Works are currently progressing well for County Waterford's landmark North Quays project.

At a recent council meeting, Michael Quinn, Director of Economic Development, Waterford City and County Council, outlined that works are continuing in Ferrybank with the realigned Abbey Road and Dock Road due to be complete in July and October 2025, respectively.

Additionally, the transport hub is also positively progressing, with mechanical and electrical installation, platforms and landscaping ongoing.  Works to the platforms and rail track are continuing and the internal building fit out and external public entrance plaza at Dock Road will commence in the coming months. The transport hub is expected to be fully complete by Q2 2026 with final commissioning and opening by Irish Rail in early 2027.

The steel deck superstructure for the sustainable transport bridge, fabricated and fitted out at Victor Buyck Steel Construction's production plant in Ghent, Belgium, is due to be delivered by the end of May. The 207m bridge will be transported in four sections by sea-going barges from Ghent, via the Ghent–Terneuzen Canal, English Channel and Irish Sea to Belview Port and ultimately to the Waterford North Quays site. The delivery schedule is subject to final inspections as well as weather and sea conditions.

Once transported to Waterford, the rigging, lifting and installation procedures for the bridge will take around a week to complete. The bascule leaves for the opening central span will be tested and put into operation and finishing works, which include lighting, street furniture, and parapets, will commence once the bridge is installed and checked. The fast-tracking of integration works as part of construction of the Strategic Development Zone (SDZ) will facilitate the opening of the bridge to the public in Q4 2026.  Details of a bridge naming public consultation will be announced shortly.

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The public infrastructure project is being developed ahead of the private SDZ development and the built interface between the two developments must be fully integrated and compatible. The planning, design and construction of the public infrastructure project has therefore needed to be responsive to evolving progress and proposals for the private development in order to ensure proper management of the overall North Quays project and to de-risk the overall project in terms of cost and programme.

In April, Waterford City and County Council granted planning permission to Harcourt Developments (t/a Hopcast Limited) for the development of the first phase of the North Quays SDZ.

The mixed-use development will include significant residential accommodation, as well as office and hotel accommodation, retail offerings and high-quality public realm spaces consisting of:

• 350 residential units;

• Office accommodation including ground floor creche & retail;

• 160-bedroom hotel and conference centre;

• 163-room aparthotel;

• Retail units on ground floor of residential blocks;

• High quality public realm spaces to include public plazas, riverside boardwalk and greenway.

The SDZ development places a significant emphasis on connecting the north and south quays and improving the public realm through investment in new high quality civic spaces. The direct benefit to Waterford of the investment in the SDZ Site is anticipated to be in excess of €350m over the next six years, with 200 people employed during construction and upwards of 1,500 jobs to be created following completion of phase one of the development.

Drone footage of North Quays Public Infrastructure Project can be viewed here. 

Photo credit: Douglas Wallace.