The integrated resort will comprise of 163 rooms, 42 family suites, 55 lodges, a leisure centre with a gym and swimming pools, a 5-star spa, outdoor paddle courts, mini-golf, a playground, café, restaurant, and pedestrian friendly cycling and walking routes around the development.
Mr Roche said “several 5-star resort hotel operators” have already expressed an interest in running the resort which will take approximately three years to build once it has received planning permission.
“We are finally now in a position to proceed with a planning application for this long-awaited resort,” said Mr Roche. “From tourism research and reporting conducted, it is an optimum time for this unique location. It will be managed by a single entity controlling all the resort features which include the hotel self-catering lodges, the farmstead, and leisure facilities.”
The project has been designed by an team of consultants led by Stephen Carr Architects. It proposes to support sustainable tourism and includes extensive areas of biodiversity landscaping within the development. It is designed to encourage longer-term stays, and aims to provide “year-round economic benefits to the local community”.
Designed to “complement and not compete” with Kilmore Quay businesses, the resort will tackle known seasonal issues currently existing in Kilmore Quay, bringing “sustainable employment opportunities” for the community by attracting visitors throughout the year.
The hotel exterior with its sea views.
“This is a transformative opportunity for Kilmore Quay,” continued Mr Roche, “the vision is to create a resort that not only offers world-class hospitality but is poised to become a flagship destination for Ireland’s luxury tourism market, greatly enhancing the local economy and celebrating the character of the region.”
Mr Roche confirmed he is proceeding with the planning application in the knowledge he will need to contribute to the capital cost to upgrade the wastewater treatment plant in the area.
“This planning permission was granted to Uisce Éireann, and the plant can be extended once there is a requirement for capacity. They have constructed phase one, which involved the major components of the new treatment plant including the pumped rising main in the public road. As the site is adjacent to the treatment plant, we can connect directly without carrying out works in the public realm.”
Mr Roche, who has previously been involved in “numerous housing developments” in Ireland and abroad and “large-scale renewable energy projects” in Ireland and Poland, said there are “several funding options” available for the resort project which is estimated to have a construction cost in the region of €180m.
The hotel will include a lodge area for longer stays.
“Given its location and site topography on the edge of the village the resort does not impact on the unique historic village centre and allows Kilmore Quay to continue to grow organically,” he said.
When operational, it is expected to employ between 120-200 people directly and approximately 100 people indirectly. The construction phase is expected to take three years and a planning application is expected to be lodged with Wexford County Council in June 2025 following the public information event held in Kilmore Quay last Friday, May 2.
Local membership will be available at the leisure centre, with a 20m pool, gym, spa with outdoor plunge pool overlooking the sea.
A coastal erosion assessment has been carried out by an engineer on the design team who said “there is no evidence to suggest that the development will be at risk of coastal erosion” due to the “high bedrock along the development shoreline, which can be seen at low-tide and additional protection from Kilmore Quay Harbour and St. Patrick’s Bridge”.
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