The city of Waterford has received a massive boost this afternoon, with the news that €110 million euro will be made available for the regeneration of the North Quays project, opening up the possibility for what's hoped to be a central hub on the north bank of the River Suir.
The funding consists of €80 million from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage including some €10 million for projects within the boundary of South Kilkenny via the URDF and €30 million from the National Transport Authority. This will enable the construction of a new sustainable bridge over the River Suir, new road interchanges on to the North Quays site including Dock Road and Abbey Road access works, the relocation of the train station into the centre of the site creating a modern transportation hub and stabilisation works to the rock face in the vicinity of the existing Plunkett Station.
Funding paves the way for €400 million development consisting of significant retail & offices, 200 bed hotel & conference facility and 300 apartments.
Senator John Cummins, has said he hopes today will be ‘the day that Waterford turns its back on negativity’.
He said “there are many people that have knocked this development from the outset and said that it will never happen because the government would never invest such a large sum of money in Waterford.
I’m proud to have been part of a core team of people that never bought into this negativity; focused on the task at hand and quietly and methodically navigated the design, planning and funding approval processes.
"Today is the culmination of years of very hard work and I sincerely hope it is the day that Waterford turns its back on negativity and looks forward, with optimism to the brighter future we have ahead of us, particularly in these dark and challenging times.
"I totally understand that the public have been frustrated with the perceived lack of progress in relation to the North Quays because they haven’t been able to see the significant progress that has been taking place behind the scenes.
"I have also been frustrated by the inability to communicate what I have been doing to progress this project, particularly over the last twelve months due to the delicate and confidential discussions that have been taking place."
