300 affordable homes sold in 2025 in Cork city

City Council has handed over the keys to its 300th affordable home, just in time for Christmas.

The house, which was developed under the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme (LAAPS), is in Glenmore Heights in Lehenaghmore, Togher. It is part of a new development of three-bed semi-detached, three-bed mid-terrace, two-bed end-of-terrace and mid-terrace homes.

The estate was built in partnership between Cork City Council and OBR Group.

Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr Fergal Dennehy said that “each set of keys allows a family to put down roots, to gain security, stability, and the opportunity to thrive in a place they can truly call home”.

“The milestone reflects the hard work, collaboration, and vision that have driven our housing delivery mission forward.

“But there is still work to do and we remain focused on housing delivery, to ensure that affordable housing is not just a goal, but a reality for generations to come,” he said.

Brian Geaney, the Assistant Chief Executive of Cork City Council, also welcomed the housing milestone.

“This a proud moment for Cork City Council and it reflects our commitment to delivering affordable housing solutions that make a real difference in people’s lives,” he said.

“We were early movers in the affordable housing space, deliviering the first affordable housing estate in the country at Boherboy Road in Mayfield.

“Exceeding our Housing for All 2026 target, which we always regarded as a minimum number, shows the strength of our housing programme and the dedication of our teams. We will continue to work diligently to expand affordable housing opportunities, ensuring that more families and individuals can benefit from the scheme.”

Under the Government’s Housing for All plan, Cork City Council had a target of delivering 378 affordable homes by 2026. It has delivered 402 this year, with sales completed on 300.

A further ten houses will have sales completed by the end of 2025.

Elsewhere, the city council is launched Phase 2 of its Glenbride affordable housing scheme on 19 December, and will be taking applications until 27 January. This phase will consist of 23 affordable homes, as part of a larger 300 home development announced in May 2025.

More LAAPS homes are planned in 2026 and 2027, including a 155 unit social housing scheme in Lehenaghmore.

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