CONSULTANTS tasked with delivering the Mourne Mountains Gateway Project have now been appointed.
In April, the council agreed to approve the appointment of an integrated consultancy team (ICT) to progress the £44m scheme – £30m of which is being funded by the Belfast Region City Deal (BRCD) and £14m by the local authority – and, in a statement issued on Monday, it was revealed that this staging post has now been reached.
“An ICT has been appointed to deliver the Mourne Mountains Gateway Project visitor experience in Newcastle, following confirmation of a £30m BRCD contract for funding by the Department for the Economy (DfE),” the council statement read.
“The Belfast office of global engineering consultancy Arup will lead the highly experienced project team, along with TODD Architects, Gleeds and Tandem Design.
“The £44m Mourne Mountains Gateway Project will comprise a visitor centre at the Thomas Quarry site in the Mourne Mountains, and a gondola experience, which will improve accessibility by allowing users to travel sustainably and efficiently from Donard Park to the visitor centre.”
It added that the council-led project will “deliver a world-class international visitor attraction, while developing sustainable travel infrastructure to connect residents and visitors to the Mourne Mountains”.
Welcoming the ICT appointment, council chair Pete Byrne said that the visitor experience would “give residents and visitors the opportunity to connect with the natural beauty of the Mourne Mountains in an accessible and sustainable way”.
“By protecting and enhancing the natural heritage of the region, we can create a sustainable, year-round tourism offering, which will help promote the growth of tourism in Newry, Mourne and Down, and Northern Ireland generally,” he stated.
“We believe the Mourne Mountains Gateway Project can position the district as one of the premier tourist destinations across the island of Ireland, and we are delighted to announce the appointment of an expert consultancy team led by Arup.”
Ciaran McGarrity, DfE City Deals and Place director, said that the department had worked closely with the council to achieve the confirmation of the £30m BRCD funding, which he described as “a huge investment into tourism for the region”.
“The appointment of an ICT is another significant marker for this project,” he added.
David Algie, Arup director and head of the firm’s Belfast office, stated that they are “thrilled to collaborate with Newry, Mourne and Down District Council on this landmark tourism project”, and that they have “appointed a best-in-class ICT”.
“Our combined wealth of knowledge and expertise will help deliver an inclusive, world-class project that respects and complements the natural beauty of the Mourne Mountains,” he said.
“We will adopt a highly sustainable approach to the design and delivery of this project, ensuring that we thoughtfully manage environmental sensitivities.
“The design purpose will promote nature-based solutions and will embed regenerative and circular economy principles that will help deliver long-term social and economic benefits to Newcastle and the wider district.”
John McGrillen, Tourism NI chief executive, stated that the body is “pleased to see the Mourne Mountains Gateway Project reach this important milestone”.
“The project will provide another must-see tourism offering for Northern Ireland and act as an anchor attraction for visitors who can then go on to explore the wider area,” he added.
“With the funding contract now in place, we look forward to working closely with Newry, Mourne and Down District Council and partner organisations to further develop this ambitious project.”
An indicative timeframe for the project was revealed at a council media briefing in March 2023.
It anticipated that a design team would be appointed later in 2023 and that planning approval would be in place by 2026.
It also projected that construction would be completed by the first quarter of 2029 and that the attraction would go into operation later that year.
The project’s business case estimates that it will create £5.7m in annual GVA (gross value added) by 2030, and that it would attract 365,000 visitors annually after its fifth year.
In council, Alliance representatives have consistently voiced their opposition to the gondola element of the project.
In recent weeks, concerns about the “financial viability” of the project were raised by the Mourne Gateway Info Group.
The local group, which was formed last year, said that detailed scientific information it had obtained showed that wind gusts at the quarry would “frequently force” the gondola to shut down
