Fears new €180m Wexford hotel will cause local sewerage plant to exceed its capacity

By Simon Bourke, Wexford People

It may promise to boost employment in Wexford and provide the south-east with a year-round tourist attraction, but not everybody is enamoured with the prospect of a new €180m hotel being built in Kilmore Quay.

Announced in May, the hotel will comprise of 163 rooms, 42 family suites, 55 lodges, a leisure centre with a gym and swimming pools, a playground, café, and a restaurant.

Currently in the planning stage, the hotel is expected to employ 120-200 people directly and approximately 100 people indirectly when fully operational.

However, some of those living locally have concerns regarding its impact on the area’s infrastructure.

“There are concerns about whether the sewerage plant in Nemestown can cater for the additional number of people coming to the area,” said Councillor Jim Codd at the September meeting of the Rosslare Municipal District (RMD). “Also, there are fears it will stop developers from building more houses there, we can’t allow this to in any way stunt development there.”

Cllr Ger Carthy said, that to the best of his knowledge, the developer of the hotel would assume responsibility for any impact on existing infrastructures.

“Any expansion of the plant would be at the cost of those responsible for the proposed development,” he noted.

“We need to assure the people of Kilmore Quay of that,” replied Cllr Codd.

With the hotel’s development still subject to planning permission being approved by Wexford County Council (WCC), Cllr Carthy placed his trust in the hands of those making the final decisions.

The hotel exterior with its sea views.

"I believe our planning department will practise due diligence with regards to that application,” he advised.

In May, the ambitions plans for the hotel were unveiled in the Stella Maris Centre in Kilmore Quay by local developer Rob Roche who outlined the range of features set to be included in the project.

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.

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“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,” said Mr Roche.

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.