The Land Development Agency and O’Callaghan Properties to deliver over 100 homes in Cork’s South Docks

Odlums Corner

Land Development Agency and O’Callaghan Properties to deliver over 100 homes in Cork’s South Docks

The Land Development Agency (LDA) and O’Callaghan Properties have announced plans to deliver 103 homes in Cork’s South Docks.

The new homes are being developed at Kennedy Quay next to the River Lee. The project is a core part of the ongoing regeneration of the Cork Docklands and will act as a catalyst for further redevelopment in the immediate and surrounding area.

The 103 homes include 45-one-bed, 42 two-bed and 16 three-bed apartments.

Construction is due to start in the coming weeks and will take approximately 27 months to complete, meaning residents could be living in the first of the new A-rated homes by the end of 2028.

The new riverside apartments are superbly located. The development site is adjacent to the former Odlums flour mill and within walking distance of the proposed route of the LUAS Cork and near key locations such as Kent Station, the Marina Promenade and Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

The homes are being developed in partnership with O’Callaghan Properties as part of the LDA’s Project Tosaigh homebuilder partnership initiative.

This is where the Agency partners with private homebuilders, providing the financial stimulus required to ensure the construction and completion of new homes.

This is the first Project Tosaigh partnership between the LDA and O’Callaghan Properties, one of the country’s largest privately-owned property development firms.

In addition to the development of the LDA homes, O’Callaghan Properties has further plans to transform the immediate Kennedy Quay area to create a dynamic and sustainable new waterfront neighbourhood in Cork’s Docklands.

This includes the provision of commercial and retail space, as well as further residential development. The company is also planning to restore and return the iconic Odlums mill building to use.

The building was originally constructed around 1892 as a granary, and was previously a busy and distinctive landmark on the city’s quays, housing offices, storage facilities and an active mill. The company is planning to announce details of its restoration and redevelopment plans in the coming months.

As part of this work, the external facades of the Odlums building are to be retained. Significant features of architectural and industrial heritage interest from the building have already been carefully removed and salvaged and it is intended to feature some of these internally and externally within future phases of the wider Kennedy Quay development, where feasible.

The new housing development is the first phase of the regeneration of Kennedy Quay and will add significantly to the LDA’s delivery pipeline in Cork. Across the River Lee, the Agency is nearing completion on 302 apartments at Horgan’s Quay in partnership with BAM and Clarendon Properties and the LDA is partnering with Glenveagh at Marina Depot in the South Docks, where 337 new homes are under construction.

The Agency is also on site delivering 267 homes at the former St Kevin’s Hospital site in Shanakiel, and it has secured planning permission for 345 homes on former ESB lands in Wilton, and 147 at Anglesea Terrace in Cork City Centre as part of a partnership with Cork City Council.

Meanwhile, a site in Kilbarry in Cork, with the potential to deliver approximately 1,000 homes, has been transferred to the LDA by IDA Ireland, while another in Cork’s South Docks, with the potential to deliver 300 homes, has been transferred to the Agency by BnM.

James Browne, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage said:

“I am delighted to welcome plans to develop over a hundred much-needed homes in the heart of Cork's iconic docklands. These A-rated apartments will provide wonderful homes in a fantastic, vibrant, and central location close to essential amenities and attractions. I would like to commend the work of the LDA in conjunction with O’Callaghan Properties as part of Project Tosaigh and I think it really underscores how both the public and private sector can work together effectively to build the homes we need to reach the ambitious targets set out in our Housing Action Plan, 'Delivering Homes, Building Communities'.

John Coleman, Chief Executive of the Land Development Agency said:

“This is a very welcome partnership between the LDA and O’Callaghan Properties and we look forward to delivering a great place for people to live in a fantastic part of Cork. The 103 homes are being developed in a prime location in Cork’s South Docks and the project will serve as a key component in the wider and ongoing transformation of the Cork Docklands, which the LDA is actively involved in. All the homes will be A-Rated and well-served, with Cork City Centre and the area’s key attractions and amenities within easy walking distance. The LDA is pleased to be working with an experienced delivery partner in O’Callaghan Properties and excited to be adding to our already significant and growing pipeline of new homes in Cork.”

Brian O’Callaghan, Managing Director of O’Callaghan Properties said:

“This development is a really positive example of the State and the private sector collaborating to develop much-needed homes. Our partnership with the LDA and Cork City Council not only delivers new housing, it serves as a catalyst for further development in Cork’s South Docks.

“Cork city is undergoing rapid, transformative change at present with a suite of exciting transportation, infrastructural and recreational strategies being implemented. Our company has been part of Cork’s growth and development for over five decades and we are pleased to be involved in the Docklands project which is re-imagining the city in so many wonderful ways.”

Valerie O’Sullivan, Chief Executive of Cork City Council, said:

“This is another welcome step in the continued development of Cork Docklands and the delivery of new and affordable homes in the city. Today’s announcement is further evidence that the Government’s commitment to Cork City Docklands through the Towns and Cities Regeneration Investment Fund is bearing fruit. These funding investments are resulting in significant residential and commercial development in the area, with about 7,000 people employed and 800 apartments currently under construction.”

“Kennedy Quay is a key feature within the wider regeneration of the Docklands, serving to connect the city centre with the South Docks. The light rail connection and the backdrop of a new waterfront will have a dynamic effect on footfall in the area and revitalise it.”

Further Information

The Land Development Agency (LDA) is the State’s affordable housing delivery body. Its main role is to acquire and develop State and other land to deliver affordable homes to address the country’s housing need. The Agency has commenced construction on various state sourced and privately acquired land and has a delivery pipeline in excess of 28,000 homes through its direct delivery and homebuilder partnership channels.

Additionally, the LDA undertakes work on large-scale longer-term strategic areas by master-planning and bringing forward planning applications in locations such as Limerick Colbert Quarter, the Digital Hub in Dublin and Sandy Road in Galway. The LDA is also responsible for a range of public functions including research, master planning and the development of construction guidelines and best practices. The LDA has produced and now regularly updates the Report on Relevant Public Land, which identified 102 State owned sites with the potential for 70,830 homes.

O’Callaghan Properties is one of Ireland’s longest established property development and investment companies. For over five decades, the company has been hugely influential in shaping the commercial, retail, and residential landscape of cities across Ireland and in the UK.

The company’s track record includes many of Ireland’s most significant developments — including Navigation Square, Opera Lane, Half Moon Street, Merchant’s Quay, Liffey Valley Shopping Centre and Mahon Point Shopping Centre.

A primary focus of O’Callaghan Properties is now on the development of the most significant riverside site in Cork’s South Docks at Kennedy Quay. The company’s plans for the area will create a vibrant, dynamic mixed-use neighbourhood for Cork with the potential to transform the South Docks into a major driver of economic activity and employment and a cultural/tourist landmark for years to come.