North Quays ‘on hold’ due to further information request

Waterford County Council’s planning department has requested further information from Hopcast Limited, the company behind the North Quays development.

The planning application for the development is currently labelled as ‘on hold’ and a decision date has been suspended.

To ensure the Sustainable Transport Bridge, Transport Hub and Greenway remain accessible and operational early in the construction programme, the applicant has been requested to provide a revised construction phasing plan with specific proposed timelines.

Referring to the bridge, the request states: “Continuous access to the Sustainable Transport Bridge during all phases of construction will be required, please provide details of continuous access to the deck of the sustainable transport bridge during demolition, piling and all other phases of site work.” 

Further Information is also requested on the proposed hotel development at the site which includes a vertical tower in its design.

Waterford Council have outlined that the design of this building is considered too light and given its nodal location within the North Quays adjoining the central plaza, the design requires further consideration. The applicant has therefore been invited to address this concern by submitting revised plans for a more dominant/commanding design.

The use of the proposed aparthotel will also need to be clarified, with Waterford Council saying that units within the building have limited space.

The request says: “Given the limited floor areas and proposed predominant two person occupancy nature of the units the applicant is requested to clarify the intended use of the proposed Aparthotel, as currently laid out it does not appear to accord with the layout of an Aparthotel.”

Regarding proposed apartment buildings at the site, Waterford Council outline that the proportion/size of the single-bed bedrooms do not appear to be well planned or proportioned and will need to be clarified.

Additionally, the submitted landscape drawings indicate Block B as offices, whilst the development description and plans submitted propose an Aparthotel. The applicant has been requested to explain this.

Information is also sought on the pollution control plan, demolition material and waste management, and on proposals to manage site interfaces between construction traffic/operations and public access routes during construction phases.

The applicant will have six months to submit the requested information or the application will be deemed 'withdrawn'.