Suburb to be transformed by €30m facelift

A WATERFORD city suburb is to get a whole new lease of life, with €30 million to be spent on the area over the next two years.

The Larchville/Lisduggan area of Waterford is to be totally transformed as work continues on the Area Plan adopted by the City Council in December 2003.

Under the Plan, €25m will be spent on upgrading homes in the suburbs, while additional residential units will be provided at key sites where their location will help combat anti-social behaviour.

A further €5m is being spent on upgrading the historic Pugin-designed Manor St John building which is on the site of a former Benedictine Priory and once housed the famous Wyse family.

Work is already under way on the first phase of the remedial works scheme on houses in Lisduggan which are to be carried out on a phased basis over a 30-month period.

In the same estate, the first phase of the in-fill house construction programme is completed. This involved the relocation of an ESB sub-station that had been the site of recurring anti-social behaviour. The next phase of this scheme is currently at the design stage with work expected to begin early next year.

In nearby Larchville, the remedial works will be carried out in three phases, with the first commencing in 2007. Two small infill housing schemes are also planned for Larchville and work on these is due to begin in the spring.

Work is also underway on the Manor St John project which will see it fully equipped for a variety of community uses. It will also accommodate a health suite while nearby soccer, GAA and boxing facilities are also to be upgraded in parallel with the provision of a playground.

Cllr Davy Daniels, Deputy Mayor of Waterford, said he was very encouraged by the update received by councillors on the roll-out of the Larchville & Lisduggan Area Plan on Monday night.

“What this plan gives us is a co-ordinated response to the needs identified by local communities. It’s a good example of the type of joined-up thinking that is required and gets us away from piecemeal solutions where spending was haphazard and stop-start rather than planned and properly phased.”

City manager Conn Murray said Larchville and Lisduggan were designated as disadvantaged under the Government’s RAPID (Revitalising Areas by Planning Investment and Development) programme and this has been hugely helpful in drawing down funding and fast-tracking what are very necessary works.

“Waterford City Council is committed to ensuring that the benefits of the current period of prosperity are felt throughout the city and the €30m being invested in the Larchville/Lisduggan area will help achieve this – especially when coupled with very significant private sector projects proposed for the area.”