The landscape of the border between Waterford City and Kilkenny county is starting to change.
The multi-million North Quays development will include retail, residential and leisure offerings across more than eight hectares.
It’ll also see the existing rail and bus station moved to a new transport hub which will be linked to Waterford city centre by a new sustainable bridge, the sod for which was turned last March.
Piltown Municipal District’s monthly meeting had an update on its progress and Cllr Fidelis Doherty says the works are beginning to take shape, telling KCLR News; “Physically it has changed quite considerably so when you’re on the Kilkenny side looking into Waterford or on the Waterford side looking over onto the North Quays, the buildings have been taken out of it and work has been progressing with well setting the track so the transportation hub will be there, the old station will be discontinued, so that’s it it’s physically taking shape now at this stage and I suppose all the preliminary works are happening, the excavation and setting tracks literally in place”.
Cllr Doherty says there may be a tweak to what was originally envisioned; “The retail element of it mightn’t be to the same level of possibilities but it will be there in some context but the transportation hub will be there and accommodation and hotel facility that’s really it, somewhat a comeback from it but still it will be there”.
And she adds that so far those living in or passing through the area of development haven’t been impacted; “There is no immediate difficulty, now that might change when the actual construction happens and all the different services come into play but for now it continues as is and it isn’t impacting in any negative way”.