National Park in Northern Ireland?

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National Park in Northern Ireland?

Advantages

  • the national park authority will have more power over the buildings being built in the area compared to AONB regulations.
  • employment could rise from 2,300 to 5,100 by 2020 if the area became a national park
  • an additional £200 million could be generated for the local economy as a result of the increased tourist expenditure and increased disposable income of the local population
  • there could be a substantial increase in funding, both national and international, this would follow the designation of the national park status. it is similar in size to the new forest national park but currently receives below 10% of the funding that is allocated to it.
  • landowners and farmers may be able to apply for special grants to help them manage the land in a sustainable way.

Disadvantages

  • many believed that the proposed benefits of the national park status might not be realised
  • concernes were raised about the powers of the national park authority. the local people were feared that there would be an additional layer of bureaucracy to planning issues
  • an increase in the number of tourists would lead to further congestion on the roads and impede their work
  • fears that the national park status would give tourists increased access to farmland, posing a threat to livestock and other farmland activities
  • there could be an increse in demand for second homes for tourists. locals were worried this would increase house prices making it difficult for current residents to afford housing in the area
  • t6he economic activities which did not rely on tourism felt threatened by the park authority. these activities earn about £10 million and provide jobs for 200 people. owners are feared their businesses could close and employees would loose their jobs. the tourism jobs would be low paid and seasonal therefore they would not be able to replace the permanent jobs
  • the national park status would operate as a disincentive to new investment because of higher land values and strict planning controls imposed by the park authority. this would weaken the employment prospects in the mournes further.
  • some claim the delicate environment in the mournes could not sustain the proposed increases in tourist numbers and the new National Park status would have a detrimental effect
  • the proposed additional funding was not guaranteed and, given the changed economic situation since 2008, many feared it would not be granted

Evaluation

2007 - the proposal was abandoned. the overall preference in the area was to have the AONB status strengthened. in 2011 the proposal was reintroduced but no agreement was reached.

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