By Ryan Sands
Any alternative to the Mourne Mountains Gateway Project must be demonstrated to be deliverable by 2031 if the £30 million in funding is to be retained within the district. This was confirmed by the Department for the Economy (DfE) following a statement last week from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) that its minister, Andrew Muir, would not support a local authority proposal to relocate the controversial gondola project to Rostrevor’s Kilbroney Park.
On 28 May, the council revealed that—after the National Trust had refused to provide a lease for Thomas’s Quarry on Slieve Donard—it was “actively exploring a proposal” to deliver the project in Kilbroney Forest Park. Belfast Region City Deal (BRCD) funding totalling £30 million has been secured for the project, which was originally estimated to cost £44 million at its proposed Newcastle location.
As far back as December 2018, the council appointed a consultancy team to begin design work on the Mourne Mountains Gateway Project. A timeline outlined in March 2023 envisioned the Slieve Donard gondola being operational by 2029.
In light of last week’s ministerial statement, the Mourne Observer contacted DfE to enquire whether the BRCD funding can still be reallocated within the district and if there is a point at which it might be withdrawn. A DfE spokesperson said: “It will be for the BRCD partners to propose an alternative use of the funding allocated for the Mourne Mountains Gateway Project. Any proposal will also require the agreement of DfE and the NI Executive. The BRCD partners have agreed to afford Newry, Mourne and Down District Council time and space to develop a new proposal. However, the deal that was signed in December 2021 aims to deliver a 10-year programme of investment, and it is the expectation of the BRCD partners that any alternative option can demonstrate deliverability within that timeframe.”
When contacted for comment, the council stated it “remains committed to securing the £30m BRCD investment for the district and is actively exploring options with our partners in BRCD, Tourism NI and DfE.” The statement continued: “Retention of the BRCD 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. 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.”
The council also highlighted that in developing its Mourne Mountains Gateway Project proposals, it had worked under separate memorandums of understanding with Forest Service (DAERA) and the National Trust. “An update on project costs to date will be provided to a council committee in the near future,” the statement concluded. “To secure the retention of BRCD funding, the council is continuing to work through the detail with its partners and further updates will be provided in the coming weeks.”
The council was asked whether it believes the concept of developing a gondola in the district is now effectively dead and whether it has suffered reputational damage following the latest setback, though these questions weren’t directly addressed in the response.
On Tuesday, 29 July, a DAERA statement said Minister Muir “greatly values Rostrevor Forest and its role within the wider landscape context, with many important and significant environmental designations both within Rostrevor Forest and the Mourne Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.” It continued: “Minister Muir has serious concerns about the potential impact the project would have on environmentally sensitive areas, existing woodlands, ancient trees, wildlife habitats, biodiversity, and the aesthetic and social value of the local landscape. Given these concerns, the department is not in a position to support the council’s proposal for the project to be constructed at Rostrevor Forest, and Forest Service has accordingly conveyed this position to the council. Minister Muir greatly values the work undertaken to date by Newry, Mourne and Down District Council in partnership with Forest Service, and he wishes to see such collaboration continue. Indeed, he is aware of the significant recreational development work ongoing at Castlewellan Forest Park and welcomes the council’s exploration of the potential to add a Treetop Walkway facility at the forest park.”
DAERA was also asked to comment on concerns raised at the council’s Audit Committee regarding how Minister Muir had made his decision, given that no defined route for a gondola had been agreed. The department responded: “The department would refute any suggestion that the minister’s response to the council’s proposal for the gondola project in Rostrevor was not fully considered. The minister first became aware of the project after the council issued a press release on 28 May. He visited Kilbroney Forest on 18 June with officials from Forest Service and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency to see the site and discuss the idea before taking time to consider his decision.”
DAERA also confirmed that it had advised council officials on 29 July of the minister’s “considered decision” and that it and Forest Service are “always content to meet Newry, Mourne and Down District Council officials to discuss this and other issues.”
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