National Trust acquires 622 acres and reveals £6million investment plan at Belfast Hills

The National Trust has unveiled plans to expand one of Northern Ireland's most popular public beauty spots by 622 acres thanks to a £6million investment plan.

The organisation has acquired the extra land at the foot of Divis and the Black Mountain in the Belfast Hills to ‘restore nature and improve access’ for the local community.

The plan to take ownership and open the new land by 2025 features a café, exhibition space and visitor hub as well as new trails, tree planting initiatives.

The new project has been made possible thanks to funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund (£3million), Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) (£1.5million) and the Garfield Weston Foundation (£300,000).

Heather McLachlan, director for the National Trust in Northern Ireland, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to have secured funding for this project which aims to make Divis and the Black Mountain inclusive in every sense of the word. We want it to feel like a place where everyone feels they belong and we’ll do this by working in partnership with the local community, who are at the heart of our work.

“The project will create one of the most accessible urban green spaces in these isles and has only been made possible by funding and money raised by National Lottery players – so we thank each and every one of you! It will allow our teams to be more present on the mountain, increasing opportunities for communities to engage with heritage, nature and place.”

Over a three-year period, the project aims to increase opportunities for communities to engage with heritage, nature and place through volunteering, development of new spaces for community use, increasing accessibility through new paths, skills and job creation.

Plans also feature the development of an oral history project recording the experience of 30 people who lived around the mountain. Workshops on people and placenames, wood carving, archaeology, storytelling, health and wellbeing activities and community walks will also feature. It is anticipated that over 3,500 people will participate in activities with regular opportunities for volunteering.

Dr Paul Mullan, director, Northern Ireland at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, explained: “This is one of the most significant investments by The National Lottery Heritage Fund in Northern Ireland. Twenty years ago, thanks to National Lottery players, we supported the purchase of Divis and Black Mountain and have now awarded over £3million to the View to the Future project that will give neighbouring communities direct access and improve its biodiversity and sustainability.

“Our new strategy - Heritage 2033 focuses on delivering rural and urban landscape projects that help species and habitats thrive, reducing and mitigating the impacts of climate change while helping people connect to our unique natural heritage. This National Trust project is set to make a vital difference to Divis and Black Mountain, we congratulate them on their vision and look forward to seeing the realisation of benefits for nature and people.”

Andrew Corkill, lead project manager at the National Trust, continued: “This project comes on the back of a two-year development programme and we want to thank the communities and numerous stakeholders who have worked with us to co-create these ambitious plans.

“Divis and the Black Mountain is an exceptionally special place which as well as having a deep connection with surrounding communities, it also includes a unique mosaic of grassland and heathland bog and is home to a host of wildlife and archaeological remains. We recognise the need to make land management choices that benefit the environment and sustainability is key to the project. We will continue to focus on balancing the needs of nature, climate and people throughout this project and into the future.”

David Reid, chief executive of Northern Ireland Environment Agency, added: “The Northern Ireland Environment Agency has invested significant Environment Fund grant aid in the Divis and Black Mountain site over the last 20 years. We are excited to see the next development stage of this project take shape and are happy to have been able to contribute £1.5 million towards it and purchase of additional lands through support from the Carrier Bag Levy and Green Growth.

“I applaud the sustained commitment of the National Trust to galvanise and bring together the many partners and expertise needed to continue providing, expanding and improving this invaluable resource for people, for nature and the climate. This project is exemplar in the crucial action that is needed to restore and reconnect habitats whilst enabling responsible access to this treasure on the edge of Belfast City – inspiring understanding, appreciation, and action for the environment and providing opportunities for the associated health and well-being benefits of spending time in nature.”