NEW ROAD MAP FOR FUTURE AS GREEN COUNTY
PLANS WOULD SEE WEXFORD BECOME A GREEN COUNTY WITH REVITALISED VILLAGES, EXCITING NIGHTLIFE OPTIONS AND HOTELS
COUNTY WEXFORD can become Ireland’s premium lifestyle county, with busy villages, progressive environmental policies and several new hotels to service greenway goers and international tourists through partnerships with private businesspeople and the involvement of communities.
This is the view of Wexford County Council CEO Tom Enright who has pinpointed several aspects of the county which need to be developed to bring them into line with international expectations and standards. On the tourism front, Mr Enright has been working with hoteliers to try and get several new accommodation offerings for the county. The council is also planning to invest in several tourism projects of scale in Enniscorthy, New Ross, Hook Head and to a lesser extent in Gorey and Wexford over the coming years, adding up to tens of millions. ‘If you stand back and look at the county. I know some of the hoteliers don’t like me saying it I think there is a need for another four, five or six hotels in the county. I think if we are to grow and to attract more international visitors we need more hotels. A lot of the hotels concentrate on the domestic market. What we are missing out on is that international tourist, ones that come, spend more, stay longer. International tourists spend two, three times more than domestic visitors.’
Mr Enright said tourism attractions of scale, bringing over 150,000 visitors a year into the county are needed.
‘We don’t have the tourist attractions of scale that other locations in the region have. Kilkenny Castle, Waterford Crystal, Glenadalough all attract multiples of the tourists we do. The 1798 Centre attracts 4,000 people the Dunbrody Centre and Hook Lighthouse around 60,000. We don’t have those big heavy hitting tourist attractions. We need to develop attractions that are bringing in 100,000 to 150,000 or more. Once you do that the smaller attractions will all feed off that.’
The council supports 14 tourist attractions with modest money, he said. ‘I think we should continue to do that but to put significant funding to three or four to raised them up to a level where their tourist numbers can double or treble. We have gotten grants last year to develop the Dunbrody Centre, the Heritage Park, into Hook Lighthouse.’
He said a new medieval park on High Hill in New Ross will be developed this year.
‘There is investment going into the tourism infrastructure. What we need to do is to bring those up to the modern standard. While they are very good they haven’t seen major investment in 20 years or so. With Fáilite Ireland, Government and funding from ourselves we aim to lift them so they bring in more tourists so they can be competitive with other tourism attractions in the south east.’ Mr Enright said the €8m grant for the New Ross to Waterford greenway was a big step forward. ‘We are going out to tender and construction will begin in the coming months. That will be a game changer for New Ross. We are also working with someone who is looking at putting a river taxi from Waterford to Greenway. It would take around 70 people and you have sight of the greenway. It would take an hour and a quarter and it will come back through New Ross. When people do a greenway they don’t want to do the same thing again. I think a river taxi would be a unique experience. The Dungarvan Greenway is taking 250,000 to 300,000 people a year. If you could get similar numbers to New Ross it would be a huge boost for New Ross.’
A greenways activation officer is being appointed. ‘Their job is to get all of that done. While it is being constructed over that 12 months to have someone talk to accommodation providers, talk to coffee shops, set up toilets, bicycle shops, set up bike hire, get all of that put in place. People who have been on other greenways would expect the level of service here to be as good. When Dungarvan started it didn’t have an of that in place and it got a bad name.
If we need to put some grant funding into that we will do that. Some of that is in place already, but there is no bike hire, which has to be in the right place on the quay-front. It’s where people arrive in, we are looking at a couple of sites for that and have a number of options so I think it’s important that we get this work done in advance so when people come to use the greenway everything is up to standard.’
He welcomed the opening of the Kennedy Boutique Hotel and apartment accommodation on the quay-front in New Ross, and work on the old Docks hotel. ‘I think with the new road network with a motorway coming down the spine of the county and the New Ross Bypass, there are opportunities,’
The bypass openings coincide with significant investment in the Irish National Heritage Park, the Dunbrody Experience centre in New Ross and Hook Lighthouse. ‘If our tourism attractions are going to improve and develop, we need more accommodation. I do think we should have a much greater share of the market than we do have. The advantage of the road infrastructure is people can come into the county easier. The disadvantage is you will have Dublin day-trippers. With the new road network there is no reason why people visiting Kerry can’t come visit Co Wexford.’
Mr Enright said it was unfortunate that planning permission the council approved for a hotel on Wexford quay-front was refused by An Bord Pleanala on appeal. ‘I’d love to see another planning application for that,’ he said.
‘Our planning application for Trinity Wharf has been with An Bord Pleanala for eight months. We are expecting a decision on that. That would be a great addition to the town. We have a number of private sector interests in that. New Ross will need another hotel in time, particularly when the greenway gets up and running. A hotel is being looked at in Bunclody as well so there is activity in the market starting to pick up after a decade.’
He said the Stonebridge apartments in Wexford are very busy proving the need for more accommodation in Wexford. ‘We approached Pettitt’s and they said it was something of interest to them and they acquired that and developed the 17 apartments into an apart-hotel and it has been hugely successful.’
