleanála, and the various conditions which were attached to the granting of permission. The development also includes the provision of a riverside amenity park for the benefit of both the future occupants of the development, as well as those living in the wider area.

The Future of Páirc Uí Chaoimh

The redevelopment of Páirc Uí Chaoimh, which saw the creation of a modern 45,000 stadium, was completed in 2017. The project makes provision for a mix of 95 houses and apartments on a site off the Old Mallow Road. 

Plans for a housing scheme designed to provide “high-quality residential units” at a vacant site on the northside have been published by Cork City Council. The local authority has given notice of its intention to build 95 homes, a mix of houses and apartments, at a site off the Old Mallow Rd.

The units would be made up of one four-bedroom, two-storey detached house; 72 three-bedroom, two-storey semi-detached houses; eight three-bedroom, two-storey townhouses; six two-bedroom, two-storey townhouses; four three-bedroom apartments; and four one-bedroom apartments within two three-storey apartment/duplex buildings.

The 3.6ha site of intended development is located off the N20 and a new road that meanders along the eastern boundary of the site, connecting the Old Mallow Rd in the north with Old Whitechurch Rd in the southeast.

Looking Ahead: Housing and the Future of Cork

The council said the proposed mixed tenure residential development would provide a minimum 87 homes for sale to the private market in the form of affordable housing. A design statement prepared by Deady Gahan Architects said the proposed development has been designed to provide “high-quality residential units, which will contribute positively to the city and deliver much needed housing to metropolitan Cork”.

The statement contends that the form, architecture, and scale of the development is “consistent with the immediate context and it will enhance the visual amenity of the site as a whole”. The proposed layout, the statement says, “prioritises access for all” with a public realm based on pedestrian connectivity throughout the entire scheme.

“Important to the scheme’s success is focusing on the public realm by designing this scheme around a large green open space with a kickabout area,” it says. The design statement further contends that the development would add “purpose” to an otherwise vacant site and would “complement and enhance the experience and enjoyment of the local area”

This development is not only a positive step for the financial stability of Cork GAA, but also a significant contribution to the ongoing housing crisis in Cork City. It will provide much-needed housing in a well-connected area, while also creating a new riverside park for the community.