Press release

Environment Minister should retract Runkerry decision

26 June 2012

Friends of the Earth is asking the Minister for the Environment to rescind his decision to approve a golf resort on the Causeway coast. The plea followed today's statement by UNESCO's World Heritage Committee requesting that the UK Government halt the development until the impacts on the World Heritage Site can be fully assessed.

In a previous statement the environmental pressure group stated that developing the holiday resort - which includes houses, shops, a hotel, driving ranges and golf course - on this protected landscape was "like building a drive-through burger bar at the Taj Mahal".

Commenting today, James Orr, Director of Friends of the Earth, Northern Ireland, said :

"It is embarrassing to read this decision by UNESCO when we knew of its concern as far back as 2003. In the light of this decision today, it is inexcusable for the Minister for the Environment to justify using public money on fighting the judicial review taken by the National Trust. 

"If the Minister had consulted with UNESCO or read the report of their last visit perhaps he wouldn't have found himself about to waste large sums of tax-payers money on legal fees."

He added :

"The World Heritage Committee is right to call for the proposed golf resort on the Causeway coast to be halted. The Giant's Causeway is Northern Ireland's only World Heritage Site and it would be very short-sighted of the Minister to risk losing it."

Friends of the Earth Northern Ireland
7 Donegall Street Place
BELFAST
BT1 2FN
Tel: 028 9023 3488
Fax: 028 9024 7556
Email: [email protected]

Published by Friends of the Earth Limited