The finishing touches are being made to the new 10-unit social housing development on Oliver Plunkett Hill in Fermoy, with residents expected to move into the new apartments in the coming weeks.
Work on the development began in early January 2016, after €2 million was allocated for the project under the Local Authority Building Initiative in 2014. The development consists of two and three-bed units, built on what was, for many years, a derelict site.
Over €68 million was allocated to the initiative nationwide in 2014, with the Fermoy development the only project in Cork to be allocated funding.
The new development will go some ways to curb the housing problem in Fermoy, where recently more than 50 expressions of interest were submitted to Cork County Council for a single three-bed house in the town.
The 10 units consist of one three-bed, family type unit, which will be accessed from Shear Street, three one-bed units accessed from Oliver Plunkett Hill, and six two-bed units accessed from an inner courtyard that leads from Shear Street.
All units link directly onto a central rear communal courtyard, which will be a passive open space area. The courtyard has an enclosed communal bin area where it is planned that all residents will pay into the use of a communal refuse service.
The courtyard has featured paving, a pergola, integrated comfortable seating an area for an allotment planting area.
The courtyard is also fully accessible through a controlled gate and has both stepped and a platform lift access to the area to fully comply with disabled access requirements.
All units are heated by an efficient condensing gas boiler installation with each dwelling, except the three-bedroom unit, and are fitted with an energy efficient heater as a secondary back-up room heater located in the main living area.
The family type house on Shear Street is fitted with an inset solid fuel stove for space heating. Each unit is also be fitted with a photovoltaic roof mounted panel, which will generate electricity for each house by feeding the power generated into the ESB metre.
All the units are heavily insulated with full air tightness in the fabric to protect against heat loss.
Construction of the developmenthas been carried out by MMD Construction Cork Ltd.
