Taoiseach Announces Innovation Programme for Major Cork Housing Development

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has announced that Enterprise Ireland's Built to Innovate programme is being piloted through a landmark residential housing development in Ballyvolane, delivering over 700 new homes through sustainable, low waste construction methods.

The announcement took place today at Longview, a major residential development in Ballyvolane, just north of Cork city, where CField Construction is delivering more than 700 new homes through innovative, factory-style on-site processes combined with offsite timber-frame manufacturing.

The Built to Innovate programme, managed by Enterprise Ireland, supports Irish construction companies in adopting modern methods of construction to improve productivity, enhance quality, and strengthen environmental performance. The initiative forms part of the Government's Housing for All strategy, which aims to accelerate the delivery of high-quality, sustainable homes across Ireland.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin said:

"The Built to Innovate initiative is a key part of our Housing for All strategy and an example of how innovation can help us meet Ireland's urgent housing needs. This project demonstrates the potential of modern methods of construction to deliver homes faster, more efficiently, and with the highest standards of quality. It's great to see this innovation happening here in Cork, led by an Irish company with a strong track record in the sector."

CField Construction, headquartered in Cork, has been an early adopter of factory-style site processes and offsite construction techniques. The company has integrated its production schedule with the offsite manufacture of timber frame kits, produced by Cygnum, creating a fully synchronised workflow from foundation to home completion. This approach is enabling the delivery of an average of 12 homes per month.

Patrick Crowley, CEO of CField Construction, said:

"This initiative from Enterprise Ireland has helped us refine and scale a delivery model that truly transforms how we build. By combining precision offsite manufacturing with efficient on-site assembly, we are reducing waste, improving quality, and delivering homes faster, on time and within budget. The Longview project is proof that innovation in construction can have a real and immediate impact on housing supply."

The Longview development is being delivered by Longview Estates, a Cork-based developer with a strong record in energy efficient, sustainable projects. The development features a mix of private and social housing designed for sustainable urban living.

John Crean, Head of Planning at Longview Estates, said:

"This partnership shows what can be achieved when innovation, sustainability, and collaboration come together across all sectors to unlock challenges in services and infrastructure, work together and deliver new homes and communities quickly. The Built to Innovate programme is helping us deliver high-quality, energy efficient homes while supporting local employment and skills and vindicating the State's investment in infrastructure to serve existing and new communities. It's a model we hope to replicate on future projects."

Jenny Melia, CEO of Enterprise Ireland, said:

"Built to Innovate was created to help Irish construction companies embrace new technologies and methods that increase productivity and competitiveness. This development demonstrates the tangible results that can be achieved when innovation is applied at scale in the housing sector. Enterprise Ireland invites Irish companies building houses at scale in this country to contact our Built to Innovate team to explore our offer."

The use of modern methods of construction, including advanced prefabrication and modular building techniques, has significantly shortened on-site construction time while maintaining superior standards of finish and performance. The approach also reduces environmental impact through lower waste generation.

CField Construction is an award-winning, family-owned building and civil engineering company established in 2011, with headquarters in Cork and offices in Limerick, London and Edinburgh. The company operates across Ireland and the UK, delivering projects across multiple sectors including hospitality, commercial, residential, healthcare, education, life sciences and industrial.