'Disappointed' - Ferrybank reacts to 'invalid' appeal by Waterford Council
Ferrybank Shopping Centre. Photo: Joe Evans.
Councillors in the Ferrybank area shared their surprise and disappointment over the recent appeal lodged, unsuccessfully, by Waterford City and County Council (WCCC) over the shopping centre.
Piltown Municipal District Council met for their monthly meeting today, Wednesday, October 1 at Ferrybank Library, located right next to the complex.
Area Engineer for Kilkenny County Council John Tennyson informed the attendees that an appeal was lodged by the neighbouring Council, but the appeal was declared 'invalid' because the application was missing a relevant document.
Mr Tennyson gave a brief summary of the situation; he outlined that after planning permission to develop the centre was given by Kilkenny County Council, there was a four-week period to raise an appeal: "In the case of this particular file reference, the last day for submission of an appeal was on the 22nd of September 2025."
My Tennyson continued: "On checking the website for An Coimisiún Pleanála, it confirmed that an appeal was lodged by Waterford City and County Council against the decision on the 22nd of September, 2025. The appeal was declared invalid by the board."
Councillor Pat Dunphy (Fine Gael) asked for clarity: "The actual submission was in the time frame, they just forgot to attach a document to it?"
Mr Tennyson confirmed that a 'full application' hadn't been lodged in time. He continued: "During the planning process, WCCC did include a submission on this planning application, and they raised a particular concern about the lack of a retail impact assessment.
"It was noted that, in essence, the application does entail the configuration of a permitted retail floor space with an approved, albeit unused, shopping center, i.e. there is an extent permission within this building or within the building for the floor area applied for under the application. There is no increase in the floor space arising from the proposed developments. This has not been exceeded.
He added: "The proposal does not include for the increase, but rather in a reduction in the retail in the car-showroom, as the car showroom is being deleted and the permitted fore place for first the permitted first floor anchor space is being converted to the leisure to leisure center, or leisure a leisure area.
Mr Tennyson referenced the joint retail strategy for Waterford and Kilkenny, and stated that the Ferrybank Shopping Centre was an official 'district centre' in major development plans.
He said: "The building is given recognition in the Kilkenny City and County development plan as a 'district center'. The building is also given recognition in the RSES, the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy as a district center.
"The emerging joint retail strategy, prepared jointly by Waterford. Waterford city and county council and Kilkenny County Council recognises that the Ferrybank Shopping Center as a district center for the Ferrybank area."
Councillors spoke about their collective surprise over the recent proceedings. Cathaoirleach Ger Frisby (Fianna Fáil) said: "I think it's badly needed for the 7,000 people that live here. It doesn't suit anyone to have appeals going in against this. There's about 2,000 residents living in Ferrybank that vote in Waterford and the remainder vote in Kilkenny.
"I think everyone in Waterford and everyone in Ferrybank just wants to see the centre open. It will create employment. It will create life. It'll bring the life back into place and give us a center to focus on here in Ferrybank."
Councillor Tomás Breathnach (Labour) said that the centre will be more than just a shopping centre, and that there should be a more unified approach to the development. He said: "What I think it does is it emphasizes again is the need for a Metropolitan area strategic plan to be in place, and for that committee to be on top of things, because this kind of thing we need to be monitoring. This kind of thing shouldn't be happening."
Councillor Jenny Catt Slattery (Fianna Fáil) commented: "It's badly needed in Ferrybank. Hopefully it will go ahead and not take as long as it has."
Councillor Fidelis Dunphy (Fine Gael) said: "It's such a beautiful building, like we have our meetings there. The decision was made not to honor the appeal. So we wish the project well and onwards and upwards."
Cllr Dunphy expressed his disappointment: "We meet with the Waterford City West area regularly enough and we get on quite well with them, I'd say some of those members are amazed it happened as well."
