Hopes for works to be carried out on derelict Waterford hotel

Ard Rí Hotel on Waterford-Kilkenny border has been derelict since it closed in 2005 following a fire

The owner of the Ard Rí Hotel has submitted a Section 5 request, meaning planning permission would not be required to carry out works.

At a recent meeting of Waterford City and County Council, chief executive Seán McKeown told councillors the owner of the Ard Rí Hotel had submitted a 'Section 5' request, meaning he would not need to get planning permission to carry out new works on the hotel.

Located on Mount Misery, the site sits exactly on the Waterford/Kilkenny border.

Mr McKeown said: “The boundary of our administrative council area runs right through the middle of the hotel. The front door I believe is actually in Co Kilkenny.

The Section 5 request was submitted to both local authorities in respect of reinstating the 110 bedrooms.

Mr McKeown confirmed that “both local authorities have given a positive response to this Section Five”. 

He added: “I’m meeting with the developer in the next couple of weeks, I’m confident that we will see some development.” 

The site where the derelict hotel sits was bought by Kilkenny businessman Séamus Walsh in 2017, who promised to invest €100m into the site and turn it into a luxury hotel.

Mr Walsh is the owner of one of Waterford’s most iconic hotels, Waterford Castle.

The Ard Rí Hotel closed in 2005 following a fire, and the site has been derelict ever since.

Seamus Walsh was contacted for comment but did not reply at the time of publication.

• This article is funded by the Local Democracy Scheme