[ianapas]

How unbelievable is it that a planning application for the Giants causeway golf resort was passed without consulting with Unesco. This could impact on the world heritage site status.

 

[Ripper_Roo_NI]

This project has been 12 years in the making, £100 million development with the creation of almost 400 jobs for the area. The National Trust should be lambasted for their decision to enter the game after the planning was granted.

There is already a hotel and golf course closer to the Giants Causeway than the Runkerry site.

Should be given the green light in my opinion.

 

[thevanishin]

This project has been 12 years in the making, £100 million development with the creation of almost 400 jobs for the area. The National Trust should be lambasted for their decision to enter the game after the planning was granted.

There is already a hotel and golf course closer to the Giants Causeway than the Runkerry site.

Should be given the green light in my opinion.

For me, the elephant in the room is why no one bothered to consult UNESCO 12 years ago. If UNESCO had raised concerns at the start, planning could have been refused and that would have been the end of it. How on earth did no one think of this!? :bash:

Now we have a catch-22; if the project is refused, there is a risk that NI will look like a no-go zone for sensitive investments. If it goes ahead, there is a risk that UNESCO will pull their endorsement of the Causeway site, which puts NI in the same category as Afghanistan as (I think) the only place in the world to have UNESCO heritage status revoked.

I'm not convinced by the figures for financial and employment benefits of the golf course or hotel. Hotels don't need a huge number of staff to operate, most of the 400 jobs quoted will be in the construction phase. After that, most of the subsequent jobs will be seasonal and part time. NI has several world class golf resorts, none of them employ anywhere near 400 staff. The Nick Faldo resort in Fermanagh is in administration; I hope DOE have examined this as a case study in how not to plan a golf resort.

I doubt if the associated retail units will ever be financially viable. If Bushmills and Coleraine are retail dead-zones, how on earth could the Runkerry retail facilities ever be successful?

Personally, I would prefer that the golf course be dropped and we keep the UNESCO status, which is and will continue to be significantly more important to NI than any golf course or hotel.

 

[belfastuniguy]

This project has been 12 years in the making, £100 million development with the creation of almost 400 jobs for the area. The National Trust should be lambasted for their decision to enter the game after the planning was granted.

There is already a hotel and golf course closer to the Giants Causeway than the Runkerry site.

Should be given the green light in my opinion.

How very short sighted of you! The National Trust should be thanked not lambasted.

A golf course and hotel can be built in any number if places in Northern Ireland, you can't build another Giants Causeway and the National Trust and UNESCO are well within their rights to condemn the proposal. The protection and safeguarding of the Giants Causeway and Causeway coast is paramount. If we don't then NI risks seeing one of its premier tourist attractions ruined and WH status pulled which would be a national embarrassment.

 

[belfastuniguy]

For me, the elephant in the room is why no one bothered to consult UNESCO 12 years ago. If UNESCO had raised concerns at the start, planning could have been refused and that would have been the end of it. How on earth did no one think of this!? :bash:

Now we have a catch-22; if the project is refused, there is a risk that NI will look like a no-go zone for sensitive investments. If it goes ahead, there is a risk that UNESCO will pull their endorsement of the Causeway site, which puts NI in the same category as Afghanistan as (I think) the only place in the world to have UNESCO heritage status revoked.

I'm not convinced by the figures for financial and employment benefits of the golf course or hotel. Hotels don't need a huge number of staff to operate, most of the 400 jobs quoted will be in the construction phase. After that, most of the subsequent jobs will be seasonal and part time. NI has several world class golf resorts, none of them employ anywhere near 400 staff. The Nick Faldo resort in Fermanagh is in administration; I hope DOE have examined this as a case study in how not to plan a golf resort.

I doubt if the associated retail units will ever be financially viable. If Bushmills and Coleraine are retail dead-zones, how on earth could the Runkerry retail facilities ever be successful?

Personally, I would prefer that the golf course be dropped and we keep the UNESCO status, which is and will continue to be significantly more important to NI than any golf course or hotel.

I share these commercial concerns as well, some of the figures seem plucked from thin air. I don't see how Runkerry would be a commercial success with other golf courses close by. As you mentioned Lough Erne is in administration despite being a superb resort in a great location, a location lacking in golfing competition....unlike Runkerry

 

[plank007]

It should be refused and instead the executive should be trying to get the British Open to Portrush which will sustain much more jobs in Portrush and the entire North Coast for decades to come.