Cork city seeks public proposals on land that can be rezoned for housing

By Peter McCarthy, Corkman

Cork City Council is seeking suggestions from landowners, homebuilders and interested parties for lands suitable for residential zoning as part of plans to accelerate housing delivery in the city.

The government’s recently published Housing Growth Requirements Guidelines calls on local authorities to review their existing development plans with a view to zoning additional residential lands where they can be justified.

Submissions received during this non-statutory public consultation will be assessed by the local authority and any lands that are considered suitable may come forward as part of a formal variation of the Cork City Development Plan 2022-2028, which is likely to take place next year.

The proposed sites need to meet a number of criteria, including that they are serviced or are due to be serviced within the next five years, are located in areas with market demand, and have good social infrastructure and public transport links. The sites should also ideally be within the city’s existing built-up footprint.

The closing date for submissions is 5pm on Monday, November 10. Submissions can only be made using the city council’s online portal, where they will be publicly viewable. No written or emailed submissions will be accepted. For more information, visit corkcity.ie.

“This is an important moment for Cork’s housing future. I’d encourage as many people as possible to engage with the process,” Cllr Damian Boylan said. The Fine Gael councillor for the North-West Ward said the city must now plan for up to 50pc additional housing provision in its development plan.

Cork County Council has opened a similar public consultation, which runs until midnight on Monday, October 20. Submissions can be made either online or in writing. For more information, visit corkcoco.ie.