Council may have to ‘start from scratch’ with Kilbroney gondola plans

It now appears that a Council plan to move the so-called Gondola from Newcastle to Rostrevor may have to “start from scratch” despite claims councillors were told the project would only need to be “modified”.

Tourism NI is a key stakeholder in the £44m project with Newry, Mourne and Down District Council (NMDDC) scrambling to hold onto £30m in Belfast Region City Deal (BRCD) money after the plan to site the Gondola in Newcastle was scrapped.

The Council announced on May 28 that it is working to re-locate the Mourne Mountain Gateway project to the other side of the Mournes in the village of Rostrevor. The move came after landowners the National Trust withdrew co-operation from the project.

NMDDC is understood to be keen to retain the BRCD money by ensuring the project goes ahead, albeit in another location. But concerns have now been raised that the planned re-location may not be straightforward.

A spokesperson for Tourism NI said: “Tourism NI is not in receipt of an alternative proposal to the Mourne Mountain Gateway Project (MMGP) at this time.

“[NMDDC] is aware that any alternative proposal to the Mourne Mountain Gateway project will be considered a new project and will require a new outline business case (OBC) to be submitted as part of the City and Growth Deals process.”

Tourism NI’s role is that of Investment Decision Maker (IDM) on behalf of the Department for the Economy (DfE), for tourism proposals within the City and Growth Deals Programme.

The council is relying on keeping £30m from the BRCD which had been awarded to the Mourne Gateway project.

However, landowners the National Trust pulled out of the project in May over environmental concerns leaving the local authority scrambling emergency meetings to present a new proposal to BRCD in order to retain the cash.

A council spokesperson said: “Newry, Mourne and Down District Council issued a statement on 28 May to the media in relation to this matter, we continue to work through the details with our partners and are not in position to provide any further comment at this time.”

It has now been alleged that the local authority had advised councillors of NMDDC that the Kilbroney proposal could be partly transferred from the Mourne Gateway project.

Mournes Alliance rep, Jill Truesdale said: “Despite being assured at the first meeting (May 28) we were made aware of the proposal to move the gondola site to Kilbroney, that the original business case for the Newcastle gondola could be modified rather than having to start from scratch, to now find out from Tourism NI that this isn’t the case is incredibly concerning.

“At every point in the progression of this project Alliance has been calling for more openness and transparency, for both elected representatives and our ratepayers, with regards to the large sums of public money involved in this project and the significant impact it would have on those living around it and the natural environment.

“That we’re seeing such issues persist even at this point is not reassuring and we will continue speaking up in the interests of residents right across the district.”