Major update on Waterford’s 'eyesore' derelict hotel
The former Ard Rí hotel has been derelict since 2005.
At a recent meeting, CEO of Waterford City and County Council Seán McKeown told councillors that the owner of the Ard Rí Hotel has submitted a 'Section Five' request, meaning he would not need to get planning permission to carry out new works on the hotel.
Located on Mount Misery, the site sits exactly on the Waterford/Kilkenny border.
Mr McKeown said: “The boundary of our administrative council area runs right through the middle of the hotel. The front door I believe is actually in County Kilkenny.
The Section Five request was submitted to both local authorities in respect of reinstating the 110 bedrooms.
Mr McKeown confirmed that, “Both local authorities have given a positive response to this Section Five.”
He continued: “I’m meeting with the developer in the next couple of weeks, I’m confident that we will see some development.”
This is after Cllr Declan Barry said at the meeting, “It struck me the other night when I watched that nice programme on Nationwide about Waterford. We’re the sunny South East, we have this fantastic new transport hub coming up and all that but we have a huge, big shadow over the whole thing. And that’s the Ard Rí hotel looking down on top of it.
"I know it's not your remit, Seán, but we’re revitalising the whole area over there, that has to be something that’s a main priority for council.”
The site where the derelict hotel sits was bought by Kilkenny businessman Séamus Walsh in 2017, who promised to invest €100 million into the site and turn it into a luxury hotel.
Mr Walsh is the owner of one of Waterford’s most iconic hotels, Waterford Castle.
The Ard Rí Hotel closed in 2005 following a fire, and the site has been derelict ever since.
Seamus Walsh was contacted for comment but did not reply at the time of publication.
