Press Releases

The Mourne National Park Working Party today has published its report.  

Harvey Bicker, the Chairman of the Working Party said, “Our Report is a summary of 3 years’ work, and I urge the Minister to consider all the evidence we are submitting.  We have consulted extensively and there are strong views about a Mournes national park.  However, we have not yet reached the stage of legislative proposals, nor was the Working Party commissioned to advise on whether or not there should be a national park.  Our clear remit was to advise on boundaries, on a management structure, to carry out consultation, and make recommendations.”

The Working Party has examined the consultation in detail, and agreed with the wide range of issues and concerns raised.  

As a result, its recommendations emphasise the importance of:

The Working Party does not advocate, and would not support, forcing access on landowners who did not wish it; encouraging visitors to where there is not the capacity for them;  requiring farmers to change their working practices without agreement and payment;  imposing new restrictions which force businesses to close or go elsewhere; or compulsory purchase of land or intervening in the rights of landowners.

Mr Bicker said the Working Party wants a management body which can provide an integrated approach to management, provided it reduces and does not add to bureaucracy; it should be fully and centrally funded.  Local accountability is essential and at least 60% of members should come from the Mournes and Slieve Croob area.  The provisional view is that the boundary for any designation should be based on modest adjustments to the existing AONB, retaining the coastal plain and Warrenpoint.

Mr. Bicker concludes: “We have set out a wide ranging agenda which should be taken into account in any future draft legislation.  The challenge is to protect and enhance this very special area, enable visitors to enjoy it, but – and this is crucial - ensure that the local economy and way of life are also respected and enhanced too.  It proved possible for a group with very diverse views and interests to find common ground on how to make progress on issues that matter to the future of the Mournes and to people locally.  Our recommendations show how progress could be made on many of the matters of concern; a start would be to make early progress in tackling the issues around access.”

The Mourne National Park Working Party was established in October 2004 at the request of the then Environment Minister, Angela Smith MP.  Its Chairman, Harvey Bicker, was appointed following public advertisement.  The other Members have been nominated from a range of organisations including the three district councils, farming organisations, community groups, conservation bodies, and recreation and tourism interests.  Members of the Working Party have attended in their own time and are unpaid.  The Members have been supported by Observers from several statutory and executive bodies, and a Secretary.

The remit of the Working Party has been:

The Report of the Working Party to the Minister is being presented to the Minister for the Environment on 27 September 2007, together with the Report on Public Consultation and other documents compiled in the course of its work.  The Report includes 29 Recommendations

Copies of the documents will be available from 27 September 2007 and www.mourneworkingparty.org and www.ehsni.go.uk

For more information and interviews, please contact Rosaleen O’Neill on 028 43724071 or e-mail rosaleen.oneill@mourneworkingparty.org

From 3^rd of October please contact Colum Mc Daid  of  Environment and Heritage Service on 028 90569622 or e-mail colum.mcdaid@doeni.gov.uk

The Mourne National Park Working Party held their twentieth meeting on Thursday 29^th March.  At this meeting they received a draft consultation report for their review.  The Working Party will take the findings of the final consultation report into account when preparing their recommendations to the Minister.  The report is expected to be submitted to the Minister for the Environment by September at which time the consultation report will be made public.  

For now some basic statistics from the report can be revealed.  A total of 2298 comments were submitted using the consultation leaflet. Of these, 28.3% of responses were from within the proposed National Park boundary, 58.4% on the periphery of the proposed National Park (including for example, Kilkeel, Annalong, Warrenpoint, Banbridge and Dromara) and 10.5% from elsewhere in Northern Ireland. Of the remainder, 0.9% came from other parts of the UK, 0.2% from the Republic of Ireland and 1.7% from further afield. A further 79 written submissions were received from organisations and some individuals. The Working Party will take account of these and all the views expressed at the public consultation events and bilateral meetings that they held.  

