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Economic Development

By Waterford City & County Council

Public Information Event – Tramore Town Centre Public Realm Works

Waterford City & County Council would like to invite all interested members of the public and business owners to attend a Public Information Event on the public realm works planned for Tramore town centre.

The event will take place on Thursday 5th December from 3pm to 7pm and will be held on the ground floor of Tramore Library.

Staff from Waterford Council’s Design Team, along with the contractor’s staff (Niall Barry & Co. Ltd) will be present to answer any queries on the day.

By Waterford City & County Council

New website for Ireland South East

More than sunshine on offer for business and professionals in Ireland South East

A new website, www.irelandsoutheast.com, has been launched for investors and professionals to learn more about the South East region as a place to live, work and invest. The site offers practical information and case studies of successful businesses and professionals in the region such as Innovate, Eirgen Pharma, Cartoon Saloon and Alltech.

The website takes an innovative, story based approach in showing the benefits of the region through the people and businesses who are finding success here.

Seamus Kilgannon, founder of Schivo and owner of the WorkLAB office space in Waterford stated “Ireland South East is the sixth fastest growing region in the EU and the most affordable city region in Ireland. Globally renowned brands based here are offering really exciting and challenging careers, and all of this takes places in a beautifully scenic region with great communities. People can be employed by global companies and be cycling a Greenway ten minutes after they finish work.”

Alan Quirke, Director of the Ireland South East Development Office which created the website explains, “I think there is strong familiarity about the South East as an affordable and great place to live. What is less well known are the opportunities and benefits for businesses and professionals in a region with almost 600,000 people and where the key urban centres are all within close proximity of each other.”

“For businesses, we are one of the fastest growing regions in Europe, we are Ireland’s best value region and we also have a broad pool of talent. Equally importantly, we have a unique collaborative culture and we can make it easy for investors to start, grow and scale here. When you look deeper and hear of some of the dynamic stories, you get to see how Ireland South East offers such a great mosaic of global success stories, community and lifestyle that you can’t access as easily anywhere else.”

The new website is accompanied by an fast-paced video filmed around the South East in summer 2019 which serves as a whistle-stop tour of everything good the region has to offer, all accompanied by a high octane soundtrack from South East-based artist Rarely Seen Above Ground (RSAG).

The Ireland South East Development Office is a regional collaboration initiative of the five local authorities of the South East (Carlow, Kilkenny, Tipperary, Waterford and Wexford) and is the first office of its kind in Ireland.

Full details can be found at www.irelandsoutheast.com

By Waterford City & County Council

Public Information Event – Tramore Town Centre Public Realm Works

Waterford City & County Council would like to invite all interested members of the public and business owners to attend a Public Information Event on the public realm works planned for Tramore town centre.

The event will take place on Thursday 5th December from 3pm to 7pm and will be held on the ground floor of Tramore Library.

Staff from Waterford Council’s Design Team, along with the contractor’s staff (Niall Barry & Co. Ltd) will be present to answer any queries on the day.

By Waterford City & County Council

Mount Congreve successful in award of €3,726,000 RRDF funding

Mount Congreve successful in award of €3,726,000 RRDF funding

Mr Michael Ring TD, the Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development today (Wednesday 6th November) announced funding under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund 2019.

Waterford City and County Council and Fáilte Ireland, as joint funding partners, were successful in the application for funding of €3,726,000 for the development of Mount Congreve house and gardens.

The funding of €3,726,000 will ensure Mount Congreve is a world class tourism destination with an enhanced visitor experience. The funding will allow for the redevelopment and restoration of the Mount Congreve Estate and will provide enhanced visitor amenities including repair of the historic greenhouse, improved access to grounds and pathways and provision of family friendly facilities.

The Mayor of the City and County of Waterford, Cllr. John Pratt said “This funding is particularly welcome and I am delighted to be in a position to develop Mount Congreve as a world class tourism destination for now and for future generations.”

