A computer-generated impression of ‘City Quay’, which would be the largest private development ever in Waterford if granted permission. The ambitious proposal involves a mix of retail, commercial, residential and cultural spaces and could create over 3,000 jobs.
The 23-acre Árd Rí site in Waterford City – sloping all the way from the rear of the hotel down to the busy dual-carriageway it overlooks – is to be transformed by a €400 million retail, commercial, cultural and residential development. That’s subject to planning permission, applications for which were submitted on Tuesday to Waterford City and Kilkenny County Councils.
The “City Quay” plan was launched in Christ Church on Monday by TRM Developments from Cork, who acquired the site two years ago. To be constructed over an 8 to 10 year period, the project is to include a 17-storey, 208-bedroom luxury hotel, fronting onto the roadway along with a retail section, plaza and offices. The developers hope to be able to commence work on site early next year with a view to having that element completed in time for the return of the Tall Ships in 2011.
Also forming part of the ambitious scheme is a wide range of housing and apartment accommodation, with 618 residential units altogether providing living space for about 2,000 people. The most upmarket of those will be highest on the hill and included in the overall mix will be 38 “sheltered” units mainly for the elderly, with a community area adjacent to facilitate support care for the occupants.
There will be a number of live/work units – commercial offices with living quarters overhead – as well as a medical centre and a 250-seater stand-alone auditorium. That is in addition to a conference centre within the hotel.
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Let’s hope this one gets the go ahead. That side of the city desperately needs a facelift. Potentially the nicest site in the South East.
Sorry to be the pessimist here but this development will follow the same route as other recent earmarked projects. Objections will be lodged left, right and centre. The development will be left languishing in a long line of appeals to An Bord Pleanala. And meantime the objectors will sit back and feel that the disgraceful condition of the Ard Ri Hotel and surrounding site somehow manages to show Waterford in a better light than positive, forward thinking projects such as this one. The city is dying on its feet and needs developments such as this to revamp dilapidated eyesores but really how much longer can we expect people to invest in Waterford when they are just hit by objection after objection. It’s a nonsense.
I wonder if Brendan Mc Can’t camped out overnight at the City Council office to be sure he got the first objection in?