Developing a mid-sized music venue in Wexford town is also among his plans. ‘With the cultural centre in Trinity Wharf there is an opportunity to get a venue. The Opera House capacity is 750, the Arts Centre is only 120 to 150 with extra seating, Jerome Hynes is 250 so you have a middle group of around 400 that is not being accommodated. It looks like the Dun Mhuire is being closed by the parish because it’s in poor condition and for other reasons so I think there is a need for a space that could accommodate 400 or 500 people. A cultural space that could be used as a venue or as a conference centre or exhibitions for trade shows. We are looking at a multi-purpose space that would accommodate all of that. It’s for local people to use but also for tourists and people coming here to work.’
The council’s special projects team are also looking at making a site available for a hotel in Courtown. ‘Courtown is a seaside resort that is not performing well. It’s one that needs a lift and significant investment so we are hoping to see a new hotel built there which will we think will bring a lot of positive activity into Courtown and we will make a site available for that development.’
The demolition of the Bayview Hotel site is also planned. ‘An order has been issued on the owner to demolish it so that is due to be demolished in the coming weeks.’
Discussions with the department and the OPW are ongoing in relation to the development of a breakwater in Courtown to help stop erosion of the beach. This would also be the first step in getting a marina developed in Courtown.
‘We see a large quality hotel going in there as something that can be a catalyst for other things to happen. We would be hoping to see a planning application for that hotel in the coming months.’ Mr Enright said plans are being advanced for a major tourism project in Enniscorthy town centre.
‘I think Enniscorthy is a town that has great potential. It is a town that hasn’t been performing well but I think with the bypass, with the flood relief scheme and the new technology park, I think we will see the town transform over the coming years.’
He said the bypass has had a positive effect on footfall in the town.
‘From what I hear from talking to local people, a lot of retailers have seen it. We have seen an increase in car parking in our car parks which is a good sign.’
He said there is an exciting plan to develop a fantastic town centre tourism product.
‘We want to get people to turn off the motorway and come into Enniscorthy because it is a lovely town in many ways with the old character in the streets and buildings. The council are also progressing the regeneration of Templeshannon.
‘I would expect us to be under construction in the next year three to four years. The tourism project will take around three years to get started. The tourism project is €10-€15m. Slaney Street is wonderful but it has very low footfall. We are looking at a pro
ject that will bring significant footfall into the town centre.’
Returning to New Ross he said the council are making good progress on the advance factory at Butlersland.
‘I would be very hopeful we will see that under construction in 2020 and I haven’t been able to say that for a while.’
He said there will be some winners and losers following the bypass opening.
‘The overall impact will be positive. The benefit to towns is clear but it doesn’t happen naturally. You need to put other investments into the town. We need to promote the town and have proper signage and marketing and if all of that is done I think both New Ross and Enniscorthy will benefit hugely from bypasses. People that are stuck in traffic tend not to stop in a town but where you have a town that people can get through easily people tend to stop.
‘The two towns that are bypassed are the most prosperous and the two that are not are the weakest. I don’t think that is a coincidence, but there are other factors at play as well.
‘It will take time but with the greenway, the Dunbrody project with the Murphy building, we are also acquiring two buildings for innovation centres.’
He said the council has begun a CPO process on two properties in New Ross,
‘We have another property that doesn’t need huge investment to convert it into something like we have in The Hatch Lab. Hopefully that will go through this year and we will get that open later on this year.’
Helping to make Enniscorthy and New Ross better retail towns is also part of the council’s thinking.
‘People predict that certain types of retail are under threat from online. If you look at Wexford town, it does very well as a retail town. If you look at other large towns; some of those have been hit really badly. Wexford town hasn’t. It’s because of having niche, local, indigenous, quality shops, but it’s also the experience people have. They come down a town that is easy enough to park in, it has nice restaurants, coffee shops, retailers and that is why Gorey does very well also.’
The opening of a small cinema in Enniscorthy and New Ross would be a game changer, he said. ‘People travel to go a cinema and they have become very popular again.’
‘I think some of the retail will change. The towns will need to change and diversify: some of the traditional shops may not survive. Some other ones will come in and replace them so it depends on the type of activities that are needed in the town. I think the greenway will make a huge difference.
‘I think Wexford is a great town. I think it punches above its weight in many ways. It’s a town that has more potential in terms of tourism and in terms of getting good quality jobs and Trinity Wharf would be a great catalyst for that. It’s a town that is doing reasonably well.’
He said dereliction will be tackled this year. ‘I don’t think Wexford town gives you an impression as you walk the streets that it is not performing. You will always have a certain amount of vacancy on a town main street due to the rents people are expecting for their properties. Footfall in Wexford town is good. We opened up our district offices in the town and that has helped bring footfall into the town, into a derelict building.’
Flying Tiger is the company’s second busiest store of the franchise of its 24 stores nationwide, he pointed out. ‘It shows if you get the right type of retailer in, in it will do well and Flying Tiger are not an online store.
‘We have renovated the old courthouse for Georgia Southern University who will be bringing students from this year and I think that has great potential to grow and develop.’