The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, part of Project Ireland 2040, commits a fund of €1 billion which will provide for investment in towns and villages, enhancing sustainable social and economic development, and can demonstrate coordination and integration between the community and public sector.

Notes to Editor – Mount Congreve application detail

Ambition

To develop a tourism destination which attracts 150,000 visitors annually.

  • Enhance the visitor experience to these gardens and planted woodlands which are of international importance.
  • Invest in the under developed assets on the Estate to generate additional employment and revenue opportunities as well as increased visitor numbers.
  • Ensure the long-term viability of this enormously important visitor attraction.

Location

  • The Mount Congreve Estate is situated five miles west of Waterford City on the River Suir and is easily accessible from the N25.
  • The 46km Waterford Greenway passes along the boundary of the Mount Congreve Estate and there is visitor access.
  • The Waterford & Suir Valley Railway travels along the edge of the Mount Congreve Estate.

This project proposes the following:

  • Development of the farmyard to incorporate the following facilities: new café; offices and meeting facilities; craft yard; small playground and retail unit.
  • Enhancement of the grounds and existing paths to facilitate improved accessibility and increased visitor numbers, along with a woodland playground.
  • Repair of the existing historic greenhouse.
  • Provision of controlled access to wetland zone, a unique natural ‘garden’.
  • Provision of a waste water treatment facility for 150,000 visitors.
  • Provision of new car/coach park for up to 200 cars and 5 coaches.
  • Total Proposal Cost is €4,968,000.

Project Ireland 2040 – The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund

Project Ireland 2040 is the Government’s overarching policy and planning framework for the social, economic and cultural development of Ireland. It includes a detailed capital investment plan for the next ten years, the National Development Plan (NDP) 2018-2027, and the National Planning Framework which outlines the broader policy principles and priorities in planning for future population and economic growth to 2040.

By Waterford City & County Council

Mayor of Waterford welcomes Town and Village Renewal Scheme 2019 announcement

Town and Village Renewal SchemeCllr. John Pratt, Mayor of Waterford welcomes the announcement by Minister Ring of the allocation of funding under Town and Village Renewal Scheme 2019

The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Michael Ring TD, today (31 October 2019) announced that 156 rural towns and villages across the country are set to benefit from €15 million in funding under the 2019 Town and Village Renewal Scheme.  Waterford City and County Council  were successful in 5 of its applications benefitting Fenor, Lemybrien, Cappoquin, Dunhill and Bunmahon  to the tune of €500,000.

Announcing the funding, Minister Ring said “Interest in the Town and Village Renewal Scheme this year was very high and the scheme was heavily over-subscribed.  It was not possible to fund all of the applications received, but I am pleased that many of the towns and villages which have been successful this year are receiving funding under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme for the first time.  I want to thank the Local Authorities for engaging with local communities in these instances to help them to identify good projects which have merited support.”

The 2019 Town and Village Renewal Scheme, which was launched earlier this year, focuses on projects which can help to enhance rural towns and villages, with a particular emphasis on stimulating economic development. The Town and Village Renewal Scheme is a key part of the Action Plan for Rural Development and the Government’s Project Ireland 2040 Rural Regeneration Programme. Funding awarded to individual towns and villages this year generally ranges from €20,000 to €100,000, with 26 projects receiving between €100,000 and €200,000 for more ambitious proposals.

The Waterford projects being supported in today’s announcement are:

  • €100,000 for Cappoquin public realm regeneration.
  • €100,000 for site service works and playground upgrade at Bunmahon.
  • €100,000 for road bowling facilities upgrade and public realm works in Fenor.
  • €100,000 to create access to Dunhill village from Anne Valley Walk and upgrade access to Dolmen Trail.
  • €100,000 awarded to Lemybrien for a playground development.

Welcoming the funding Councillor John Pratt, Mayor of the City and County of Waterford said: “This is positive news for our towns and villages across Waterford and the projects which were identified by local community groups and businesses will make their towns and villages  more attractive and more sustainable places in which to live and work.

