Northern Ireland Environment Minister, Mark H Durkan, has dropped for now proposals to legislate for national parks in the Province.
The announcement was made in the National Assembly. Speaking during question time, the minister said: ‘I’m not scrapping the National Parks Bill, I am shelving it.’
He said: ‘I am of the view that the concept of national parks has much to offer Northern Ireland. National parks could boost tourism and boost the economy, while helping to protect and promote our unique environment in the North.
‘I do not, though, want to impose national parks on people. While it is clear that the idea of national parks in Northern Ireland enjoys some level of support, many of those living in proposed national park areas have not yet been won over by the argument in favour of them.
‘Nor have all the political parties at Stormont, meaning that enabling legislation would have little chance of successfully negotiating the Assembly process.’
The Mourne Mountains area had been mooted as the Province’s first national park.
Search Planning Portal: LINK
