National Trust unveil business plan for Causeway

The National Trust has revealed a proposal that will see the Giant's Causeway Visitor's Centre site remain in public ownership.

During a meeting with Moyle District Council on Monday evening the director of the National Trust in Northern Ireland, Ruth Laird, told councillors that there would be a package of funding available which would see the site remain publicly-owned without any increased financial burden to the ratepayer.

Moyle councillors were said to be receptive to the plan and will give it "very serious consideration". The National Trust described the response to the proposal as "very encouraging".

At the meeting, Ms Laird described the plan as a "long-term plan for true sustainable tourism in the area" and that a new visitor's centre could be built on the existing brownfield site. Ms Laird went on to say that the partnership would also supply funding for the development of other public amenities in the area and could be "implemented immediately".

Ms Laird said she believed the proposals provided an opportunity for Moyle Council to lead the way in a partnership with those responsible for protecting and funding Ireland's leading tourist attraction.

The proposed funding package in partnership with government would include the Heritage Lottery Fund, the International Fund for Ireland and the National Trust.

She added: "The partnership funding and management solution would also continue to provide much-needed and additional revenue stream for Moyle Council, which would be reinvested in wider facilities and amenities that would benefit the local people, as well as visitors."

The debate over the future of the tourist centre has been ongoing for over a year. The council had originally opened the site up to tenders in February 2001 following a fire that destroyed the original site two years ago. Moyle Council subsequently accepted bids by the National Trust and Seaports Investments Ltd in September. However, last December the council then refused to entertain the £10 million bids from both organisations, opting instead to explore options for keeping the tourist attraction within the ownership of the ratepayer.

However, no decision has yet been taken by the council and councillors have also agreed to meet with Seaports Investments Ltd at the next full council meeting on June 10.

A series of round table talks on the matter involving the department of enterprise, trade and investment are expected to be scheduled in the near future.

(GMcG)