Ends

By Waterford City & County Council

CE Michael Walsh welcomes Falcon statement on North Quays Planning submission

Waterford Chief Executive, Michael Walsh welcomes today’s confirmation by Falcon Real Estate Development that the application for planning permission will be lodged with Waterford City and County Council by the end of November 2019.

The statement was issued today 31.10.2019 by Falcon Real Estate Development and can be read in full below.

By Waterford City & County Council

Chief Executive’s Report x2: Mount Congreve & North Quays

Waterford City & County Council previously gave notice of proposals to carry out works associated with development at Mount Congreve House and Gardens, Co. Waterford, and on the Waterford North Quays – Transport Hub & Sustainable Transport Bridge project.

Both public consultation periods have now closed.

The Chief Executive’s report on both these initiatives can be found below:

By Waterford City & County Council

CE’s Report on Submissions regarding the Bilberry to Waterford City Greenway link

This Chief Executive’s Report forms part of the statutory process as required by Part XI of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) and Part VIII of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 (as amended).

The Chief Executive’s Report summarises and details the outcomes of the public consultation on the Part VIII Planning Procedure relating to the 2.1kms section of Greenway between the Bilberry Car Park and the Clock Tower and contains the following:

  • A description of the nature and extent of the proposed development including a plan
    of the proposed development and map of the area to which it relates (Section 1 and
    Appendix A).
  • An evaluation of whether or not the proposed development is consistent with the
    proper planning and sustainable development of the area (Section 1.3).
  • The screening determination on why Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is not
    required (Section 1.4).
  • A list of the persons or bodies who made submissions or observations (Table 2.1).
  • A summary of the issues raised and the response of the Chief Executive (Table 2.2
    and Table 2.3) and;
  • A recommendation as to whether or not the proposed development should proceed
    with as proposed, or as varied or modified as recommended in the report or should
    not proceed with, as the case may be (Section 3).
  • Read the CE Report – Bilberry to City Centre – Sept 2019

By Waterford City & County Council

REMINDER: InterTradeIreland Local Government Supplier Engagement Event

InterTradeIreland, together with the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) are hosting a Supplier Engagement event focusing on Local government procurement opportunities in greater Dublin and surrounding areas.

Local government in Ireland manage contracts which support and maintain civic amenities and community services. This is your opportunity to engage with the relevant
people on the ground in councils to help inform future contracting approaches, market
requirements and service delivery models.

Meet with local council sector experts and decision makers from these categories to
provide market updates on new products or innovations and find out about procurement
processes and tender opportunities coming up in the next 18-24 months.

● Corporate Services and Housing
● Emergency Services
● Environment
● Finance & ICT
● Water Services (Irish Water)
● Community, Sports, Arts and Recreation
● Roads, Transportation, Marine & General Services
● Green Energy

By Waterford City & County Council

InterTradeIreland Local Government Supplier Engagement Event

InterTradeIreland, together with the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) are hosting a Supplier Engagement event focusing on Local government procurement opportunities in greater Dublin and surrounding areas.

Local government in Ireland manage contracts which support and maintain civic amenities and community services. This is your opportunity to engage with the relevant
people on the ground in councils to help inform future contracting approaches, market
requirements and service delivery models.

Meet with local council sector experts and decision makers from these categories to
provide market updates on new products or innovations and find out about procurement
processes and tender opportunities coming up in the next 18-24 months.

● Corporate Services and Housing
● Emergency Services
● Environment
● Finance & ICT
● Water Services (Irish Water)
● Community, Sports, Arts and Recreation
● Roads, Transportation, Marine & General Services
● Green Energy

By Waterford City & County Council

Waterford Business – Do Your #BITT to support Waterford’s Tidy Towns 2020 bid

Waterford Tidy Towns, Waterford Chamber of Commerce and Waterford City and County Council are joining forces to encourage all Waterford City Centre businesses to be part of an exciting collaboration to invest in the presentation of the City Centre to support Waterford City’s bid for Tidy Towns 2020.

