1,090-home Dunkettle scheme breaks ground after 23-year journey from land acquisition to construction
First 550 homes now under construction in Cork with plans for a further 540 homes as Taoiseach says Ireland needs 50,000 new homes annually to meet demand
09 June 2026 | editor@breakingground.news
Construction has officially commenced on one of Cork’s largest planned housing developments, with work now underway on the first 550 homes at the O’Flynn Group’s Dunkettle scheme following more than two decades of planning and infrastructure challenges.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin joined O’Flynn Group Chairman and Chief Executive Michael O’Flynn and Cork City Council representatives this week to mark the official sod-turning of the development, which has the potential to deliver a total of 1,090 homes across two phases.
The project highlights both the scale of housing delivery now emerging in Ireland’s urban centres and the lengthy timelines often associated with major residential developments. The 158-acre site was acquired by the O’Flynn Group in 2003, but successive plans for housing were delayed over concerns relating to transport infrastructure and connectivity. Construction has only commenced following the completion of the Dunkettle Interchange and the granting of planning permission for the first phase.
Phase one has planning approval for 550 homes together with a crèche and neighbourhood centre. A second planning application for a further 540 homes is expected to be submitted later this summer, bringing the total planned residential output to 1,090 units.
Market demand for the scheme has already been demonstrated, with the first release of 40 homes selling out shortly after being launched. The initial homes comprise a mix of two, three and four-bedroom terraced and semi-detached houses, with first occupancies expected in early 2027.
Addressing attendees at the launch, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said Ireland’s population had increased by 52% since 1990 and reiterated the Government’s target of delivering 50,000 homes annually.
“We need schemes of scale. Housing is a number one issue,” he said. “We need to build 50,000 homes per annum. We need housing at scale. We need projects at scale. That’s why this scheme is very important.”
The Taoiseach also pointed to infrastructure constraints as a recurring challenge in housing delivery, noting that projects such as Dunkettle demonstrate how transport and utility bottlenecks can significantly extend development timelines.
Michael O’Flynn described the project as a strategically important housing site for Cork and welcomed recent efforts to accelerate delivery of major developments.
The scheme forms part of a wider masterplan for the Dunkettle lands and includes extensive open space provision, community amenities and the retention of significant woodland areas. Separate plans are also being prepared for the restoration of Dunkettle House and its grounds, including proposals for retail, artisan food, restaurant and parkland uses.
The development is expected to become one of the largest residential schemes currently under construction in the State and represents a significant addition to Cork’s housing pipeline at a time when the city is targeting substantial population and employment growth under national planning policy.
