Welcome for Cork City Council’s use of modular housing to speed up supply

A NORTHSIDE councillor has welcomed news that Cork City Council is currently working on a development using modular housing as a method of delivering new homes and he has called for further such schemes.

Mick Nugent, a Sinn Féin councillor for the Cork City North West ward, told The Echo it was very positive news that the council was increasing its use of modular housing as a way of speeding up the supply of housing in the city.

“It’s something I’ve raised previously in council over a number of years, urging the council to look at the possibilities around rapid build and modular housing as part of its housing delivery programme, and I welcome the reply to my question at the April city council meeting,” he said.

Mr Nugent had asked the council’s chief executive, Ann Doherty, about the number of modular and rapid-build units involved in the council’s social housing programme, and whether there were further developments proposed.

In response, Alison O’Rourke, Cork City Council’s director of services for Housing Delivery and Regeneration, said the council was currently progressing two pilot projects through modern methods of construction, for apartment developments which have been particularly designed with a view to enable the use of 3D modular structural systems and elements, or alternatively 2D structural systems.

Ms O’Rourke said the projects would provide 133 new homes, with 43 located at Westside, Model Farm Road, and 90 at Cloverhill Court, Bessborough Road.

“Both projects have received Part 8 planning approval and are at final tender stage, with construction projected to commence in [the second or third quarter] of 2024, with completion in 2025.

“The directorate is also currently considering other rapid build, modular housing solutions within the housing delivery programme, and we have identified a possible additional pilot project. This is currently at feasibility stage but is proposed to be progressed as a rapid-build modular project in 2024,” she said.

Mr Nugent said it was good that the council was using imaginative ways of looking at addressing the extreme lack of housing in the current crisis.

“Obviously the advantage of modular, rapid build is the speedier delivery of housing that can be turned around for those on our social housing list, and I welcome too that another project is to be progressed this year,” he said.

In March, in an interview with The Echo, Tánaiste Micheál Martin said he would like to see an increased roll-out of modular homes to help address the housing crisis.

“I think we have to push harder and harder on the modern methods of construction, as they’re called — getting houses built faster,” he said.

“A lot of units are now done off site, in terms of either steel frame, timber frame, or what’s called modular but essentially they’re houses that can last 60 years… so I would like to see a faster roll-out of those in the coming while.”