€350m Wexford Harbour Scheme

I hope this goes ahead..I used to go to Wexford about twice a year and this would be superb for the town! and Fordes restaurant..mmmm lovely

I hope it goes ahead too, it would be great to bring some life to what is a very bare concrete quayside with some minimal street furniture. Wexfords narrow streets are nice in their own way but this would help alleviate the press of people especially on those sunny summer days!

Any images available, or has anyone seen what the development is to look like? Also, does anyone know who the architects are?

Edit: Architects are Anthony Reddy and Associates

This from today’s IT Property supplement. (Does that say ‘Wexford Town Centre’ on the (ahem) feature spiral?:eek: Here we go again…)

Is this some kind of joke. Wexford does not need this. Are they doing their best to ruin the town’s unique character?

It looks like a design for a USSR trade mission at a Worlds Fair circa 1974, and it ain’t even retro!!!! (Actually a bit more like the thing that dangled behind Dana when she won Eurovision. No, not the international one!!!)

It would not be allowed iin Russia…..it has more the feel of 1970s Romania.

I am at a loss to understand how any of this benefits the people of Wexford? Has someone carried out a study which says we need more cinemas, more bars, more private health clubs, more vacant appartments or more hotels?

Can anyone understand it?

@Hercule wrote:

It would not be allowed iin Russia…..

I absolutely agree I was in Vilnius last year and the National Opera & Ballet House built in 1974 (Then part of the USSR) was a stunning example of contemporary concrete architecture.

The fact that the Dublin to Rosslare railway line crosses the development is quiet well disguised in the artist’s impression or maybe someone forgot to tell him about the train??

Being from Wexford myself, this proposed development is much better what is there already. As for the the railway, i was thinking about this and just assummed that the complex will be seperated by the track, or a tunnel through the building?

@sfamato wrote:

Being from Wexford myself, this proposed development is much better what is there already. As for the the railway, i was thinking about this and just assummed that the complex will be seperated by the track, or a tunnel through the building?

At last, a fellow Wexford man joins the debate.

Well not only is the train missing from the drawing, but Wexford Harbour is missing too! It really does not give much idea of how it will look.

Given the challenges that this site and it’s proposed development present you really have to wonder what the planners were thinking when they decided to rezone this site. It really makes you wonder!!

http://www.anthonyreddy.com/projects/retail/wexford.htm

Reddy Associates were commissioned to work on a site located on the southern edge of Wexford Town Centre, a town that is rich in both historical fabric and natural amenity.

The site comprises the former Wexford Electronics and Meat Factory (also known as Trinity Wharf) sites, located on an area of land jutting out into the harbour, together with an outlet on Trinity Street. The area is currently vacant.

The current site comprises an area of 4.36ha and it is proposed to increase this by 1.92ha by reclaiming land from the harbour. Primary vehicular access to the site will be from Trinity Street, with secondary access provided along the Quays, via the extension of the boardwalk.

The proposed scheme is a response to Wexford County Council’s desire to create a southern node to Wexford Town which will regenerate a highly visible brownfield site in an area of high amenity, and will strengthen and complement the retail offer in the town as part of a comprehensive mixed-use expansion of the town centre.

CLIENT: Deerland Properties Ltd.
SIZE: 62815m2
COST: €150m
COMPLETION: TBC

This plan is a recipie for urban destruction not urban renewal.

This proposed development will only lead to urban destruction. The indigenous shops on the main street will close one by one only to be replaced by a mixture of super pubs and fast food joints. If you want a precedent for this just go look at Carlow where the retail character of Tullow Street and Dublin street have changed completely. Even the once grand Royal Hotel on Dublin Street is now a car park. But Carlow never had the unique historical character of Wexford town.

Wexford, one of the most historic towns in Ireland, its small streets with many small indigenous shops, full of character, attracting visitors from all over Ireland and beyond. A town with a beautiful harbour full of wildlife.

All of this will be put at risk by this development.

Wexford needs a major overhaul to bring in the tourists, its obvious walking around the place..as much as I like it I can see that it could do with a facelift..lets renovate, people!

Every town in Ireland seems to be getting its very own LIffey Valley Centre. nearly 2,000 parking spaces.

@The Denouncer wrote:

Wexford needs a major overhaul to bring in the tourists, its obvious walking around the place..as much as I like it I can see that it could do with a facelift..lets renovate, people!

