Cork GAA housing project approved

Cork GAA has been given the green light for a housing project on the northern fringes of Cork city.

The proposed development, next to the Old Whitechurch Road in Kilbarry, was approved by An Bord Pleanála and includes 319 homes, a créche and riverside park. The proposed dwellings consist of 85 semi-detached houses, 118 terraced homes, 53 duplex units and 63 apartments.

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

He added: “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.”

Cork County Board has 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 site has the old Whitechurch Road to its west, the Cork North Business Park to the south, the existing GAA grounds of Delaney’s GAA Club to the east with the Glenamought River along the northern boundary.

The site extends to 14.80 hectares (36.6 acres) and is adjacent to public lands in LDA ownership which have scope for further strategic development.