Council may 'intervene' at Waterford's once iconic Ard Rí site
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The owner of a 45-acre site outside Waterford city will be hit with fines in a bid to force development on the land, according to the chief executive of Waterford City and County Council.
The remains of the former Ard Rí Hotel, an iconic site which overlooks Waterford city, were bought in 2017 by Kilkenny businessman Seamus Walsh, who later declared €100m plans to transform the land into a five-star hotel and tourist village.
It has lain empty since and the local authority is considering "intervening" using vacant site legislation.
Chief executive of Waterford City and County Council Michael Walsh said the site's "close proximity to the city centre", at 1.5km away, makes it "an absolute priority for development".
It was last open to customers in 2005 and has fallen into disrepair in the years since.
It is understood that the council and Seamus Walsh had unsuccessful discussions last year over the sale of some of the land — not in close proximity to the old hotel — to the local authority for housing.
"We want that site to be developed with or without the North Quays," Michael Walsh said of the council's plans.
He said the vacant site levy would be one method for encouraging development, which, if successfully applied, would see a 3% tax on the market value of the land imposed on the owner.
The levy applies for residential land where there is a need for housing in the area, and where the majority of the site has not been in use for a period of time.
"We would be looking at intervening if necessary," Michael Walsh said.
When Seamus Walsh purchased it in 2017, the Australian-based businessman announced plans to restore the site to its former glory; its elevated position over the River Suir helped make it a popular wedding venue and conference centre.
Seamus Walsh, who declined to comment when contacted, reportedly paid €1.5m for the site in 2017, as well as acquiring an adjacent 20-30 acres.
Last September, he put the total land back on the market at a guide price of €8-9m.