Giant’s Causeway plans still on course
Thursday, 30 October 2008
Five months after submitting its plans for state-of-the-art facilities at the Giant's Causeway, the National Trust say the new visitors centre is still on track for its grand opening in 2011, but the development proposals could face a legal challenge.
Project stakeholders attended a meeting of Moyle District Council on Monday (October 27) to provide members with an update on the development of the new multi-million pound centre at the World Heritage Site.
The National Trust's Director for Northern Ireland, Hilary McGrady, told councillors the Trust understood its plans and visions for the new visitor centre could face a legal challenge.
Independent councillor Seamas Blaney had raised the question about how a possible challenge could affect the plans.
"All the dates are ready to fall but is there a chance that a neighbour could go to law to stop the procedure?" he asked.
Ms McGrady said: "It is open to a legal challenge from any quarter. Any planning is the same, and this one is no different. We are working on the basis there may be a challenge and we have to put contingency plans in place. We don't know what form a legal challenge may be."
Cost increase
Project manager Graham Thompson also told members the cost of the project had increased to £19.5m, as the estimate now included costs previously expended by Government, including consultancy fees.
However, he assured members that this would not mean other funding would have to be found, and would not affect the money pledged to the project.
He said: "We have consciously moved away from previous approaches about creating a new building. This is about the integration of the building into the site, and improved access, including on-site structures and increased focus on engagement with the local community."
Esther Dobbin, an employee at The Giant's Causeway, has been actively involved with the public engagement aspect of the project.
She said: "We have met with Arthur Ward and groups in the area, including residents and the village forum. It is exciting for the trust and Bushmills, as it is the gateway to the Causeway. We have also met with residents of the Giant's Causeway area, and it is an exciting time going forward."
At present, the project is seeking money from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The main money for the development will still come from the Government, and a business plan is being prepared for the Northern Ireland Tourist Board.
Ms McGrady said: "The process has been arduous. We have produced a first draft of the plan, and we hope to have a full plan by mid-November. They will start their appraisal. With the view that everything is approved, they will start their approval process and that could take up to May 2009." Mr Thompson added: "We hope to have a planning decision by mid-December and if we are successful we will get the go-ahead to go to the second phase. More than that, if they give a positive indication, we can expect NITB funding by Spring 2009 and Heritage Lottery funding by June 2009. Then we can start the tendering process. Enabling work would be started by September 2009, including extending the car-park and moving the existing building. We hope to start the main contract by December 2009, with new facilities open by 2011."
Consultation
SDLP councillor Madeline Black said she was glad to see progress being made, but concerns remained among residents in the area about parking at the site.
She said the local community were often 'prisoners in their own homes' at busy times of the year.
Hilary said: "We have met with three members of the Causeway Community Association and we are clear of their concerns. We have dealt with the car-park as best we can in relation to planning. It is a management issue as well as a car-park problem. The key proposal is you would park first, then pay, so we hope to get people off the road quicker. Signage will let people know where to go if a car-park is full, so it is as much a management issue as anything else."
Ms Dobbin told members that information evenings were being planned over the next six to eight weeks to give people the opportunity to find out more about the potential development.
DUP councillor Robert McIlroy said he has concerns about the park and ride car-park in Bushmills, which could see people parking in the village, but spending the day at the Causeway site.
