AARON KENT
It was explained as part of an update on the North Quays development during the June Plenary meeting of Waterford City and County Council that the Ard Rí hotel, which looms over Waterford City from a Ferrybank hillside, has taken a step towards being brought back into use.
The vacant, former Ard Rí Hotel was once part of the Jury’s Hotel group before being sold. It has been vacant since 2005.
There have been many proposals and legal battles surrounding the building but nothing significant has been achieved.
The only activity the Ard Rí has seen in over 20 idle years are fires, graffiti and anti-social behaviour as the courts and the council have tried to work through the issues surrounding the major Suir-side property.
Speaking in February Cllr Jason Murphy said the site brought shame on the Council as he labelled the site and “absolute disgrace.”
Councillor Declan Barry raised the issue of the Ard Rí during the Plenary meeting for June, saying it cast a huge shadow on the North Quays project.
“There’s a huge big shadow over the whole thing and that’s the Ard Rí hotel looking down on top of everything.
“We are revitalising the whole area, that has to be something that is our main priority.”
In reply to this, Council CEO Sean McKeown, issued a surprise update regarding the site.
“Ourselves and Kilkenny, as our elected members will know the boundary of our municipal council area runs right through the middle of the hotel. I believe the front door is actually in Kilkenny,” he said.
“So, a section 5 request was submitted to both local authorities by the current owner in respect of reinstating the 110 bedrooms that were in the previous hotel development before it closed,” he explained.
“A Section 5 seeks to identify if a project or change to project requires further planning permission or is an exempted development.
“Both local authorities have given a positive response to that section 5,” McKeown continued.
“I had a meeting with the developer in the last couple of weeks, and I’m confident now that we will see some development there. At least the plans that were outlined to use in the Section 5 were very encouraging,” he added.
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