Gondola project not given approval from National Trust
After months of public reticence, the National Trust has made a final decision on the Gondola project that was proposed for the Mournes… as the responsible landowner, it has given a thumbs down to approval.
This throws this aspect of the Belfast City Deal Mourne’s initiative into confusion and Newry Mourne and Down District Council will now need to go back to the drawing board and see what can be salvaged from the project in alternative designs.
The gondola project was expected to cost around £50 with central government paying £30 million and the Council paying £14 million.
The Full National Trust Statement
A spokesperson for the National Trust said regarding the proposed Mourne Mountains Gateway Project and Thomas’s Quarry, that: “As a conservation charity and a key guardian of the Mournes, the National Trust is responsible for parts of the Eastern Mournes Special Area of Conservation including Slieve Donard (Northern Ireland’s highest mountain) which includes Thomas’s Quarry – the proposed upper gondola station and visitor centre site.
“We have engaged in goodwill with Newry Mourne and Down District Council on its proposal to build a gondola which would take visitors almost a third of the way up Donard Mountain.
“We have consistently expressed our serious concerns about the potential environmental impact of this proposed project as far back as eight years ago and encouraged other options to be considered. We have never endorsed the project and have not been a partner in its development.
“A key responsibility of the National Trust is to restore nature in the Mournes, whilst balancing safe and sustainable access for people.
“Since 2021 our dedicated local team has been funded to put in place nature recovery measures following a substantial fire in the Eastern Mournes which reached the quarry site.
“It is important to the National Trust that its review of any development proposal is evidence-led.
“Therefore, we have engaged extensively with the Council and a wide range of stakeholders on this matter.
“Following assessment of the information available to us, including completion of environmental survey work set out in our recent ‘Donard Nature Recovery Report’ and other considerations such as use of public funds and community feedback, the National Trust believes that the proposed gondola project and visitor centre would risk placing additional pressures on already degraded upland habitats.
“With the known existing recreational and other pressures on the protected areas, as a conservation charity we cannot support a project of this scale that would be inviting substantial visitor numbers into fragile and threatened areas of the Mournes landscape and therefore we will not be considering a lease at Thomas’s Quarry.
“Our recent report looks at the condition and recovery of National Trust land in the Eastern Mournes and makes clear that these fragile habitats are not in favourable condition.
“Recovery of both the habitat and the species in the Special Area of Conservation remains at an early stage but we believe that with continued favourable management habitat condition will improve.
“Over the last two years we have participated in a range of project stakeholder engagement sessions, and we have also been contacted directly by people from across the local community.
“This engagement has confirmed that local people share our concerns about the impact on the environment, the need for a robust assessment of alternative options for access to the Mournes and well-considered use of public funds.
“We have informed Newry, Mourne and Down District Council and the Department for the Economy of our position on this matter and understand that those who have championed the proposed Gondola project as their preferred development option will be disappointed.
“We will continue to work with the Council and others to consider alternative projects with significantly less risk and environmental impact.
“We are firm in our resolve to look after the Mournes for current and future generations and continue working with our partners and the local community to support habitat recovery efforts and the long-term sustainability of this important landscape.”
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Newry Mourne and Down District Council’s Response to the National Trust’s Statement on the Moune Mountains Gateway Project
A spokesperson for Newry Mourne and Down District Council said: “We are disappointed by the National Trust’s decision not to grant the lease for the Mourne Mountains Gateway Project.
“This decision is particularly frustrating as a comprehensive environmental impact assessment is already underway, to consider and address the specific concerns raised by the Trust.
“A key aspect of the Mourne Mountains Gateway Project is the unique opportunity to consider visitor management to the wider Mournes area alongside the specific project location.
“This included proposed controls and interventions that would further enhance, protect and restore the fragile environment.
“The project – featuring a gondola from Donard Park to a new centre at Thomas’s Mountain – had tremendous potential to revitalise our region creating significant employment and attracting up to 365,000 yearly visitors by 2029.
“The National Trust’s decision not to grant a lease result in a huge project economic loss for the area, undermining a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Newcastle and the surrounding region.
“We understand that this will be devastating for the local area which is dependent on a rural economy.
“Many locals welcomed the project to further bolster Newcastle and the Mournes as a global tourist attraction.
“We are currently engaging with the Department for the Economy and the Belfast Region City Deal (BRCD) partners to consider next steps.
“We continue to advocate for sustainable development that balances conservation with the vital economic needs of our local communities.”
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