Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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187. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he is aware that significant issues in the construction of phase 2C of the north west quarter regeneration in Cork have resulted in a withdrawal of construction activities for a number of months; if mediation is currently taking place with the contractor; if this mediation is funded centrally or directly by Cork City Council; the cost to date of mediation; and if alternative avenues of resolution have been discussed by his Department with Cork City Council, given these significant delays. [40864/23]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The construction site on Kilmore Road, Knocknaheeny, forms part of the City Northwest Quarter Regeneration Programme, and part of Cork City Council’s wider social housing delivery programme, which is funded by my Department.

I have been advised by Cork City Council that the project is the subject of a complex contractual dispute. Cork City Council have advised that they are addressing all issues with the works on-site main building contractor. They have advised that works have recently ceased on site pending ongoing discussions and follow up.

My Department has been in continuous contact with Cork City Council they have assured my Department that they are treating this with the utmost priority and are seeking to progress a prompt solution to this matter with a view to the earliest possible delivery of more quality homes at this location.

Cork City Council have advised my Department that all matters related to this contract dispute with the contractor are both legally and commercially privileged, and it would not be appropriate of Cork City Council to comment on them publicly.

Cork City Council is aware of all possible dispute resolution routes open to it, in pursuit of a resolution in this case and are actively pursuing all avenues of resolution to ensure delivery.

Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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188. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government for an update on the timeline for the north-west quarter regeneration in Cork city; the current spend to date; the original projected spend; and the current projected spend on completion of the project. [40865/23]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The detailed advancement of housing and other works under the Cork City North West Quarter Regeneration (CNWQR) programme is a matter, in the first instance, for Cork City Council.

I have been advised by them that the project is progressing under several strands and significant progress has been made in the advancement of this regeneration programme.

The Cork North-West Quarter Regeneration Programme (CNWQR) is a major project of regeneration under the lead and control of Cork City Council in the northwest area of Cork City. It involves the demolition of 450 houses and their replacement by 656 new housing units as well as a range of social, environmental and economic interventions.

The initial starting point to this regeneration project was when the CNWQR Masterplan & Implementation Report was published in 2011. The strategy outlined a departure from previous policy, with a proposal to carry out wholesale demolition of the housing stock in Knocknaheeny that has not been the subject of previous refurbishment works.

However, my Department in tandem with Cork City Council, recognised that for the project to be successful then there was a need to put in place a comprehensive, strategic plan. To that end, together with the physical development of housing solutions, my Department is funding projects as part of the Social Economic and Environment Plan (SEEP) project.

This is complementary to the ten year regeneration Masterplan for the City North West Quarter. The SEEP was informed by a review of existing research, local area plans, information from statutory and NGO agencies, demographic and socio-economic data, baselines of existing conditions in the area, and consultation with local people through RAPID community consultation structures. On the basis of these multiple information sources a number of core themes were identified as priorities for the SEEP:

Theme 1: Family Support and Early Childhood Development,

Theme 2: Community Safety

Theme 3: Education, Training and Lifelong Learning

Theme 4: Health

Theme 5: Youth and Sports

Theme 6: Environment

Theme 7: Balancing Communities

Theme 8: Social Cohesion and Capacity Building

Theme 9: Economic Development

Theme 10: Transport and Connectivity

Cork City Council advise that work is progressing under all of these strands and some examples of these schemes are below:

• Re enforcement of Community facilities: uses such as Health and Wellbeing Education Centre, Multi Purpose Arena (Boxing Club) and Flexible Community Spaces as part of mixed use blocks, Primary Health Care and GP Training Facility.

• Education and learning facilities – Creation of education facilities in partnership with third level institutes.

• The creation of a high quality network of residential streets appropriately balancing the needs of all users.

• Improving street layout to promote permeability.

• Creating a high quality network open space; linking passive areas of open space on the southern part of the regeneration area to active recreational areas to the north.

• Ensuring that all new dwellings have access to private amenity spaces.

• The establishment of a design guide and public realm strategy to establish quality benchmarks and to ensure a coherent visual effect by balancing hard and soft landscaping in line with good urban design principles will be a priority.

Social Housing development update of timelines and costs

To date my Department has approved sanctioned costs for the eight Social Housing projects that comprise the CNWQR to date is approx. €92m, as broken down in the table below.

Phases 3B (62 units) and 4A (43 units) received Part 8 Planning approval in 2022 and are at the detailed design phase and are expected to complete in Q2 and Q3 of 2025. In that regard, Phase 3 demolition works are substantially complete at Knocknaheeny Avenue and Harbour View Road, and Cork City Council advise that they are engaged in an ongoing decant of homeowners and tenants in Phases 3 and 4.

My Department awaits funding submissions and programme dates for the remaining phases. Cork City Council advise that the CNWQR programme runs until 2027, and it is envisaged that projects will be ongoing until this date.

My Department would welcome and review all submissions from Cork City Council to aid in the regeneration programme.

To date a total of approx. €28m has been recouped by Cork City to date for construction. In addition approx. €3.4m has been recouped by Cork City Council for the following programmes including SEEP, enabling works, water diversions, staffing administration and project management costs.