‘Pull the plug’ plea

‘Pull the plug’ plea

9 April 2025

CAMPAIGNERS are keen for the National Trust to “pull the plug” on the gondola proposals.

They argue the fact the conservation charity is not taking a position on the multi-million pound proposal goes against its aims and values.

Campaigners say while it is all well and good for the Trust to say it “has concerns” about the multi-million pound scheme, it has the power to say ’no’ as it owns much of the land that will be required.

“The National Trust is meant to be acting in the wider public interest and we urge them to do so, that is the clear ask from tonight’s meeting,” Mr Declan Owens said.

In response to a question about whether a biodiversity study has yet taken place, he said that will happen as will an environmental impact assessment.

He said both documents are meant to be objective and adhere to criteria but argued they could be presented in a certain way “if you have a lot of money behind you”.

Mr Owens also guarded against people thinking that “reason and logic” will prevent the gondola ride from happening.

“The interests of the City Deal and Newry, Mourne and Down Council and others who will benefit from this financially may sway over the actual merits of the project,” he claimed.

“We are in a climate emergency. There is a biodiversity crisis and we really have to make it clear to the people with the power to prevent this to actually do so and that is very much our message.

“We know that it’s a small community in this area and people are doing good work in the different organisations that are custodians of the Mournes and it’s uncomfortable to challenge those who may be friends, neighbours or colleagues.”

But Mr Owens said campaigners strongly believe that as institutions they should be vociferously opposing this project.

“It  does not stand to reason that the National Trust should have allowed this to go so far.  It could have said ‘no, not on our land,’” he continued.

“There was every opportunity for the Forever Mournes Partnership to prevent the gondola but it is conflicted in the way in which it is operating and the Mourne Heritage Trust has a duty to prevent this from happening.”

Mr Owens said while local authority money flows into these bodies, campaigners are urging them to also pull the plug on the project.

“They need to stand up to their own mission statements,” he added.