Councillors Seek Answers Over Dark Hedges Management

Councillors have agreed to seek answers from Stormont departments over what was described as a "dereliction of duty" in the management of the Dark Hedges, one of Northern Ireland's most recognisable tourist attractions.

The issue was raised during a meeting of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council's Leisure and Development Committee on Monday night, following an update on the management of the internationally renowned beech tree avenue.

Speaking during the discussion, Councillor Darryl Wilson said millions of visitors had travelled to see the landmark in recent years and questioned what action had been taken to protect the site.

Recalling visits to the Dark Hedges as a teenager, he said the avenue was once largely known only to local people before gaining worldwide recognition following its appearance as the Kingsroad in the second series of Game of Thrones.

Councillor Wilson said estimates suggested between four and six million people may have visited the attraction over the past 15 years.

"Let's be brutally honest," he said. "This is a landmark that has been visited by millions of people. It has brought millions of people into Northern Ireland."

He criticised what he described as "dancing on the head of a pin", arguing that too much focus had been placed on heritage groups and bureaucracy, while there had been a "full dereliction of duty" by the Department for the Economy and the Department for Infrastructure.

Councillor Wilson stressed that his comments were not political, noting that different ministers and parties had been responsible for the departments over the last 12 years.

Referring to the Bregagh Road, he said the only significant changes he had observed over the past three decades, aside from the deterioration of the ageing trees, were the installation of signs asking motorists not to drive along the road.

"That's a disgrace. That's an absolute disgrace," he told members.

Describing the Dark Hedges as a "national treasure", Councillor Wilson suggested that, after the Giant's Causeway, it was probably the second most visited location within the borough.

He proposed that the council write separately to the Department for the Economy and the Department for Infrastructure seeking details of their strategy for the Dark Hedges and Bregagh Road over the last 15 years, what works had been undertaken, how much funding had been spent and what immediate plans existed for the site.

Councillor Richard Holmes, speaking on behalf of Alderman Sandra Hunter, supported the proposal and described the response received from the Causeway Coast and Glens Heritage Trust as "pretty poor".

Members subsequently agreed to support Councillor Wilson's proposal, which was seconded by Alderman Mark Fielding.

The council will now write to both departments seeking detailed responses on past investment, management measures and future plans for the internationally recognised landmark.

Councillor Wilson said the public deserved transparency about what had and had not been done to safeguard a site that continues to attract visitors from across the world.