#BITT (Businesses Invested in Tidy Towns) will be launched at 5pm on Friday 6th September as part of the Waterford Harvest Festival in Arundel Square. The Charter Scroll, unveiled at the launch, will showcase how the majority of City Centre businesses have agreed to come on board. #BITT is a unique initiative and is an example of collaboration between Waterford Chamber, Waterford Council, Tidy Towns and the businesses which have committed to:

  • Working with the community to bring about improvements in the City Centre environment
  • Foster civic pride
  • Support Waterford City’s bid for Tidy Towns.

Please support the bid by doing your #BITT and signing up to the Tidy Towns Charter. Each committed business will be listed on the Master Charter on permanent display in the magnificent Port of Waterford building on George’s Street where the Waterford Chamber offices are located. Each subscribing business will also receive an individual scroll for display on site. Michael Garland of Waterford City Tidy Towns Bid team said “It is vital. It is important.

No, it is essential, that ALL businesses get behind the Tidy Towns bid. The launch of #BITT, Businesses Invested in Tidy Towns, along with the Tidy Towns Charter Scroll are one way of supporting this collective effort to win a Tidy Towns crown. Yes, it is a huge task, but by working together we can achieve so much. Support the #BITT!”

The outcome for individual businesses, Waterford Chamber and Waterford City and County Council will be an improved presentation of our City Centre and an increased opportunity to compete in the Tidy Towns 2020 bid.

By Waterford City & County Council

Public Consultation for North Quays Transport Hub opens

Planning application comes as Waterford is buoyed by investment in Airport and Greenway

Plans for a state-of-the-art Transport Hub on Waterford’s North Quays go on public
display today (26 July) at Waterford City and County Council offices and online. The Transport Hub is part of a transformative urban regeneration project, which will see the redevelopment of the eighthectare North Quays site into a modern mixed use development with an hotel, offices, apartments and 50,000 square meters of retail, hospitality and entertainment space.

Waterford City and County Council’s Part 8 planning application proposes the construction of a new train station to replace the existing Plunkett Station. The planning in the city’s designated Strategic Development Zone (SDZ) also includes a new bus set down area and short-term parking facilities. This latest milestone for the North Quays’ development comes at a time of significant investment for the county and region with multi-million euro funding recently announced for Waterford Airport, Waterford
Greenway, and the Kilkenny Greenway from Waterford to New Ross. Councillor John Pratt, Mayor of Waterford City and County Council said: “It’s fantastic to see the
innovative North Quays development take a significant step forward with the Part 8 planning application for the Transport Hub. This will be one of Ireland’s most modern transport hubs, linking the city’s rail and bus services and dramatically improving access from north to south. It will be transformative for those living and working in Waterford — connecting with the Greenway, the proposed sustainable transport bridge and an enhanced road network.”

Further developments for the SDZ, which is a project under Project Ireland 2040, will see Falcon Real Estate Development Ireland imminently submit a planning application for the eight-hectare real estate mixed-use scheme on Waterford’s North Quays and An Bord Pleanála decide on the Planning application for the Sustainable Transport Bridge to the South Quays. In making their decision on the new Sustainable Transport Bridge across the River Suir, An Bord Pleanála has sought further information on a specific issue relating to the visual impact of the vessel protection system on the opening section of the bridge. Waterford City and County Council will be responding in the next two weeks but there will be no impact on project timelines.

Waterford City and County Council Chief Executive, Michael Walsh added: “The ground-breaking Falcon Real Estate Development Ireland scheme, together with the Transport Hub and the Sustainable Transport Bridge, will transform Waterford into a modern city quarter. The North Quays’ offices and accommodation will provide for a range of enterprises and up to 1,500 jobs primarily targeted at Foreign Direct Investment. In total, 2,300 jobs will be generated by the development and a further 1,000 in strategic industrial lands.These additional jobs alone will generate consumer spend in excess of €50m
per annum and lead to an estimated annual footfall of 2,500,000.

