Council expects to spend €5 million on quayfront and new marina

THE COUNTY COUNCIL IS FORGING AHEAD WITH PLANS FOR A QUAYFRONT REVAMP, NEW MARINA AND THE TRINITY WHARF BUSINESS AND LEISURE DEVELOPMENT. DAVID LOOBY GETS THE LATEST UPDATE FROM CEO TOM ENRIGHT

WEXFORD COUNTY COUNCIL is planning to spend around €5m developing a marina and upgrading the quay area of Wexford town.

With project architects about to be appointed for the Trinity Wharf business park and leisure development planned for the southern part of the town by the waterfront, the local authority is also preparing to develop a marina and new-look quayfront to capitalise on the tourism potential of Wexford.

County Manager Tom Enright said: ‘ We will be announcing the project architect for Trinity Wharf in September. We have been speaking to a number of investors over recent months who would have experience with similar sized developments. It’s a fantastic location and we’ve had a number of investors looking at it who can see the potential is has.’

One lead team of architects will be appointed next month for the quayfront works.

Mr Enright said: ‘It will be one of the leading architecture firms in the country who will prepare the plan. We received €1m in state funding for the quays which we will match, but it may involve us spending €2m of our money depending on the plans that are presented.

‘ The quayfront is a wonderful place but if you look back towards the town there are a lot of derelict and brownfield development sites like the old Tesco store and we will be putting pressure on the owners to develop these sites. On the plus side we are delighted to see the Stonebridge apartments being used.’

Construction is due to begin on the quays in late 2017 and to be completed by the end of 2018.

‘ We expect to have a draft plan in place by the end of this year and then the project will go to public consultation. We want to upgrade the quayfront and the Crescent area and provide better linkages into the town.’

Wexford County Council officials have recently received a feasability report on developing a marina and Mr Enright is hopeful the project can be realised over the coming years.

A decision has to be made about whether a floating breakwater or a rock embankment breakwater is erected south of the quayfront.

He said: ‘A floating breakwater would be much more cost effective and could be expanded depending on the number of berths required. We could start with 30 to 50 berths and expand it after.

‘ The marina in Kilmore Quay is very busy and there is a lot of international traffic because it’s the first port of call. We would like to develop a network of marinas in the county with Wexford town as one so we can attract visitors to two or three marinas including New Ross.’

Mr Enright said there is great potential for tourism with a marina.

‘A marina would help to create the right environment in Wexford town and with a hotel, restaurants and bars it would create that life and that attractive environment.’

Grant funding of between €1m and €2m would be sought by the council which would be matched from local authority funds.