Plans to explore potential for new hotel in Abbey Quarter in Kilkenny

There are plans to explore the potential for a new hotel in Kilkenny City’s historic Abbey Quarter.

Upcoming discussions are planned between interested stakeholders to assess the feasibility of such a development.

That was one of many updates issued to elected members in relation to the Abbey Quarter at this month’s plenary meeting of Kilkenny County Council.

It is understood that these talks will be purely exploratory, with no concrete details on any potential hotel development established yet.

Development Director with Kilkenny Abbey Quarter Development Partnership (KAQDP), Tony Lauhoff, said that such a development ‘is provided for within the Abbey Quarter Masterplan’.

“We intend in the coming weeks to appoint a property agent to look at how this can be advanced,” he added.

Mr Lauhoff further clarified that any possible future disposal of a plot of land by the KAQDP would be put before elected members for their consideration.

Other Buildings
Mr Lauhoff also informed the meeting that it is planned to use the engineering block that the local authority is acquiring from Diageo in the Abbey Quarter ‘as a landing space for businesses looking to set up in Kilkenny’.

“They can set up there prior to the construction of a purpose-built building,” he said.

It was also revealed at the meeting that construction costs for ‘Building 7’, currently awaiting a decision from An Bord Pleanála, have escalated due to delays.

Parking
The issue of parking on the Abbey Quarter site is set to be reviewed through the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) process.

During the meeting, many councillors highlighted a need for parking, especially disability and older persons parking, to be provided to access the new Mayfair Library.

Mr Lauhoff informed councillors that ‘there is a level of parking beside The Watergate’ and that ‘more spaces are planned’.

“Whether that will meet demand will await review,” he added.

It was also noted that the parking spaces currently on the site, accessible via St Francis Bridge and currently being used by Abbey Quarter employees, cannot be used for private parking, due to an An Bord Pleanála condition.

Further Updates
The tender package for the Abbey Quarter Urban Park and Street is due to be issued later this week, with a view to commencing its construction in October.

The tender package for the planned new boardwalk to link the Abbey Quarter to the Nore Linear Walk is due to be issued in Q1 of 2025, with archaeological works on the site to be advanced this year.