Petition to scrap gondola plan

Petition to scrap gondola plan

3 July 2024

A PETITION has been launched calling for a controversial gondola ride into the heart of the Mournes to be abandoned.

The ride is the centrepiece of the multi-million pound Mournes Gateway project which is being financed by the Belfast City Region Deal and Newry, Mourne and Down Council.

Public opinion on the Newcastle project is split and previous calls for work on what is one of the biggest tourism schemes ever proposed for the island of Ireland to be shelved have been rejected by the local authority.

But a fresh bid to stop the project — which has been branded by some as a “white elephant and vanity project” — is now being made by the Mourne Gateway Info Group whose petition has already secured almost 500 signatures.

Campaigners want the flagship tourism project to transport people via cable cars from Donard Park over trees in Donard Forest to a new visitor centre constructed at a former quarry on Thomas’s mountain to be aborted in favour of what it describes as “more responsible, available alternatives”.

In addition, campaigners are also extremely concerned about the “unjustifiable financial risk to ratepayers” and rising project costs.

Council officials have promised full public consultation on what is being billed as a “world class tourism attraction” but campaigners say the scheme should be abandoned.

It has been suggested that the gondola ride could open in 2029 with projections that if the project gets the green light, it could attract 365,000 visitors annually after five years in business, generating just over £5m in revenue.

Those behind the scheme — which is also the largest ever capital investment project proposed for the district — say it has been designed to position the 

area as one of the province’s premier tourism districts and create 33 new jobs.

Council officials say there is a lot of work to do over the next few years to get to the stage where they want to be on site in Donard Park and in the disused quarry on Thomas’s mountain “with a lot of detail to be discussed and considerations to be made over the next two years”.

It is hoped to secure planning approval in 2026 and to also start construction in mid-2026 with a completion date in early 2029, with the tourism project fully operational by the middle of the year.

The Mourne Gateway Info Group’s petition demands the “immediate halt” to the gondola project, labelling it an “ill-conceived venture” which threatens to irreversibly damage a cherished natural landscape, endanger wildlife habitats and impose financial burdens on ratepayers. 

The petition is “imploring” the local council to reconsider and explore more sustainable alternatives that prioritise environmental preservation and community needs.

The pressure group has again expressed concern about the lack of public consultation over the gondola ride “despite overwhelming local opposition” as evidenced by its own poll which indicated over 77% of people were concerned the project has proceeded without adequate public debate.

Campaigners have accused the local authority of dismissing “viable, cost-effective and eco-friendly alternatives in favour of the gondola” which, they argue, demonstrates a concerning lack of consideration for community preferences and environmental impact.

In relation to costs, the group says the secrecy surrounding the project’s business plan, coupled with unrealistic user projections and escalating costs, poses an “unjustifiable financial risk to ratepayers”.

They are concerned about the threat the cable car ride poses to the environment.

They say the tourism attraction “threatens sensitive habitats” including a Special Area of Conservation and an Area of Special Scientific Interest.

They also say pylons required to run the cable car and the proposed visitors centre at the old quarry at Thomas’s Mountain will “mar the pristine beauty of the Mourne Mountains, detracting from the experience of visitors and local people in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty”.

They insist that contrary to promises of local economic benefits, the gondola project is likely to divert money from local businesses.

“The National Trust, which is the owner of the quarry and the mountain is a conservation organisation and is very unlikely to approve its construction,” they argue.

In the editorial accompanying the online petition details on its social media page, the campaign group also points to weather and seasonal factors. 

“The gondola is projected to operate 11 months a year but, factors like high winds and bad weather are likely to drastically reduce the days it can work and generate income,” say campaigners.

“We urge Newry, Mourne and Down Council to heed the voices of the community, prioritise environmental sustainability, and abandon the Mourne Mountains Gondola project in favour of more responsible available alternatives.  

“Let us preserve the natural beauty of the Mourne mountains for future generations to enjoy.”