Fate of Ferrybank Shopping Centre to be decided

The judicial review hearing relating to Ferrybank Shopping Centre will take place in the coming weeks.

The shopping centre which has sat idle since 2008 looked ready to finally progress when plans were approved by Kilkenny County Council last August for Dunnes Stores to move in.

However, Waterford City and County Council have shown strong opposition to the development. The authority have taken a legal approach, a move that has provoked anger and disappointment across the region.

A hearing date for the judicial review is to take place in Dublin on June 11. It is believed that the outcome of the hearing will be published shortly thereafter.

A spokesperson from Kilkenny County Council said this week: “There have been affidavits sent in advance to speed up the process, so hopefully we won’t have to wait too long.” 

Representation from Kilkenny County Council will be present at the hearing, the spokesperson added.

Director of Services with Kilkenny County Council, Ian Gardner, has previously said that Kilkenny are “prepared to defend to the greatest possible extent” their decision to grant the development permission.

Additionally, South-Kilkenny based councillors have long been fighting for the shopping centre to open and have strongly criticised Waterford’s objection to the development.

The item has been removed from the agenda of monthly Piltown Municipal meetings of late, pending the outcome of the legal proceedings.

“Hopefully we’ll have it back on the agenda soon full steam ahead, fingers crossed”, Cathaoirleach of the District, Cllr Ger Frisby said this week.

READ THE FULL STORY OF FERRYBANK SHOPPING CENTRE HERE

(Funded by the Court Reporting Scheme)