The development of an activity centre and trails for cyclists and runners in Carrigfoyle is underway and will add to the county’s attractiveness for companies and young people.
‘Carrigfoyle is under construction now. That will be finished before the end of this year and that will open up and be a centre for zip lining, trails, canoeing, rock climbing, mountain bike trails. All of that will be developed over the next few years. We are putting in the infrastructure and the building will follow.’
The council have partnered with the ETB who run Shielbaggan Activity Centre in Ramsgrange on the project.
He said Rosslare Harbour will grow significantly with Brexit. ‘We are working with the owner of the Great Southern to demolish and remove it and I expect it will be taken down in the coming months.’
He thinks the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge is great for New Ross. ‘It’s great to have two projects named after women along with Min Ryan Park which is opening in April. I think the bridge in New Ross will be a tourist attraction in itself. We have two lay-bys being put in so people can pull in and view it.’
He said the council was fortunate to get PPP funding for the bypasses. ‘We were fortunate that both projects were commenced during a recession. They had gotten so far that the momentum was behind them. Between the two projects we’ve had €750m invested. I would be optimistic for the future. I think the road network will make a huge difference to the county. I can see Enniscorthy and New Ross doing well. Enniscorthy is 15 minutes south of Gorey which has benefited from proximity to Dublin and I think Enniscorthy is going to benefit from that also.
I think New Ross has lost out because Waterford city isn’t as strong as it could. New Ross is a very attractive town in many ways.’
Getting people living in the county’s villages is another priority for the council. ‘The sewage issues is a big, big problem for many villages because people might want to live there, but you can’t build a house because there is no sewerage and there is not going to be in the short to medium term, but a lot of these villages have empty properties which have a sewage connection so if you can buy one of these properties you might be able to refurbish it or knock it and rebuild.’
Mr Enright said: ‘I think that’s often overlooked so one of the things we are doing is we are identifying some of these town and village centre properties that are derelict and we are going to be acquiring those.’
The council aim to acquire five in each district. ‘Some will be knocked and rebuilt. Some of them are former businesses that won’t open again. You have a lot of these that are derelict and empty so it’s about putting housing back into the centre of towns and villages. It costs more to do that than building on a greenfield site but you are getting people living back in the village, getting kids back into the local schools, people don’t have to have two cars and can walk to where they need. It’s about more than that convincing the department as this way costs up to 25 per cent more. ‘This is about village revitalisation. We had that issue on Frances Street in Wexford town where we bought an old dilapidated property. It was more expensive for us to knock that and build a house for a family than to go out to Clonard and build a greenfield site for a house. We got a derelict property replaced and a family housed and living in the town centre. The department saw it was worth the extra 20 per cent. I think we are starting to win that argument and we will see more people living in village centres which is important.’
Mr Enright said the villages that are most successful are the ones that have a strong community that come together and drive on and do things. ‘They come and talk to us and find out what funding might be available and they are the ones that do the best. You would often see a village where a GAA club is very strong and there are active members there. That can often be a catalyst for getting things done. They have a structure and are organised.’
Mr Enright said all of the projects announced in the council’s capital projects brochure will happen. ‘Some will take longer than others. It has taken us a number of years to get through the planning stages and to get the funding required.’
Key to the council’s successes have been partnerships with other agencies and private businesspeople. ‘We developed the Hatch Lab with the Redmond brothers and worked with John O’Connor from Enniscorthy Enterprise Centre for our Tradebridge project with Savannah and Wexford Enterprise Centre here with Brendan Ennis.’
He said the council’s public lighting retrofit programme will see 11,000 old style lights with LED. ’More than half are done (6,800) with 5,000 left to do. We will finish that this year which will bring an electricity saving of €1m a year. They are a much better quality and brighter light and are energy efficient and we will be the first county in Ireland to have that done.’
In an effort to make Co Wexford a green county, the council have granted planning permission for 1,600 acres of solar farms. ‘If they get built we will effectively be a net exporter of energy. We will become probably the only county in the country producing that level. The delay on that is there is no tariff agreed with the Government regarding what they will pay. That will bring a lot of employment. You will also see significant investment in offshore wind farms. We have six turbines out there at the moment and in the UK there are 1,500.
‘You are going to see us very much become a green county and the lighting is leading the way in terms of energy saving and we will be reinvesting that money back into extending public lighting in our towns and villages. ‘
Mr Enright said he plans to remain at the helm of the council for the next four years. ‘We still have a lot to do.’
He has a ten-year contract. ‘It’s a full-time, 24-7 job. You are on call all of the time. The only time you get a break is Christmas as it’s a time when everyone else stops. It’s a very enjoyable and rewarding job. There comes a time when you step away from the job when you go on and do something else. You ask yourself is you did some bit of good. It’s not just about all of these projects, which have their place. Often times it might be a decision that gets someone a council house. I can help other organisations that do very good work that maybe don’t get the support they need. I think there is a great senior staff in the council. It’s about making progress and seeing things happen and seeing these things come to fruition is very satisfying.’
I WOULD BE OPTIMISTIC FOR THE FUTURE. I THINK THE ROAD NETWORK WILL MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE TO THE COUNTY