Affordable Housing Process/Plans in Cork City

When I rang the County Coucil recently I was told I was not eligible for the Douglas/Balllincollig offers as they sent out the letters a year ago. I'm on the list about 18 months...
But I was told there would be some coming up in Hollyhill later on this year. Anybody know anything more about these ones?
 
Bubblebunny said:
When I rang the County Coucil recently I was told I was not eligible for the Douglas/Balllincollig offers as they sent out the letters a year ago. I'm on the list about 18 months...
But I was told there would be some coming up in Hollyhill later on this year. Anybody know anything more about these ones?
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Didnt hear anything about Hollyhill. I would have thought the City Council are dealing with that side of the city though.
 
I went up to Highfield Park in Ballincollig where there is a mix of social, affordable & private houses. I asked one of the lads on the site which were affordable and which were council. He showed me a row of 18 houses all semi detached which he claimed were the council. I had a look inside and there were huge. Big kitchen, utility room, downstairs loo, big living room. 3 spacious bedrooms one with an ensuite, and a nice sized bathroom. Big garden. He then showed me a row of 12 terraced houses which he claimed were the affordable. Nothing to look at on the outside compared to the council, and quite smaller on the inside. No utility room either. The difference is unbelievable. Does anybody know anything about this, cos I personally think its a disgrace if this guy was right. The council houses were far superior to the affordable. I really hope he got it wrong. The keys were being handed over to the council today he said, but the affordable ones wont be given out for at least another month.
 
hi dylanjohn, i have noticed that about the affordable houses also. I have not seen the ones in ballincollig but personally i feel the ones in shanakiel look like an estate full of boxes all looking just clumped together also the houses in togher that the city council have aquired look very small and pretty ugly to be honest the same goes for the ones they are currently building in churchfield. these houses are obvously all designed and built at the lowest cost possible and the market value being put on them is in my opinion very overstated. i think it will be interesting to see what a house in shanakiel will sell for on the open market in couple of years time, and if housing market keeps goin the way it is dont think they will be goin for much more than the price bein paid for them now ass affordable homes. i find myself wondering are they intentionally building them this small so as people sell them within the 20 year clawback timeframe so councils make profit in long run.
 
Hi bigbum, Id say your right in what your saying. At first I was hoping the guy got it wrong because I really thought if social and affordable homes were gonna be in the same estate, the affordable homes would be the better built ones. It kind of makes sense really. But at the end of the day, they will want to hold onto the better ones (social) and sell the others (affordable). I am totally disappointed. I know I may not even get offered one of these houses, but if I did I cant say that Id be happy that my neighbours who got a social would have the bigger and better house, and me having bought mine and its no where near as nice. Its very frustrating!
 
Hi Guys,
That's very disappointting to hear, surely there must be some rule against all of the houses having to be the same. How can they justify giving the bigger houses as social houses, people arent even paying for them. I bet the amount for the affordable houses will be worked out from the social ones and is so unfair if there really is that much of a difference in them. It has kinda put a dampner on things.
 
dylanjohn said:
Didnt hear anything about Hollyhill. I would have thought the City Council are dealing with that side of the city though.
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Parts of the city are in the County Council remit, such as Hollyhill, parts of Togher, Douglas etc

I wouldn't care which of the councils it is with though, as long as I'd get a house :D
 
Thats all I wanted all along aswell bubblebunny, but since I have seen the look of the affordable houses in Highfields in Ballincollig, I am gutted. As you say saucystunner, its after putting a dampner on the whole thing. I was praying that I would get one in Highfields, but now I really dont know. There is a second estate of social & affordable in Ballincollig due to be given out a little later in the year called Greenfields, and all those houses (social & affordable) are the same to look at from the outside, so I think I would prefer one of those ones. I am just soooo sick of waiting - its been over 3 years at this stage!! I just want a house....
 
dylanjohn said:
Thats all I wanted all along aswell bubblebunny, but since I have seen the look of the affordable houses in Highfields in Ballincollig, I am gutted. As you say saucystunner, its after putting a dampner on the whole thing. I was praying that I would get one in Highfields, but now I really dont know. There is a second estate of social & affordable in Ballincollig due to be given out a little later in the year called Greenfields, and all those houses (social & affordable) are the same to look at from the outside, so I think I would prefer one of those ones. I am just soooo sick of waiting - its been over 3 years at this stage!! I just want a house....
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It is really ridiculous if affordable housing is of a lower standard/dimensions than the other houses. It may be called affordable, but it's hardly cheap. Has anybody asked the politicians about this...now that they are being at their most agreeable/helpful??
 
