12 July 2024
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie
Cork County Council Officially Opens Road Infrastructure to Support 2,500 Homes at Water-Rock Urban Expansion Area in Midleton
The Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Joe Carroll and the Tánaiste, Micheál Martin TD have officially opened a €11.7 million critical infrastructure development at Water-Rock near Midleton that will eventually support 2,500 homes, three schools, a neighbourhood centre, a railway station and parks.
Pictured are Christy Hannon, BAM UK & Ireland; John Slattery, Acting County Engineer; Mayor of The County of Cork, Cllr Joe Carroll; Tánaiste Mícheál Martin TD; Moira Murrell, The News Chief Executive of Cork County Council, and Richard Neuling, Atkins Réalis.
Picture: Michael O’Sullivan /OSM PHOTO
The works funded by the Government’s Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) and Cork County Council 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.
The road is an important part of the Water-Rock Urban Expansion Area. Planning permission has already been granted for 1,400 residential units and construction of housing along the road has commenced. The design and planning of the infrastructure was completed by AtkinsRéalis with the works constructed by BAM Civil Ltd.
Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Joe Carroll said, “This 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. The infrastructure also supports compact growth and sustainable development. 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 added, “Sustainable housing delivery and infrastructure development is a priority for this government. 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.”
Chief Executive of Cork County Council, Moira Murrell said, “Water-Rock is one of five Urban Expansion Areas in County Cork. These areas, which include Shannonpark in Carrigaline, Carrigtwohill North, Ballynoe in Cobh and Monard Strategic Development Zone (SDZ), have been identified as the best locations for the development of new communities in Metropolitan Cork. The key to delivering housing in these areas is by providing the necessary roads and water infrastructure to open the lands and facilitate their development. The future strength of the County Cork economy depends on projects like this that provide certainty to first-time buyers, to employers and investors in this region.”
The Water-Rock LIHAF initiative won the award for Best Innovation in Urban Planning at the 2023 LAMA Awards.