But would someone really go to Wexford on holidays in order to experience the full Irish retail experience onder one handy roof?
As someone who has been a tourist in Wexford town a few times I can say that it’s the historic aspects that attracted me – including the narrow streets, local shops etc. – rather than some identikit shopping centre. And if this building has the impact that is feared, then the tourist experience will have been compromised.
This isn’t to say that many locals wouldn’t want this scheme, but to sell it on the basis that it will attract tourists seems a bit disingenuous.

Hercule-
At a guess, the planners rezoned because developments like this bring in much needed commercial revenue. (It’s possible, of course, that the rezoning was done by councillors against the advice of the planners as often happens. I’m not familiar with the details.)

It will attract tourists, and I always found those roads a bit dangerous, with cars practically brushing off your arm as they go past. Wexford will soon be a smart cosmopolitan town, the jewel of the South-East, and who can deny them that?

@ctesiphon wrote:

But would someone really go to Wexford on holidays in order to experience the full Irish retail experience onder one handy roof?
As someone who has been a tourist in Wexford town a few times I can say that it’s the historic aspects that attracted me – including the narrow streets, local shops etc. – rather than some identikit shopping centre. And if this building has the impact that is feared, then the tourist experience will have been compromised.
This isn’t to say that many locals wouldn’t want this scheme, but to sell it on the basis that it will attract tourists seems a bit disingenuous.

Hercule-
At a guess, the planners rezoned because developments like this bring in much needed commercial revenue. (It’s possible, of course, that the rezoning was done by councillors against the advice of the planners as often happens. I’m not familiar with the details.)

LIVING and HOLIDAYING (is that even a word?) in Wexford are two very different things! I am glad that you enjoyed our historic aspects, but they arent been touched by this development. Wexford has had a great boost to its economy, with the new Shaws department store and Key West as well as many other shops opening up. Where this is proposed to go, is where two very large factorys were, Smiths and the Cash and Carry. And i for one will think it will look great at the end of our Quay Front, such an improvement. Although many will disagree with me.

I dont see how building a shopping centre is gonna turn tourists away. The shopping centre is gonna be out of the town centre (very near where i live actually!) And why should all irish towns be all irish tourists shops and whatnot. Which I think are great, but theres only so many times you can buy a foam guinness hat. The locals need more amenities in these places. Wexford Town isnt a holiday town, unlike Courttown or Rosslare, Its the main town in the county.

I totally agree that living and visiting are totally different experiences and bring different perspectives. I support the rezoning of this land from industrial/distribution to an extension of the town centre as this site ticks all of the boxes that comprise sustainable development i.e

1. On Rail line
2. Within development boundary
3. Close to social infrastructure
4. Close to amenity areas i.e. the sea

But did the elected representatives know

1. It would involve infilling of the sea
2. It would be almost 700,000 square feet
3. It would be so bulky

Right idea inappropriate scale for any historical town not to mention one as important as Wexford

sfamato-
I think you misunderstood me. I’m arguing pretty much the same things you are in many respects- you’ll notice that I said “This isn’t to say that many locals wouldn’t want this scheme”. My original difference of opinion with The Denouncer was with his (?) belief that this scheme will attract tourists- I can’t see how this will happen at all.
As I said above, what appealed to me about Wexford town was its mix of local shops – a mix probably better than most towns in this country of a similar size – not the shops selling tourist tat, i.e. it is a living town rather than some tourist theme park town. If anything, this development will facilitate the growth of the tourist tat merchants as the local traditional traders are forced out of business due to competition from the behemoth. So I’d disagree with your assertion that your historic aspects “arent been touched by this development”. Well, maybe not yet, but give it time.
Equally, I never said it would turn tourists away. All I said was it wouldn’t be an attraction to them- a very different thing altogether. Though it might, in due course, have the effect of turning tourists away if the town centre suffers as so often happens in these cases, i.e. if the existing attractions are compromised.
Hope this clarifies.

Well, I think it will bring in tourists..

When it’s built I’ll head down anyway

@The Denouncer wrote:

Well, I think it will bring in tourists..

When it’s built I’ll head down anyway

You should probably just go to Dundrum ‘Town Centre’ instead. It will save you alot in transport costs, and you could go there now if you wanted 😉

It’s interesting to see how business is done in Wexford.

An aricle from the Wexford Echo from January 2006……………..

AN application to transform the derelict site of the old Wexford Electronix factory into a hotel, shopping centre and apartments will shortly land on the desk of council planners.

