By Ryan Sands
The council is being given “time and space” to develop a proposal for relocating the Mourne Mountains Gateway Project to Rostrevor. This was confirmed by the Department for the Economy (DfE) in the wake of the local authority’s surprise announcement last Wednesday (28 May) that it is “actively exploring” moving the £44m scheme – originally planned for Slieve Donard – to Kilbroney Park.
The project had apparently collapsed after the National Trust confirmed on 1 May that it would not be providing a lease to facilitate gondolas travelling from Donard Park to a visitor centre on its Thomas’s Quarry site. However, it has now been resurrected, albeit at a potential new home, with the council confirming that it is “actively working with all partners to secure the £30m Belfast Region City Deal (BRCD) investment” in the district.
DfE was contacted and asked when it was first informed of the Kilbroney Park proposal. “Following the National Trust’s decision not to provide a lease for the project, the department met with representatives from Newry, Mourne and Down District Council and the BRCD on 9 May, during which the council mentioned a number of possible alternative project ideas that had been suggested, one of which was the possibility of a gondola project at Kilbroney Forest Park in Rostrevor,” a DfE spokesperson said. “The department was informed that the project the council wished to actively explore was the project at Kilbroney Forest Park.”
He also confirmed that the department has “not had sight of a business case,” adding that “the BRCD partners have agreed to afford council time and space to develop a new proposal.” On costings for the rejigged proposal, the spokesperson stated: “The department is not sighted on any detail regarding the cost of the new proposal. However, the overall departmental contribution will not increase.”
Given the amount of funding at stake and budgetary pressures other BRCD projects may be facing, DfE was asked if there are any deadlines in place that the council must meet in the near future that will determine if the Rostrevor alternative will be pursued further. The spokesperson replied: “In the first instance, it will be for the BRCD partners to propose an alternative use of the funding allocated for the Mourne Mountains Gateway Project. The BRCD partners have agreed to afford council time and space to develop a new proposal.”
Last month, DfE told the Mourne Observer that it had “provided grant funding of £0.5m of project costs to support the council to explore the viability of the project” pertaining to Newcastle. Last week’s local authority statement said that, having considered project options submitted to it “against the BRCD aims and objectives,” it is now “actively exploring a proposal to deliver the Mourne Mountains Gateway project in Kilbroney Forest Park” with “the full agreement of its BRCD partners.”
The initiative is supported by the Warrenpoint, Burren and Rostrevor Chamber of Commerce, who described it as “a game-changer for tourism in the region – with the imminent opening of the Narrow Water Bridge, this would create a compelling tourism offering in the district, while also encouraging visitors to continue their journeys into the heart of the Mournes and beyond.”
The council statement added that environmental sensitivity will continue to be a core principle of the proposal. “The cable car route is yet to be determined, but it will not pass through the ancient oak woodland, and development would be carried out in a sustainable manner that protects the park’s natural assets,” it continued.
“Crucially, the project would be designed to promote accessibility, allowing people of all abilities to experience the breathtaking landscapes and biodiversity of the area. Building on UNESCO Global Geopark status, it will spotlight the rich history and geological uniqueness of the Mourne Mountains, enhancing appreciation and stewardship of this treasured environment. Importantly, the facility will reinvest in the protection, maintenance and enhancement of Kilbroney Forest Park for future generations.”
A council spokesperson said that it is looking forward to “working closely with community stakeholders, environmental experts, BRCD and tourism partners to develop the Kilbroney Park proposal to ensure it reflects the shared ambition for a vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable future.”
“Retention of the funding requires the agreement of all BRCD partners, and any proposal must meet the BRCD objectives to enhance the attractiveness of Northern Ireland as a world-class visitor destination,” they added. “This requires investment in projects of sufficient scale and nature, which are capable of attracting visitors from outside Northern Ireland to the region and encouraging visitors to stay longer and spend more. The investment must deliver significant economic, social and environmental benefits around the region, so that communities in all parts of Northern Ireland benefit all year round.”
In 2013, the South East Coast Masterplan – commissioned by Down District Council and the Department of Social Development – described Newcastle as “the recognised eastern ‘Gateway to the Mournes’” and stated that a “proposed Donard gondola, as a premier visitor attraction for both the Mournes and the South East Coast, will allow all visitors to be able to experience and enjoy the Mourne Mountains from Newcastle.”
The BRCD was officially signed in December 2021, unlocking “£1bn of transformative co-investment that will deliver more than 20 highly ambitious projects and programmes” – including the Mourne Mountains Gateway Project – to “boost tourism by creating world-class visitor experiences and enable regeneration.” BRCD partners comprise Belfast City Council, five partner councils (including Newry, Mourne and Down District Council), two universities and four of the region’s further education colleges.
In March 2023, the council revealed concept design images and video of the proposed Thomas’s Quarry visitor centre and gondola. A BRCD statement at that point said that “an iconic visitor centre with international appeal will allow visitors of all ages and abilities travelling by gondola lift to access breathtaking views in the heart of the Mourne Mountains.”
In early 2024, the council agreed to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the National Trust, which set out how both parties “would communicate and engage on the Mourne Mountains Gateway Project.” However, in April, the conservation charity suspended engagement with the local authority and said that it has “consistently stated the need for robust and comprehensive environmental assessments” and that, until these were received, its involvement in discussions had ceased.
Within weeks, the National Trust confirmed that it “will not be considering a lease at Thomas’s Quarry” and stressed that it had “consistently expressed our serious concerns about the potential environmental impact of this proposed project as far back as eight years ago.”
There is six pages of coverage of the new developments in the gondola projects story in the Mourne Observer.
Buy the paper now in all good newsagents.
