CE Management Report April 2021

Acquisition:

The acquisition of 20 homes was completed in 2020, including in particular homes for Housing First, and for the Downsizing Scheme. The City Council expects an ongoing limited acquisition programme in 2021 as momentum increases in the Council’s Build Programme. Priority will be given to the acquisition of properties for Ho using First purposes, for larger families / overcrowding situations (4 and 5 bedroom homes) and where off-market opportunities provide value for money, further acquisitions will be considered.

Adaptation Works:

The City Council has recently completed 32 disabled persons extensions to City Council social housing units at various locations throughout the City. Funding has been obtained for a further 15 disabled persons extensions to complete in 2021, and tendering is commencing in May 2021 for this next phase of delivery.

LIHAF -Old Whitechurch Road

LIHAF funding has been secured for the delivery of infrastructure to facilitate the delivery of around 600 new homes on this site. Consultants for the design of the infrastructure for the site were appointed in November 2017. The Part 8 permission for the progression of the infrastructural works was approved by An Chomhairle in January 2019. An advance works contract commenced on site in December 2019 and works completed in March 2020. The main works commenced on site in March 2020 were completed in February 2021, with the ESB works being completed in March 2021. This significant infrastructural works project has now unlocked this strategic housing site, for the delivery of social and affordable housing. A contract notice was recently placed on the E Tenders website and the OJEU, to seek submissions from candidates for the delivery of social and affordable homes on this site in partnership with Cork City Council and now that closing date for submissions has passed, assessment of the submissions is progressing.

Covid-19 Effects:

Members will be aware that as and from January 2021, non-essential construction sites were shut-down due to increased restrictions in response to Covid-19 with non-essential sites closed until early April 2021. This has resulted in obvious delays to the progression of the capital programme due to shutdown of housing projects which do not qualify for exemption, with resultant delays to completion dates and delivery. In spite of shutdowns onsite, much design and planning work continued and sites continued to progress through planning and tendering stages during this period to ensure no momentum was lost on sites at planning stages.

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