Delamont Viking Village Decision Deferred

The contentious item on the full Council agenda ran into difficulties when a number of councillors preferred the business to be discussed privately in committee, the issue having been previously processed in committee away from the public eye and press scrutiny. [caption id="attachment_27240" align="alignleft" width="400" caption="Opponents to the Magnus Vikings proposal to build a Viking village on the Strangford Lough shore area pictured at Delamont Park."][/caption] However, Green Party Councillor Cadogan Enright emphasised that the matter should be discussed openly and Sinn Féin’s Councillor Mickey Coogan also asked, “Why is this being discussed in private?” Council Chief Executive John Dumigan advised that the business information of the applicant should not be discussed in public. But after a difficult discussion with Councillor Billy Walker preferring the Viking proposal being referred back to the Policy and Resources Committee,  a vote was taken. It went 9 for and 11 against the motion that the matter be discussed in private. The motion fell. When the motion crashed, three SDLP Councillors, Eamonn O’Neill, Peter Craid and John Doris left the Chamber in protest. Cllr O’Neill said just before he left, “This is a breaking of normal procedures and our party’s reputation may be challenged by this decision. ” The temperature in the Chamber rose as there were calls from Cllr Eamonn Mac Mon Midhe to “settle it now” and Cllr Billy Walker to refer it back to the Policy and Resources  Committee. A vote was then taken and the meeting decided to defer the matter to the next meeting. Speaking after the debate Cllr Enright clarified, “The issue we are faced with is that the business case is being treated as confidential and we cannot discuss the matter which is already in the public domain. We need to be open and honest in this discussion. Now we have the opportunity for the opposition to the Viking village to present their case to the Council. The National Trust also needs to be invited along to this presentation.” [caption id="attachment_27241" align="alignright" width="400" caption="Concerned about the Magnus Vikings proposal to build a project near the shoreline are a group of protesters outside Down District Council offices. Included are Councillors Patrick Clarke, Billy Walker, Cadogan Enright and South Dowm MLA Jim Wells."][/caption] Killyleagh environmental campaigner Mike Mann also speaking just after the meeting said, “We should be able to see the business case and information. The project does not have any business opposition so it is not really compromising the Magnus  Vikings. There are a number of issues that need to be explained such as the sewage system… what if something went wrong with this? Who pays? We are just not opposed to the Viking village as such. The location proposed on the shores of Strangford Lough is quite unsuitable.” Viking Chairman Speaks Out Speaking to Down News on Monday, Magnus Vikings Chairman Philip Campbell said, “The business case is really nothing to do with members of the public. This is our sensitive private information. This should not go into the public domain. And matters such as the sewage system have already been discussed with planners and they are satisfied. “It is now a matter for Council officials to brief the Councillors on the project properly and sufficiently.We really do not have any hidden agendas. Our project is simply designed to benefit education and tourism.” Wells Voices Oppostiion Former Down District Councillor Jim Wells MLA who attended the Council meeting commented to Down News saying that there may be a parallel with the development of the  Magnus Barelegs Delamont proposal and the case of the St Patrick Centre. He said that in 1998 a business plan was submitted in support of the proposed St Patrick’s Centre in Downpatrick and that subsequently the Coucil has been left to support it financially. Mr Wells said, “The St Patrick’s Centre never came close to the visitor projections in the plan. The losses mounted and the annual Council subsidy, far from being no longer required, now stands at £150,000. “The Council Officer team has now recommended the granting a 25 year lease for the Viking Centre site. “If their assessment is again wrong the ratepayers will be forced to take over the running of loss making facility. It is worth noting that the terms of the lease actually makes provision for the failure of the project – there is a clause which states that if the Viking Centre becomes insolvent the buildings will become the property of the Council. “The Navan Centre, Knightrider, Shanes Castle Railway, and the Ulster American History Park are just a few of the visitor attractions in Northern Ireland which have been closed due to financial problems. I believe that the proposed Viking Centre could eventually join this list.” Mr Wells further said that the business plan which is the crucial document in this decision was allegedly withheld from Councillors until a few hours before the meeting where the granting of the lease was due to be discussed. He said objectors, including local residents were denied any opportunity to see it. “The proposers of this ill-considered project hid behind the ‘commercial confidentiality’ to prevent scrutiny of their plan. This argument is nonsense. There are no other groups remotely interested in building a rival Viking centre in Northern Ireland. It is also worth pointing out that there is only one other facility of this type in the United Kingdom – the York Viking Centre which is making substantial annual losses. “It is vital that there is total openness and transparency at every stage of this process. Objectors must be given sufficient time to scrutinise the financial projections and the predicted visitor numbers. “I worked for the National Trust for 10 years and even that large organisation with 115 years experience of managing visitor attractions finds it impossible to run its properties without large subsidies from its London headquarters. “The Viking Centre will have no subsidy and will have to meet substantial running costs. It is very difficult to see who will visit the attraction during the winter months yet the fixed costs will still have to be paid. “I totally support deferring any final decision on this very important issue for several months.” Letters of Opposition Arrive At Council A significant number of letters of opposition arrived at Down District Council. (Some samples of comments.) Dr RW Ferguson said,”A banqueting hall for 150 or so people requires toilets. This Site is beside te hlough protected by the European ASSI. Any significant detectable level of sewage in the water could result in a hefty fine from Europe and which would be payable by the Council as owners.” Eileen Halliday said “Why should one small group be treated with priority when the needs of the majority of the ratepayers and those who care for the countryside have been set aside?” Clive Scoular said this proposal will lead to “untold numbers of people wandering about the park at late hours is certainly going to destroy the whole ambience of the park.” WPHJ Fitzsimons said “It will ahve a disastrous effect on the landscape.” Joyce Sandford said “there is no evidence to my knowledge that Vikings had a village on this spot. The Viking experience could just as effectively be coveyed by re-locating.” The National Trust said they wish to express their “deep concern over the recent news of the application to Down District Council for a 25 year site lease… The site is within and Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), a RAMSAR site listed under the RAMSAR Convention for the Protection of Wetlands, a Special Area of Conservation (SAC), a Special Protection Area (SPA) and an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) and it is also adjacent to a Marine Nature Reserve… We remain of the opinion that an application of this magnitude should be subject to a full EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment).” ]]>