County tweaks development plan to boost housing
A variation to the Cork County Development Plan 2022-2028 facilitating the delivery of up to 50,000 homes over the next ten years has been given the green light.
Adopted by elected members at a meeting of Cork County Council last Friday, Variation No. 1 provides additional residential land-use zoning and increased headroom in the county's principal towns and villages.
It was prepared in response to ministerial guidelines issued under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act and aligns with the Government's implementation of the National Planning Framework: Housing Growth Requirements, published in July 2025, with updated annual housing growth requirements for each planning authority.
The adopted variation will facilitate the delivery of a baseline of 38,370 new homes across Cork county over the next decade, with the potential to deliver up to 50,000 homes, the aim being to ensure the county is well-positioned to accommodate projected population growth while supporting the development of vibrant and sustainable communities.
Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Bernard Moynihan welcomed the adoption of the variation, noting its potential to provide greater capacity for housing development while helping communities to grow and thrive.
He said: “I want to acknowledge the contribution of elected members, staff, stakeholders, and members of the public who engaged with the process. The continued engagement of national agencies and utility providers is now essential to support the work that Cork County Council has undertaken in this regard.”
Extensive public and stakeholder engagement was carried out as part of the process of adopting the variation, following which a Chief Executive's report was prepared for consideration by elected members of Cork County Council.
Chief Executive of Cork County Council, Moira Murrell said the variation provides a strong framework for future housing delivery.
She said: “This variation represents an important strategic response to national housing policy and projected population growth in Cork county, reflecting a request from central government.
“By increasing residential zoning capacity and planning ahead for future demand, the council is creating the conditions necessary to support the delivery of new homes in the right locations and in a sustainable manner.”