Once the voluminous application is submitted it will have to be validated by the council.

@Hercule wrote:

It’s interesting to see how business is done in Wexford.

1500 x 360 = 540,000 euros. Is it a goodwill payment? Or is is a ransom?

By the sounds of things it’s money well spent, if the former Mayor’s comments can be taken as representative. And interestingly, he’s a former worker in the factory, so he can hardly be said to be emotionally detached from proceedings. Makes me wonder, how many other councillors have/had a family connection to the factory?

@ctesiphon wrote:

1500 x 360 = 540,000 euros. Is it a goodwill payment? Or is is a ransom?

By the sounds of things it’s money well spent, if the former Mayor’s comments can be taken as representative. And interestingly, he’s a former worker in the factory, so he can hardly be said to be emotionally detached from proceedings. Makes me wonder, how many other councillors have/had a family connection to the factory?

Well, you got to admit, they have got some brass!! The former Mayor gives more information on this ‘deal’ on his webpage on the Labour party web site.

http://www.labour.ie/davyhynes/issues.html

On his webpage, Cllr Hynes writes……

‘We former employee have at least managed to have the developer of the factory site agree to pay a goodwill gesture of €1400 to every employee (with six months service) with the company, the day we went into receivership.
This deal has been secured after several months of behind the scenes talks which culminated in a meeting between Minister John Brown and the developer Mr. Dermot Mc Phillips, Ms. Breda Fowler, Mr. Peter Hall, myself and Mr. Billy Kyne, Regional Organiser of AMICUS –AEEU. It should also be said that Simon Kirwan of the AEEU and the members of the Harbour Board were very helpful in this matter. Great credit is due the Minister and principally the developer for his gesture and his comments ‘that he had great sympathy with the situation that the workers found themselves in, at the plant in Wexford’.
…much good for Wexford and its people promises to flow, with this major sea front development, with the prospect of providing jobs for up to 500 people. I warmly welcome and am please that the Council voted for rezoning of this historic industrial (but now derelict) site for this purpose’.

From the wexford Echo….

While all the former workers received €600 advance payments, they are all still waiting for the go-ahead for the development before they will receive the second and final payments of €900 each.

‘I’m afraid we won’t get it until he gets his final planning permission… I’m guessing it will be the middle of next year at the earliest,’ said former Mayor, Cllr. Davy Hynes, himself a former worker at Electronix.

That’s how things get done in Wexford.

@Hercule wrote:

I warmly welcome and am please that the Council voted for rezoning of this historic industrial (but now derelict) site for this purpose’.

This bit raises an interesting aspect I hadn’t considered- what buildings are currently on the site?
The mention of ‘historic industial’ reminds me of another Wexford case- a 4-storey grain store on Paul Quay. DAHGI (as was) objected to its demolition in 1999/2000, even though it wasn’t a Protected Structure. ABP said its demolition didn’t constitute development. Technically correct, but only because the LA was too inept to know the value of its heritage until it was too late. And so it goes…

Why do I get the feeling that this new scheme’s fate was decided long before any plans were submitted?

@ctesiphon wrote:

This bit raises an interesting aspect I hadn’t considered- what buildings are currently on the site?
The mention of ‘historic industial’ reminds me of another Wexford case- a 4-storey grain store on Paul Quay. DAHGI (as was) objected to its demolition in 1999/2000, even though it wasn’t a Protected Structure. ABP said its demolition didn’t constitute development. Technically correct, but only because the LA was too inept to know the value of its heritage until it was too late. And so it goes…

Why do I get the feeling that this new scheme’s fate was decided long before any plans were submitted?

What currently is there right now is a demolished building (burned down) formally known as Wexford Electronics, locally known as Smiths. This building is situated by the river, infront of this building is the old Cash and Carry, big red and orange building, looks like a warehouse.

Hi, first post of another Wexford resident. Very interesting discussion about this project.

I believe access to the site will be over the railway via the old cash and carry building site, which in turn is to be transormed into an apartment building. This is to avoid the inevitable lengthy negotiations with IE about crossing the railway, as happened with the Paul Quay car park opposite the Talbot Hotel.

In that case the car park was empty for some years while IE demanded a multi-million Euro insurance cover in case of accidents. In the event, the deal is that the car park can only be all-day parking, must close by 6pm and there has to be constant supervision at the gates, even though only about four trains pass by during its opening hours.