Working Party Chairman Harvey Bicker commented that the level of response and attendance at public meetings demonstrates just how successful the consultation has been in enabling people to express their opinions on the proposed Mourne National Park. The Chairman reminded members that they were not charged with making a recommendation as to whether or not a Mourne National Park should be designated.  Their task is to make recommendations on a possible boundary for a National Park, comment on possible management structures and report on the outcome of the Working Party’s public consultation. This would all be presented in their final report to the minister at the end of the summer.

The Chairman also paid tribute to the members of the Working Party for giving up their time to attend the many meetings and events held during the consultation period.

The proposal to establish the first ever National Park in Northern Ireland is to be fully explored through a major Public Consultation.

The Mourne National Park Working Party (MNPWP), the independent body set up by government to investigate the potential for establishing a National Park in Mourne, today (Thursday 31^st August), launched a three-month long period of Public Consultation.  The Consultation is aimed at informing people about the facts surrounding the National Park proposal and at providing them with the opportunity to express their opinions regarding it.   In particular, views are being sought on a boundary option for the proposed new National Park.  During the Consultation which will run from 1^st September through to 30^th November, the MNPWP will undertake a wide range of communications activities including public meetings, special interest group workshops, the distribution of a consultation leaflet, the management of a dedicated consultation website and a mobile information unit which will tour the greater Mourne area.  Following the Public Consultation the Working Party will prepare and submit a report to the Minister for the Environment outlining their recommendations on how the Mourne National Park proposal should be taken forward.

Launching the Public Consultation, Harvey Bicker, Chairman, Mourne National Park Working Party said that it was important for everyone in Northern Ireland, and for the people of Mourne in particular, to have this opportunity to fully explore what National Park status could mean for the area and to contribute their views on how its future should be shaped.  

“The Mourne and Slieve Croob area is a jewel in the crown of our natural heritage” said Harvey Bicker “and the designation of National Park status is being proposed as a way of protecting and conserving the unique landscape, biodiversity and culture of the area.  The Mourne National Park Working Party is committed to undertaking a far reaching and meaningful Consultation regarding this issue.  Over the next three months we will be working with the general public and with special interest groups to ensure that everyone with an interest in the Mournes is fully informed about the proposal and has access to all the available research and the expert knowledge they need to make an informed opinion regarding it” said Harvey Bicker.

In 2002, the Environment and Heritage Service commissioned a study of the potential benefits of establishing one or more national parks in Northern Ireland. This study identified the Mourne area as being most suited for designation as Northern Ireland’s first National Park because -

Following this study, the then Minister of the Environment, Dermot Nesbitt, announced that he would be working towards creating a National Park in Mourne, subject to there being sufficient local support and funding. The Ministers appointed under direct rule, Angela Smith, Jeff Rooker and David Cairns have all said that they support this aim and will continue to work towards it.   In October 2004 Minister Angela Smith established the Mourne National Park Working Party to advise the Department on the creation of a National Park in Mourne and Harvey Bicker was appointed Chairman.

The primary purpose of establishing a National Park in the Mournes would be to co-ordinate work for the protection and long-term interest of the area and to give local people the chance to be more directly involved in its management.   A National Park may also attract extra resources from government and elsewhere, to help safeguard the natural and cultural heritage and to promote its sustainable use and enjoyment. Furthermore, a National Park is likely to bring new employment opportunities for its communities both directly and indirectly. However, what some people see as the potential benefits of establishing a National Park may be seen by others as drawbacks. A National Park may attract additional visitors to the area and associated with that there may be environmental management and public access issues. Residents and landowners may also have fears about the implications for planning in the area or house prices.

Research has been commissioned by the Mourne National Park Working Party into the impacts of National Park designation in areas comparable to Northern Ireland and also on identifying the social and economic profile of the Mourne Area and these documents will be made widely available during the Consultation.  A report ‘Mourne National Park Boundary Recommendations” was commissioned and presented to the Working Party in October 2005 and the proposals contained within this report will form the basis of the Public Consultation.

The work of the Mourne National Park Working Party is supported by an Environment and Heritage Service secretariat.

The launch of the Public Consultation on the proposed Mourne National Park will take place in the Annsley Room, Slieve Donard Hotel, Newcastle on Thursday 31^st August 2006 at 10.30am.