“We are a city undergoing huge transition, with 5,000 additional jobs expected by 2025 and Waterford’s tourism numbers to double by 2025 to one million. The North Quays, the development of Mount Congreve as a world class visitor experience and the Government’s recent €2.65 million investment in the Waterford Greenway and €5 million in Waterford Airport, firmly places Waterford as the gateway city of the south east. Waterford is driving forward with the delivery of a forward-looking urban centre that will make it the most cost competitive regional city in Ireland, accelerating regional growth over the long term, and supporting a stronger national economy.”

Waterford City and County Council have submitted a bid for €104.5m to fund the North Quay development via the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund, with matching funding at a local level accounting for a further €34.8m. Part 8 comes following extensive work by Waterford City and County Council with Coras Iompair Éireann, Iarnród Éireann and Bus Éireann.  Further elements in the Part 8 include associated works such as alterations to the existing bus depot site, upgrades to the drainage network and flood defence works. The planning application is available for inspection at the Council’s offices in Waterford City and Dungarvan until 23 August. It is also available
to view at www.waterfordcouncil.ie/projects/public-consultations/index.htm 
–ENDS—

NOTES TO EDITOR
Plans for the proposed Transport Hub are available for inspection at Waterford City & County Council, Customer Care Desk, Bailey’s New Street, Waterford; and Waterford City & County Council’s Civic Offices, Davitts Quay, Dungarvan. They can be viewed from 9.30am to 4pm Monday to Friday until 23 August 2019 (excluding Bank and Public Holidays). It is available to view online at www.waterfordcouncil.ie/projects/public-consultations/index.htm

Online submissions or observations with respect to the proposed development, dealing with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area in which the development would be situated may be made in writing to the local authority, online at http://bit.ly/NorthQuays-Part8s no later than 6th September 2019.

About Falcon Real Estate Development:
Falcon Real Estate Development is an independent company. It aims at developing a significant portfolio of Real Estate projects. The company strategy is to source, develop and operate a quality range of assets in European Growth Markets to reflect the strength and innovation delivered in the home markets of the company’s owners.

By Waterford City & County Council

Waterford Council features well in NOAC LA Satisfaction Survey 2019

Over the past 2 years, NOAC (The National Oversight & Audit Commission) has worked with IPSOS MRBI to survey public attitudes to Local Authorities and the public’s satisfaction with their own Local Authority. The 10 largest LA’s were surveyed in 2018 and Waterford City and County Council was included in the 10 medium sized LA’s to be surveyed this year. The interviews took place in March 2019 and the results for Waterford City and County Council are really positive.

The headline figures are that 65% of Waterford people surveyed are satisfied with their Local Council (Net satisfied 56%), Waterford Council topped the league at 41% in Providing Value for Money (Net is low at 28%) and 67% of Waterford people surveyed feel WCCC is “Doing a Good Job” which is much higher than the net figure of 51%. The Council also scored highly in terms of “Promoting Economic activity”, being “Open and Transparent” and people feeling Informed by the Local Council.

The Council scored better than anybody else in the 5 most important services to the public (namely Roads Maintenance, Road Safety, Affordable Housing, Playgrounds/Parks and Protecting The Environment).

When compared with the large local authorities as surveyed in 2018, analysis would place Waterford in the top two or three of the 20 medium and large sized local authorities in terms of public rating, despite disparity in resource availability with the larger authorities. While a satisfaction rating of 65% does not seem extremely high, when one is cognisant of the many regulatory functions a Council discharges, the rating compares very favourably with peers.

The overall perception of the Council is driven by many factors but above all else is informed by the quality of services we deliver and by the thousands and thousands of interactions that we have with the public on a yearly basis across all levels of the organisation.

Speaking of the results, Council CE Michael Walsh said: “I am delighted that the surveys reflect the hard work of the many dedicated people in the organisation and would like to thank everybody for their efforts. We do and can make a difference to people’s lives. As a relatively new amalgamated organisation we have done reasonably well but equally we can improve and get even better as we collectively serve the people of Waterford.”

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