Councillors voted in favour of signing a memorandum of understanding moving forward a planned gondola and visitor centre in the Mourne Mountains, which Stormont has estimated will potentially cost £50 million.
Newry Mourne and Down councillors clashed on Thursday evening after concerns were raised over the increased estimated cost, £6m more than the £44m earmarked in its capital budget programme agreed last week.
The Mourne Gateway will link Donard Park in Newcastle to the National Trust-owned Thomas Quarry, with a gondola planned to ferry people up the slope of the mountain.
Alliance councillors queried the increased cost at a strategic, policy and resources committee meeting, but other representatives robustly objected, arguing issues were being raised that were not on the agenda.
In a statement the council said the cost estimate for the project “is circa £44m as advised by the council’s professional cost consultant for the project”.
“Council have been engaging with the Department For Economy to establish the appropriate level of allowances that should be built into the project budget to cover future construction cost inflation and other risks. That work has not been finalised,” a spokesperson said.
In a statement on Friday, the DfE said: “The department has provided to council a review of the council’s project cost estimate. That review concluded a potential estimated budget requirement of £50m.”
A spokesperson added: “There are ongoing discussions between the department and council about the allowances that should be built into the Mourne Gateway project budget to cover possible additional costs.
“The department recognises that given the project’s early stage of development there cannot be absolute certainty over the total development costs at this stage.”
The capital budget for 2024-2031 estimates the cost at £44m, with a just under £30m investment from the Belfast Region City Deal and the remainder to be paid by from the local authority funds.
Downpatrick Alliance councillor Cadogan Enright said his party has concerns over “what is now a £50m project”, adding the “costs are escalating”.
“Money is being spent and this MoU far from guarantees acquiring the land for the project and we don’t have any alternative projects to take its place.
“I have grave concerns about this, we want to be abstaining on this to show that we have raised the alarm.”
Downpatrick Sinn Fein councillor Oonagh Hanlon said the Alliance members came to the meeting with an agenda.
“They stated that they were abstaining before we even had a chance to listen to the officer’s report or to what other people in the chamber had to say,” Ms Hanlon said.
“They have totally misread the paper, they’ve brought in things that are not related to the paper.
“There is nothing other in the MoU (memorandum of understanding) than an agreement to work together with the National Trust, which is what the Alliance party asked for and yet they are going to abstain on this. It doesn’t make any sense whatsoever.”
