Apartments set for Blackpool

A site which has become a target for litter and fly tipping in recent times on the northside is to be given a new lease of life.

An apartment block on Watercourse Road, opposite the church in Balckpool, has been given the green light with a Cork City Council official saying that it will help bring down the demand for social housing in the area.

The proposed development includes the demolition of existing boundary walls, an old office building and shed on the site, construction of 37 new apartments and all associated site works.

It will be four-storey building with 18 one-bedroom apartments, 17 two-bedroom apartments and two three-bedroom apartments and will be built for and on behalf of Cork City Council by Citidwell Homes Limited.

The proposed development site is 0.128 hectares in size, is mainly triangular in shape, with 48m of road frontage along Watercourse Road on the west and 55m of road frontage along Corkeran’s Quay on the east.

Head of Housing at City Hall, Brian Geaney, confirmed that no submissions or observations were received within the prescribed period about the project.

While advocating for councillors to give the project the go head at a recent Cork City Council meeting, Mr Geaney said: “The proposed scheme will provide much needed homes under the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness and will help contribute to dealing with the pent-up demand for social housing in the city.” He added: “The proposed development is considered to be in accordance with proper planning and sustainable development and is an innovative intervention and sustainable housing solution near the city centre. This proposal which has been professionally designed by a competent and experienced design team has been considered by the City Architect, Community, Culture and Placemaking Directorate and the Operations Directorate and the inputs of the various directorates have been taken into account in the consideration.”