St Kevin's project gets green light

The landmark St Kevin’s red brick building which was gutted in a fire almost four years ago is set for a new lease of life.

The Land Development Agency (LDA) has received planning permission to develop 266 homes, an enterprise centre and creche facilities at the Shanakiel site.

The St Kevin’s development will consist of a mix of town houses and duplex apartments including one, two, three and four-bedroom homes.

While the tenure mix is yet to be confirmed by Government, the primary focus of the development will be social and affordable housing and most of the houses will fit that criteria.

John Coleman, CEO of the LDA, said: “The development of 266 homes will mean a secure, safe and sustainable home for hundreds of people close to Cork city. Our vision is for a community that provides for a mix of ages and a mix of needs. Our primary focus will be social and affordable housing and I expect this to be reflected in the ultimate make-up of the St Kevin’s development.”

He added: “This is the second LDA project to achieve planning permission and is our first in Cork. From a standing start, we are successfully moving a pipeline of projects forward with the goal of creating a steady supply of new housing on state land. We look forward to continuing to work with local representatives and other stakeholders in progressing this important project to completion.”

Ann Doherty, Chief Executive of Cork City Council, said: “I welcome the granting of this planning permission to the LDA.

“266 new homes for Cork city is good news for all our citizens. In addition to supplying housing, the project will bring back to life one of the most beautiful buildings in Cork.

“We are looking forward to working collaboratively with the LDA for the creation of a first-class community. While this is just the first site which the LDA will develop in Cork city, we expect it to be the first of many and I am particularly optimistic about the partnership the City Council is creating with the LDA to establish the Docklands Delivery Office to unleash the community potential of the Cork Docklands area,” she concluded.

The LDA has said the development will have a strong focus on sustainability, with public transport links to the city and to other local amenities.

These public transport services are likely to be further improved under the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport and Bus Connect strategies.

The development will have over twice as many spaces for bicycles as cars, the LDA has said.

The LDA also said that sustainable energy is a key feature of the proposed development and the buildings will be fully compliant with Near Zero Emission Buildings regulations and will have a minimum BER of A3.

The LDA is a commercial, State-sponsored body that has been created to coordinate land within State control for more optimal uses where appropriate, with a focus on the provision of homes for individuals and families.

It has already commenced the delivery planning for the project. It is intended to commence work on site as soon as possible with the first homes available by 2023.

In addition to the St Kevin’s Hospital site, the LDA is currently working to establish a Cork Docklands Delivery Office in partnership with Cork City Council.

This body will ensure the vast potential of the Docklands is realised through enabling infrastructure and development co-ordination.