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Public to share views on controversial £44m gondola

Newry, Mourne and Down Council An artists impression of what the gondola could look like. It is a modernistic building on stilts perched on the side of a mountain. Cable cars are seen travelling to and from it.Newry, Mourne and Down Council
Gondolas would take visitors up to a visitor centre in the Mournes

A fresh round of public engagement events about a proposed £44m gondola on the slopes of Slieve Donard will take place in early 2025, Newry, Mourne, and Down Council has confirmed.

On Monday a petition of about 6,000 signatures opposing the Newcastle project, which is due to receive £30m of funding from the Belfast Region City Deal, was presented to the Stormont Assembly.

Those behind the petition say they have environmental and economic concerns about the viability of the scheme that hopes to attract about 350,000 annual visitors.

Businesspeople who are supportive of the project say they believe it can help create a year-round tourist economy for the region.

If delivered, the project would see the development of a 1km cable car structure from Donard Park up to Thomas Quarry – some 230m up Slieve Donard, Northern Ireland’s highest mountain.

In the quarry, a new visitor centre would be developed.

A man wearing a blue zip up coat is looking toward the camera. He is wearing a blue knit hat. In the distance is a large mountain range.
Petition founder Andy Carden said a gondola would scar the environment

Local resident Andy Carden is opposed to the plan and launched a petition to that effect in June.

He believes that the environment would be scarred without tangible economic benefit.

“The ascent for walkers would be marred seriously by mechanical cableways going overhead,” he said.

“So instead of the waterfalls and old trees along the Glen River, you would have the noise and disruption of cable cars passing overhead and the damage to the forest in constructing it.

“Also, they’ve chosen a really difficult place to get water up there, to get power up there, to deal with the sewage. I believe the cost will spiral in the years of planning and constructing it.

“But the £30m from the Belfast City Deal doesn’t spiral—what spirals is the contribution that the council and ratepayers will have to make, as it becomes a council problem if it doesn’t cover its costs—and we are certain it won’t.”

A man is smiling toward the camera. He is wearing a blue button-up jumper and a tan coloured hat. Behind him is a cafe on a busy street with people standing outside.
Local businessman Terry Hutley is in favour of the gondola

Terry Hutley runs a number of hospitality businesses in Newcastle, and he says the business community is supportive of the project.

“For three months of the year the town is packed – but for the other nine months of the year it’s a real fight in town to get customers through the door,” he said.

“So I think it would be major for Newcastle. The north coast has the Giant’s Causeway, Belfast has many things, like the Titanic museum.

"The gondola would encourage many people to turn left when they come off the ferry in Belfast and really help put Newcastle on an international map, not just a local map.”

A part-time firefighter who has previously battled fires in the Mournes, he said he hopes that any environmental concerns can be assuaged in the near future.

“I grew up in Newcastle and climbed those mountains countless times – they are treasured,” he said.

“I feel like the environmental reports, which will hopefully come out soon, can clear up any doubts and concerns around the gondola being built.”

The Mourne mountains are visible from Newcastle's main street
The gondola would be visible from Newcastle's main street

Mournes gondola opposition

The opposition petition was presented to the Assembly on Monday by South Down representative Andy McMurray of the Alliance Party.

In doing so, he asked the Minister for Economy to rethink the project, citing "a lack of public consultation, the disregard of other more sustainable uses for funding, the financial risk involved, and lack of economic viability or the threat to the local environment”.

BBC News NI contacted local Sinn Féin, Social Democratic and Labour Party and Democratic Unionist Party representatives for their views on the project, but no-one was available for interview.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Newry, Mourne and Down District Council said it was "gathering views to inform the concept design which the Integrated Consultancy Team is currently developing".

“We will be carefully considering the unique setting of the Mournes and conducting an extensive environmental impact assessment and habitats regulations assessment as part of the planning process," the spokesperson added.

“As the surveys continue and the design and visitor management plan develops, further events will be held to present the emerging details and seek further feedback.

“The full business case, once completed, will also help us understand more detail on the economic impact of this project.”

The public engagement events are expected to take place early in the New Year and continue through spring and summer 2025.

Those behind the project hope it will be operational by 2029.