South Down Alliance reps wait on further information from Newry Mourne and Down District Council before they make a decision on the Gondola II project
Newry Mourne and Down District Council proposes to relocate the Mourne Gateway Project to Kilbroney, and plans are being worked up to see what can be done to relocate the Gondola project to the southern area of the Mournes at Rostrevor.
Following a fierce public opposition to the gondola project at Thoans’ Quary on the slopes of Slieve Donard, the Coil is hoping to ensure that the funds allocated to project are not lost to the NMD area.
However, Alliance South Down MLA Andrew McMurray has said: “We are appreciative of council’s efforts to keep the City Deal money within our district, but while we await further information around what is being proposed, the same concerns remain regardless of where it is proposed that the gondola will be built.
“One concern is the ultimate financial cost of the project, which so far remains unknown.
“Another concern is the potential environmental impact of bringing hard infrastructure into the outstanding natural beauty we enjoy in our area.
“Alliance is committed to ensuring that any funding received is spent in ways that deliver the best possible services for all ratepayers, and so we will be scrutinising the detail on this as it comes out very carefully.”
Cllr Jill Truesdale added: “We are very grateful for Council’s efforts to keep the BRCD money within our district. Obviously, at this very early stage, we cannot comment on what we don’t yet know.
“Alliance are an evidence-based party, we need to see the evidence. xa0
“We still have the same concerns, regardless of where this attraction will be situated.
“We live in a beautiful part of the world and so our concerns are of bringing hard infrastructure into an area of natural beauty and of course the same financial concerns exist.
“We cannot afford to subsidise a non-core activity and so we will be watching and scrutinizing the detail very carefully.”
