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05/12/2001
Local council reject bids for Causeway visitor centre
The Chairman of Moyle District Council has said he is “devastated” by the news that plans have been scrapped to sell off the visitor’s centre at the renowned Giant’s Causeway.
Councillors on Moyle District Council convened on Tuesday, December 4, to make their final decisions on two multi-million pound projects designed to redevelop the tourist centre site, which since it was destroyed by fire last year has been operating in temporary buildings.
Due to a lack of internal financial aid, the council decided in February this year to put the site up for sale. September was the deadline for bids to be submitted and the council received two bids, one from The National Trust and another from a private developer, each were worth around £10 million.
Chairman of the council, Randal McDonnell said the decision by councillors to decide not to proceed with the sale was “inexplicable”. Speaking on Wednesday December 5 he said: “At the meeting in which all councillors were present, a majority vote by 9-6 revealed that the councillors were not prepared to go ahead with the sale, despite a decision ten months ago stating the opposite.
“I am very disappointed by this decision. However I’m sure the councillors have a good reason for changing their minds.
But he added that both bids received had completely fulfilled the district council’s established criteria and that the money more than met their needs. He said: “Its like getting a fairy godmother who is going to give you £10 million and then you find out its being taken away. At this moment there is no other offer. We don’t have £10 million to fund the project, but the situation the way it is now is totally inadequate. Something must be done.”
Currently at the world famous site, temporary buildings are being used to provide facilities for the visitors, which number around 400,000 per annum.
Analysts predict in five years the Giant’s Causeway tourist centre will receive visits from an estimated three quarters of a million tourists a year. (AMcE)
Councillors on Moyle District Council convened on Tuesday, December 4, to make their final decisions on two multi-million pound projects designed to redevelop the tourist centre site, which since it was destroyed by fire last year has been operating in temporary buildings.
Due to a lack of internal financial aid, the council decided in February this year to put the site up for sale. September was the deadline for bids to be submitted and the council received two bids, one from The National Trust and another from a private developer, each were worth around £10 million.
Chairman of the council, Randal McDonnell said the decision by councillors to decide not to proceed with the sale was “inexplicable”. Speaking on Wednesday December 5 he said: “At the meeting in which all councillors were present, a majority vote by 9-6 revealed that the councillors were not prepared to go ahead with the sale, despite a decision ten months ago stating the opposite.
“I am very disappointed by this decision. However I’m sure the councillors have a good reason for changing their minds.
But he added that both bids received had completely fulfilled the district council’s established criteria and that the money more than met their needs. He said: “Its like getting a fairy godmother who is going to give you £10 million and then you find out its being taken away. At this moment there is no other offer. We don’t have £10 million to fund the project, but the situation the way it is now is totally inadequate. Something must be done.”
Currently at the world famous site, temporary buildings are being used to provide facilities for the visitors, which number around 400,000 per annum.
Analysts predict in five years the Giant’s Causeway tourist centre will receive visits from an estimated three quarters of a million tourists a year. (AMcE)
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