Rejuvenation package set for Giants Causeway

NIO Enterprise Minister Ian Pearson has announced plans to regenerate the north Antrim coast.

Part of that scheme includes rejuvenating the Giants Causeway and the long-standing saga over the future of its visitor facility.

The proposals will also address the issues and needs for a better spread of tourism facilities in the region.

Speaking this morning, the Minister said: “Government is determined to facilitate a way forward and a number of proposals have been developed which will provide a solution and which, we hope, will be welcomed by the key interests.

"After the fire in April 2000 (which destroyed the visitors' centre), numerous discussions and views where articulated by a wide range of interested parties, but an acceptable solution for a centre was not forthcoming.

“As a first step the proposals will include the commissioning of an international competition, which will agree the concept for the development of the immediate locality and design a suitable visitor centre to complement the status of the Giants Causeway as a World Heritage Site (WHS). It will determine the most appropriate location, purpose, nature and scale of a facility in line with the principles of sustainable development and viability and in the context of prevailing planning policies."

Proposals also under consideration are the development of a management plan for the World Heritage Site. While responsibility for the management of the WHS rests primarily with the two land-owning bodies - the National Trust and Moyle District Council - the Environment and Heritage Service will be leading on the development of this plan and initial work is underway.

The Giants Cause is currently Northern Ireland's top tourist attraction, with nearly 500,000 visitors a year.

However, after the fire in April 2000 the visitors' centre was replaced only with temporary buildings.

(MB)