New gondola scheme may have to ‘start from scratch’

New gondola scheme may have to ‘start from scratch’

25 June 2025

PLANS to relocate the controversial Mournes gondola project from Newcastle to Rostrevor will result in the architects of the proposal having to complete a new business case in a bid to retain the £30m on offer from the Belfast Region City Deal.

The National Trust killed off the Newcastle project last month when it refused to provide a lease for its land which was needed to deliver what was billed as a “major flagship tourism project” which would potentially attract 350,000 visitors annually.

It was proposed to run the gondola from a base station in Donard Park to a new visitors centre at a former quarry at Thomas’s mountain in the Mournes.

Newry, Mourne and Down Council, which committed £14m of ratepayers’ money to the project, has now switched attention to Kilbroney Forest Park but is also facing opposition from locals with some councillors expressing concern about the move after £1.35m was spent on the failed Newcastle proposal.

The local authority pressed ahead with the so-called Mournes Gateway Project scheme in the resort in the absence of the green light from the conservation charity which had always made it clear it was not involved in the development or the design of the Mourne Gateway Project, nor endorsed the proposal.

The National Trust  also insisted it had “serious concerns” about the environmental impact and would not provide a lease for Thomas’ Quarry.

In the wake of its decision to plan for a for a gondola ride in Rostrevor — without public consultation — questions have again been raised about transparency surrounding the project.

Tourism NI said last week that it had not yet seen any “alternative proposal” with the switch to the forest park location requiring those involved to go back to the drawing board, after it was initially suggested the original scheme would only need to be modified.

Tourism NI is a key stakeholder in the Gateway Project with the local authority keen to retain the £30m spend locally and not lose it to a competing project in other council areas which were not successful in the first round of funding applications but have “ready to go projects”.

Newry, Mourne and Down Council revealed at the end of May that it was working to relocate the gondola ride to Rostrevor, with a spokesperson for Tourism NI confirming last week that it was not in receipt of an alternative proposal to the Mourne Mountain Gateway Project at this time.

It said Newry Mourne and Down Council is aware that any alternative proposal to the Mourne Mountain Gateway project will be considered a new project and will require a new outline business case to be submitted as part of the City and Growth Deals process.

Mournes councillor Jill Truesdale said that despite being assured at the end of last month that the proposal to move the gondola site to Kilbroney would result in the modification of the original business case, rather than having to start from scratch, it was “concerning to find out this now wasn’t the case”.

She continued: “At every point in the progression of this project, Alliance has been calling for more openness and transparency, for both elected representatives and ratepayers, with regards to the large sums of public money involved in this project and the significant impact it would have on those living around it and the natural environment. 

“That we’re seeing such issues persist even at this point is not reassuring and we will continue speaking up in the interests of residents right across the district.”

News that the architects of the gondola ride will have to “start from scratch” after switching attention to Kilbroney Forest Park — a decision which has whipped up a new campaign of opposition — comes after it was revealed that £1.35m was spent on the failed proposal to locate the project in Newcastle.

The Recorder revealed last month that in the region of £1.15m had been invested on the Newcastle development and approval of the outline business case for the £44m project. 

The spend also included project development costs for the works being progressed by ARUP consultants and has now risen by an additional £200,000.

Council officials have revealed that the £1.35m spend includes £122,405 on pre-outline business case costs, £218,840 on outline business case development costs and almost £1.1m on ICT fees. However, a further breakdown of expenditure was refused by the council on confidentiality grounds.

And it’s also been confirmed that the Northern Ireland Audit Office is monitoring developments in relation to the proposed cable car ride.

No amended costings or route have since been provided by the council in relation to the Rostrevor plan with opponents voicing concern about its environmental impact and questioning whether local access roads could accommodate the projected number of visitors or whether the project would indeed attract that many people in the first place.

In a statement to BBC News NI, the NI Audit Office said a number of issues regarding the Mourne Gateway Project have been raised with the organisation.

“The local government auditor continues to monitor developments and is keeping the matter under consideration,” the statement added.

The local authority said it will “not provide any further comment at this time”.