Road project opened at Water-Rock
A multi-million euro road infrastructure project has been officially opened in Cork county.
The €11.7 million infrastructure development at Water-Rock near Midleton was opened this week by Mayor of the County of Cork Cllr Joe Carroll and the Tánaiste Micheál Martin TD.
The new road will support 2,500 homes, three schools, a neighbourhood centre, a railway station, and parks in the area.
The works include 1.7km of link roads, surface water drainage, services, public lighting, and landscaping. Cork County Council acquired approximately 30 acres of land to facilitate the development.
Cork County Council has confirmed that planning permission has been granted for 1,400 residential units and construction of housing along the road has already commenced.
Mayor Carroll said the new road infrastructure will be hugely beneficial for Midleton and East Cork. “It opens the available land for much needed housing without burdening existing infrastructure. The construction of housing is underway and eventually there will be 2,500 homes in this area."
He added: “We have wonderful wide footpaths and cycle lanes that are already being used by the local community. In time, there will be parks, schools, a new railway station and a connection to the Cork to Midleton interurban cycleway, all of which will benefit the wider community.”
Cork County Council has purchased approximately 18 acres of land within the Water-Rock Urban Expansion Area to develop three public parks in tandem with the proposed housing. The local authority is working to progress the Water-Rock Linear Park located along the Owenacurra River to the east of the site.
In parallel, the council is working with the support of government funding to construct the Midleton to Youghal Greenway and complete the interurban cycleway connectivity from Cork to Midleton.
Tánaiste, Micheál Martin said: “The Water-Rock project is a fine example of an integrated planning approach.
“Cork County Council has worked together with key state agencies including Uisce Éireann, Irish Rail, Transport Infrastructure Ireland and the Office of Public Works to drive the delivery of vital infrastructure, which will support the development of thousands of much needed homes in the Midleton area,” he added.