Council backs rezoning of Waterford Crystal land

Neans McSweeney

Two other plots at the Airport Road and Six Crossroads were also rezoned.

City manager Con Murray said the rezoning is part of a change to the county development plan and will allow for more retail, warehousing in the city. He said the rezoning of the Waterford Crystal lands, which are used by its sports and social club, had nothing to do with Waterford Crystal’s financial situation.

City council planning committee chairman, Councillor Tom Cunningham, said retail warehousing had previously been excluded from the development plan.

“Waterford has the largest population in the region and it was felt that this was a strategic omission. We considered whether or not to rezone on the basis of whether or not it was good planning. Matters relating to the ownership were not relevant to our decision,” he said.

Workers at Waterford Crystal backed the company’s rezoning plans last month.

This was subject to money raised from the sale of such property being pumped back into the troubled plant.

At least a dozen submissions on the proposal were made to Waterford City Council.

Students at Waterford Institute of Technology, which leases playing fields from the company, say they will be left without pitches if the land is sold.