As regards the development itself, I feel it is too big and will mean a loss of the view down to Rosslare Strand from the quayfront. Otherwise, I’m all in favour of developing what has been described as wasteland.

@Hack wrote:

Hi, first post of another Wexford resident. Very interesting discussion about this project.

I believe access to the site will be over the railway via the old cash and carry building site, which in turn is to be transormed into an apartment building. This is to avoid the inevitable lengthy negotiations with IE about crossing the railway, as happened with the Paul Quay car park opposite the Talbot Hotel.

In that case the car park was empty for some years while IE demanded a multi-million Euro insurance cover in case of accidents. In the event, the deal is that the car park can only be all-day parking, must close by 6pm and there has to be constant supervision at the gates, even though only about four trains pass by during its opening hours.

As regards the development itself, I feel it is too big and will mean a loss of the view down to Rosslare Strand from the quayfront. Otherwise, I’m all in favour of developing what has been described as wasteland.

I didnt even think you could see the Strand from the Quay, I knew you could sort of make out Rosslare Europort/Harbour. Its not as impressive looking as the Curracloe view from the quay tho.

The Burrow spit is visible from first floor windows with the ferryport beyond..

I didnt really want to creat a new thread for this, but i thought some people might be interested.

Seven-screen cinema plan for Drinagh

A Wexford developer has applied to the County Council for planning permission to build a new 7-screen cinema on the Rosslare Road at Drinagh.

The cinema, costing six and a half million Euro, will have seating capacity for 1,346 people plus a large entrance foyer and shop with free car parking on site.

The project is being developed by Tom Donnelly of Omniplex Holdings Ltd. and will replace the existing 3-screen cinema at Redmond Road which is run by Ward Anderson

Now this sounds fantastic! The current cinema is a state!

Now, I heard that Trinity Wharf was to have a cinema too, which is a good thing because where this new cinema is going, its abit out from town and apparently the exsisting cinema is going to close. So you cant just walk into town anymore and go and catch a flick. So if i heard right and TW does include a cinema, it would just be another plus for the development.

@sfamato wrote:

I didnt really want to creat a new thread for this, but i thought some people might be interested.

Now this sounds fantastic! The current cinema is a state!

Now, I heard that Trinity Wharf was to have a cinema too, which is a good thing because where this new cinema is going, its abit out from town and apparently the exsisting cinema is going to close. So you cant just walk into town anymore and go and catch a flick. So if i heard right and TW does include a cinema, it would just be another plus for the development.

There are no pluses for this enormous Wexford Harbour Trinity Wharf development and you have just pointed out yet another minus.

If the proposed 7 screen cinema gets the go ahead in Drinagh then the last thing Wexford needs is yet another new cinema in the proposed Trinity Wharf development. It would not be sustainable.

There has been a huge world wide slump in cinema ticket sales in the last two yearts. It would now appear, given the huge growth in DVDs and Home Cinema sales, that people now prefer to watch movies at home.

@Hercule wrote:

There are no pluses for this enormous Wexford Harbour Trinity Wharf development and you have just pointed out yet another minus.

If the proposed 7 screen cinema gets the go ahead in Drinagh then the last thing Wexford needs is yet another new cinema in the proposed Trinity Wharf development. It would not be sustainable.

There has been a huge world wide slump in cinema ticket sales in the last two yearts. It would now appear, given the huge growth in DVDs and Home Cinema sales, that people now prefer to watch movies at home.

I only heard there was one planned for the development, but seeing as theres an even bigger one being built, I dont think that it will go ahead.

Out of interest, what do you think should go on the development? A football pitch?

Possibly leaving the foreshore intact

@sfamato wrote:

I only heard there was one planned for the development, but seeing as theres an even bigger one being built, I dont think that it will go ahead.

Out of interest, what do you think should go on the development? A football pitch?

Well, you must ask the question…….what does Wexford town currently lack and what would be a suitable development to take place on the site.

A public park incorporatiing youth recreational and sporting facilities would benefit the town.

Has anyone got a better idea?

Shelve the application and get WUDC to appoint someone like Buchanan & Partners or WS Atkins to draw up a masterplan along the lines of an SDZ

@Hercule wrote:

Well, you must ask the question…….what does Wexford town currently lack and what would be a suitable development to take place on the site.

A public park incorporatiing youth recreational and sporting facilities would benefit the town.

Like Redmond Park?