Plans to build new tourist accommodation facility in Waterford revealed
The development will consist of three two-bedroom cabins, three motorhome overnight parking spaces, and a service building consisting of sanitary facilities, a kitchen and a multipurpose community space.
There will be four parking spaces and the proposal involves the demolition of two existing structures on site, along with hard and soft landscaping, including a new site entrance and access road.
Provision is made for a plant room space associated with mechanical and electrical installation, photovoltaic panels to service a building roof, a covered refuse store, and connection to existing site services. There will be sustainable urban drainage and all ancillary site works.
Plans of the proposed development will be available for inspection or purchase, at a fee not exceeding the cost of making a copy, at customer care offices, Civic Offices, Davitt's Quay, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford, and at the customer care desk, Baileys New Street, Waterford city between the hours of 9.30am to 4pm, Monday to Friday, up until Tuesday, August 5.
Submissions or observations with respect to the proposed development, can be made in writing to the Director of Economic Development, Waterford City and County Council, The Mall, Waterford. These made be made by email to projectsteam@waterfordcouncil.ie or online, at consult.waterfordcouncil.ie, under 'make a submission'.
All correspondence to be received on or before 4pm on August 19, and should be clearly marked 'Villierstown Tourist Accommodation Facility'.
In March 2023, Waterford City and County Council (WCCC) were contacted by members of the Villierstown Education and Cultural Project CG (VECP) team who operate a very successful boat house and club at Villierstown Quay with over 400 members, according to a council report.
In addition to the boat house activities, they also provide a base for the Blackwater Eco Tours, with five employees, as well as other community partner such as Active Connections and Carriglea Cairde Services. They outlined that they have 'outgrown' their current site and that it is also not possible to expand due to its proximity to the Blackwater Special Area of Conservation.
The VCEP identified a 0.6 acre (0.25 Ha) site adjacent to theirs and queried if WCCC could consider its acquisition as part of the Department of Rural and Community Development's building acquisition measures (BAM) process for 2023.
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Their suggested plans for the site would include a combination of the following: toilet and changing facilities, expansion of the tourism offering to include glamping pods, multi-purpose community spaces and facilities, and parking facilities for campervans and motorhomes.
An assessment of the suitability of acquiring the site using the BAM process was carried out by the council, and it was deemed suitable. A proposal was then forwarded to WCCC management team for consideration, and it was subsequently agreed to make the funding application with VCEP as 'project partners' to formally acquire the site adjacent to the quay.
The application was submitted in May 2023 and was successful, and in October 2023, the site was formally transferred to WCCC. Following the site acquisition, WCCC's rural economic development team worked in conjunction with the VECP, who have put together a proposed plan for the site which is the subject of the Part 8 procedure.
A pre-public consultation meeting took place on June 12 in the boathouse in Villierstown. It was advertised in the local newspaper, WCCC, social media, Blackwater Eco Tours social media and with posters around town. The meeting 'was well attended and support for the project was very positive,' according to the council report. 'Suggestions were made with regard to providing electricity to the motorhome and campervan overnight parking places.'
'Construction of the proposed project will have no negative impact on any existing facilities and only a very minor impact on the surrounding area,' added Paul J Flynn and Lindsay Kampe, senior executive engineer, and executive architect, rural economic development, WCCC.
The motorhome and campervan overnight parking spaces require a separation distance of 6m between each space for fire protection purposes. 'Each of the three spaces will have access to electricity if required. Potable water will be available outside the service building.'
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