Public event to have say on gondola plan

Public event to have say on gondola plan

30 October 2024

THE controversial cable car tourism project to transport people into the Mournes comes under more public scrutiny next week.

Newry, Mourne and Down Council giving local people another opportunity to have their say on the scheme which has split opinion.

Next Thursday’s event in O’Hare’s will be facilitated on behalf of the local authority by the Arup consultancy group.

The -in event at Central Promenade takes place in the shadow of a disused quarry where it’s proposed to build a new visitor centre with people ferried there via cable cars which begin their journey from a proposed new base station in Donard Park.

Next week’s event will provide an opportunity for people to give their views and feedback, discuss processes and plans and ask important questions.

Council officials say the consultation event is part of a series of public engagement events and activities that will provide various opportunities for everyone in the community to participate, share their views and help shape the future of the Gateway Project. 

Display boards showcasing key information about the project will be available, along with prompts for feedback. 

Members of the project and client delivery teams will also be present throughout the day to facilitate discussions, answer questions and listen to suggestions.

Council chairman Pete Byrne said the local authority appreciated there had been significant interest surrounding the project and was committed to engaging with all local stakeholders.

He added: “The event at O’Hare’s has been organised in an informal drop-in format, so you can attend at a time that suits, take time to view the details and talk to the project and delivery teams. We encourage all interested parties to attend and contribute to shaping the future of the Mourne Mountains Gateway Project.”

A specialist consultant is to be appointed to oversee the controversial gondola ride, which is part of 

the biggest ever tourism project ever proposed for the island of Ireland.

The project is being financed by the Belfast Region City Deal and Newry, Mourne and Down Council and it’s anticipated that it could open in 2029.

The City Deal is making a £30m contribution towards project costs, with the remainder provided by the district’s ratepayers and any additional costs.

The project — which could cost as much as £50m — is being billed as a “world class tourism attraction”. 

The decision to appoint a specialist contractor was taken in secret at a recent meeting of the local authority’s Strategy, Policy and Resources Committee when it was also agreed to approve an updated integrated consultancy fee for the project. 

Council officials insist the project is designed to position the local area as one of the province’s premier tourism districts, create 33 new jobs and encourage additional investment in the resort and wider area, particularly in new visitor accommodation. 

Scheme supporters say it is also designed to support sustainable tourism and improvements to infrastructure and accessibility.

When the scheme was unveiled it was suggested that if the year-round international tourism project gets the green light, it could attract 365,000 visitors annually after five years in business, generating just over £5m for the district by this point and support businesses across the wider area.

Early concept designs show the proposed new visitor centre featuring a cafe/restaurant and interpretative centre, will be raised above the quarry floor on stilts to ensure it will have minimal impact on the existing site.

The aim is to ensure the proposed centre will be as sustainable and as carbon neutral as possible and, that where possible, local materials will be incorporated during construction with the project.

All work will be subject to Northern Ireland Environment Agency scrutiny.