600 homes planned for Creamfields

Cork is set to get more than 600 new homes after Dairygold completed the sale of its Creamfields site on the Kinsale Road for €25.6 million.

The project will bring new life to the former CMP Dairies site and provide a mix of cost rental, affordable, and social housing, in partnership with approved housing body Respond and supported by Cork City Council.

Dairygold received full planning permission three years ago for 606 residential units and commercial space on the site. The buyer, Cairn Homes PLC, plans to begin construction later this year.

The sale is part of Dairygold’s strategy to sell non-core property and reinvest in its core farming and food business.

Dairygold Chief Executive, Michael Harte, said the co-op has been working to unlock value from land it no longer needs.

“Dairygold’s strategy for its non-core property assets is to maximise their value and to divest of them at the appropriate time. Over the last number of years we have been successful in this strategy, including securing planning for about 1,200 much-needed homes,” he said.

Dairygold Chairperson, Pat Clancy, highlighted the history of the site. “The Creamfields site was the home of CMP Dairies which was the dairy brand of choice for the people of Cork before it closed in the early 2000s. The Creamfields name reflects that heritage and recognises the contribution it made to commercial and social life in the city, and the livelihood it provided to hundreds of dairy farming families,” he said.

Pat Clancy added that Dairygold was keen to ensure the project would be appropriately delivered with the involvement of Cairn Homes plc, Respond AHB, and Cork City Council.

The development will transform the former CMP site into a major new housing project, with over 600 homes planned for Cork families.

This article was produced with the support of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme funded by Coimisiún na Meán.