Cable car plan may move to Kilbroney Forest Park

A new location for a proposed cable car route in County Down is being considered after a plan to build it on Northern Ireland's highest mountain was blocked.

Newry, Mourne and Down Council had hoped to install a cable car at Slieve Donard until the National Trust refused to lease land it manages for the project.

On Wednesday, the council confirmed it was now "exploring" the possibility of moving it to Kilbroney Forest Park in Rostrevor instead.

The cable car concept, also referred to as a gondola, has divided opinion for several years, with environmentalists objecting and some businesses arguing it would attract visitors to the area.

The council said the new cable car route was yet to be determined but confirmed it would not pass through the ancient oak woodland in Rostrevor.

"Environmental sensitivity will continue to be a core principle of the proposal," the council added.

It said the updated proposal had secured the support of Warrenpoint, Burren and Rostrevor Chamber of Commerce who described it as "a game-changer".

The chamber said it would "create a compelling tourism offering in the district, while also encouraging visitors to continue their journeys into the heart of the Mournes and beyond".

The cable car or gondola plan is officially known as the Mourne Mountains Gateway project.

It would receive millions of pounds in central government funding through the Belfast Region City Deal (BRCD).

The original plan for the £44m project would have involved the development of a 1km cable car structure and a mountainside visitors' centre on Slieve Donard.

The previous route would have carried passengers 230m up from Donard Park in Newcastle to a disused quarry.

Supporters hoped the site would make the mountain more accessible for people of all abilities and attract 350,000 visitors annually.

But a petition against the project attracted more than 6,000 signatures, with objectors raising environmental and economic concerns about the project's viability.

Rumours that the focus of the Mourne gondola project could be moving from Newcastle to Rostrevor began circulating in south Down in the last couple of weeks.

It is understood a number of meetings have taken place with political and business leaders discussing the possibility of moving the scheme effectively from one side of the Mournes to the other.

To this end BBC NI asked the council to comment on the rumours earlier this week.

On Wednesday, they confirmed that the matter is indeed being considered.

Although the council press release does not state a proposed route for the ride, a number of sources have told BBC NI that they believe the preferred terminus to be in the vicinity of a landmark called Cloughmore (the Big Stone).

The huge granite boulder was deposited on the slopes of Slieve Martin during the last ice age and forms part of the legend of Fionn mac Cumhaill (Finn McCool).

There is already a mountain drive through Kilbroney to a large carpark just a couple of hundred yards below Cloughmore.

A series of popular downhill mountain bike trails already operate in the area.

Rostrevor, for its part, is already gearing up for the opening of the nearby Narrow Water Bridge just a few miles away.

There is a fresh focus on tourism on this side of the Mournes – whether this means the gondola will be welcomed or rejected is a question locals will now be considering.

There were mixed views among Rostrevor residents and tourists when BBC News NI went to gauge opinion about the cable car on Thursday.

Conor Mills, who lives in the village, said he would like to be one of the first passengers if the project gets the green light.

"I would 100% like to go on that myself and I think a lot of people would come down to go on it, so it can only be a good thing," he said.

Alina Holyst, an architect based in Rostrevor, said the proposed visitors' center was "certainly quite contemporary and bold" but added it has divided opinion locally.

She expressed concern about the potential impact on local infrastructure and the environment in "our lovely, picturesque village".

"Common opinion is probably to focus on what we have here already and maybe to focus on what we could improve and how to improve existing facilities," she said.

Pat Fitzgibbon from Dublin was visiting Rostrevor with his wife Aisling Donohoe and they both said they believed the cable car would "absolutely" appeal to tourists.

"Anything that makes it easier to get to the top of some place and get a better view I think would be very beneficial, especially for older people," Mr Fitzgibbon said.

Orla Devlin from Sligo regularly comes to Rostrevor on holiday to stay with her granny.

"I think anything to promote tourism in such a beautiful place like this would be great - my only constraint would be that it should be suitable for all weather types," she said.

"As long as it was suitable for sideways rain, I'd be all for it."

Gerard Sloan expressed concerns about the cost of the project.

"If there is £40 available, there's 10 villages in south Down approximately. If each one of them got £4m a piece, it would be of more benefit."

The National Trust is responsible for the land in the Eastern Mournes Special Area of Conservation.

This includes Slieve Donard and Thomas Quarry - the site previously earmarked for the proposed gondola station and visitors' centre.

Following a warm spring which saw almost 150 wildfires in the Mournes, the trust said the project risked "additional pressures on already degraded upland habitats".

At the time, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council said the trust's decision was "particularly frustrating".

On Wednesday, the council said the alternative development would be "carried out in a sustainable manner that protects the park's natural assets".

"Crucially, the project would be designed to promote accessibility, allowing people of all abilities to experience the breathtaking landscapes and biodiversity of the area," it added.