Waterways Ireland holds significant property assets extending along the 1000 km waterways network however, the appropriateness and scale of their potential for Glamping and or Motorhome site development has not been comprehensively assessed, yet market demand for such sites is reported to be high.  

The provision of Glamping and or Motorhome infrastructure along the inland waterways offers the potential to attract increased and diverse users to the waterways environment to experience both on-water and off-water recreational activities, including walking and cycling along our Greenway and Blueway routes.

The purpose of the commissioned Feasibility Study is to inform Waterways Ireland’s future decisions on investing in or supporting Glamping and Motorhome development throughout the navigational network, and additionally in relation to future investment in public EV Charging Infrastructure.  It is intended that insights drawn from the Feasibility Study will ultimately enable Waterways Ireland to deliver the following outputs, subject to the report findings and recommendations, and any required approvals/consents being obtained: -

(a) Enable strategic and budgetary decisions to be taken on investing in or supporting Glamping and or Motorhome development and their operations at key opportunity sites.

(b) Enable strategic and budgetary decisions to be taken on investing in public EV Charging Infrastructure at key opportunity sites.

(c) Establish partnerships and commitments with relevant agencies including local authorities to achieve project delivery at prioritized sites. 

(d) Deliver required pre-development works at prioritized sites subject to budgetary allocation. These works may include: (i) Preliminary and Detailed Design (ii) Securing Planning permission.

(e) Deliver required capital development works at prioritized sites subject to budgetary allocation. 

The appointed contractor will be required to assess 30-50 sites across Northern Ireland and Ireland.