Dripsey housing proposal is warmly welcomed

THERE was a warm reception for a proposal to build six new houses at Dripsey by councillors at the Blarney Macroom municipal district meeting.

Executive Architect at Cork County Council Eoin McElroy gave a presentation to councillors on the proposed six social units, which will consist of three two-bedroom homes and three three-bedroom units. He said it is hoped that work will start at the end of this year or in the new year, once the part-eight application and tendering process had been dealt with.

He said it would be a terrace-styled design and that “budgets will be quiet tight,” one reason for why a terrace style design was chosen. It will also be in keeping with the region.

“The units will be south west-facing, which will be good,” he said. He did not outline what the projected cost of the project would be.

Cllr Michael Creed (FG) welcomed the proposal and said people in the region needed houses. Mr McElroy said it was a public-funded project and that the “job will be run internally”, but also that the council would procure a main contractor for the works. Cllr Kevin Conway (Ind) said this type of scheme was “badly overdue”. Cllr Gobnait Moynihan (FF) said she would have preferred a bungalow type design in regard to the two-bedroom units.

However, Mr McElroy said that one-bedroom apartments are more suitable to “a town scenario living.”

Cllr Moynihan felt it was better to “plan for the future” as residents get older. Mr McElroy said with regards to the proposal that they are hoping “for a green light and a firm budget” from the Department of Housing. Cllr Bob Ryan (FF) welcomed the proposal and he said that the design was in keeping with “the existing set up in the area”.

“I am welcoming it but I want to move this process on as fast as possible,” he said.