Bubblebunny said:
It is really ridiculous if affordable housing is of a lower standard/dimensions than the other houses. It may be called affordable, but it's hardly cheap. Has anybody asked the politicians about this...now that they are being at their most agreeable/helpful??
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Hi Bubblebunny,

I wouldnt mind so much if they were a bit smaller than houses which were private, but the fact that they are smaller and uglier (a lot) than the council houses is total madness. I cant understand it. I know this is just 1 estate, but maybe this is the way the whoe "affordable scheme" is headed for - to build them as cheaply as possible. And they are gonna be far from cheap, from what I can gather, they are gonna be around the 210,000 - 220,000 mark. I have been onto my local politicians a number of times regarding this scheme since I put my name on the list over 3 years ago, and to be honest the only thing they ever done for me was to write to the council on my behalf. I really dont think there is anything much that they can do.....
 
ngwrbc said:
Anyone know if all offers for phase 2 in Shanakiel have been given out at this stage?
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I've heard from the City Council that the offers made during the last week were for the remaining houses in phase 1 .

Phase 2 are being allocated in 2 weeks :)

Fingers Crossed
 
bigbum said:
hi dylanjohn, i have noticed that about the affordable houses also. I have not seen the ones in ballincollig but personally i feel the ones in shanakiel look like an estate full of boxes all looking just clumped together also the houses in togher that the city council have aquired look very small and pretty ugly to be honest the same goes for the ones they are currently building in churchfield. these houses are obvously all designed and built at the lowest cost possible and the market value being put on them is in my opinion very overstated. i think it will be interesting to see what a house in shanakiel will sell for on the open market in couple of years time, and if housing market keeps goin the way it is dont think they will be goin for much more than the price bein paid for them now ass affordable homes. i find myself wondering are they intentionally building them this small so as people sell them within the 20 year clawback timeframe so councils make profit in long run.
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my friend is head engineer for these houses and he claims finish is very good in all affordable houses and market values are correct and houses of same size have sold for more than quoted retail value.he has no reason to be dis honest in his view so think good value if u get one.hope this helps if u have any worries over accepting if u get offered one.:)
 
gixer2503 said:
my friend is head engineer for these houses and he claims finish is very good in all affordable houses and market values are correct and houses of same size have sold for more than quoted retail value.he has no reason to be dis honest in his view so think good value if u get one.hope this helps if u have any worries over accepting if u get offered one.:)
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Hi Gixer,

Just wondering are you referring to Shanakeil or Ballincollig? I was just pointing out that the affordable houses in Highfiels in Ballincollig are not as nice as the social houses in the same estate, although the inside is very nice, just a lot smaller ( and a lot less attractive on the outside) than the social.
 
Was onto County Council again re houses in Ballincollig asking when they are gonna be given out, and yet again its put back and it seems that its not gonna be June like I was told last week. Apparently it may be after the summer. Its a total joke now at this stage, its been going on for soooo long. I am on the list for over 3 years and i am so sick and tired of dealing with them!! They are having a meeting today re all affordable housing schemes so I was told ring back tomorrow and there might be some more info available to me then. I will keep those of you who are interested posted :)
 
dylanjohn said:
Was onto County Council again re houses in Ballincollig asking when they are gonna be given out, and yet again its put back and it seems that its not gonna be June like I was told last week. Apparently it may be after the summer. Its a total joke now at this stage, its been going on for soooo long. I am on the list for over 3 years and i am so sick and tired of dealing with them!! They are having a meeting today re all affordable housing schemes so I was told ring back tomorrow and there might be some more info available to me then. I will keep those of you who are interested posted :)
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Hi Dylan, looking forward to your update! :D
 
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