- The value of the subsidy is £30 million. The purpose of the subsidy is for the construction of a new visitor attraction that will consist of a gondola-style cable car from Donard Park in Newcastle, Co. Down, to a proposed new visitor centre at Thomas Quarry.
- Our key takeaways from the Subsidy Advice Unit (SAU) report are:
- Ensure to clearly delineate between the market failures and the equity objectives which the subsidy seeks to address. If you consider it appropriate to describe a market failure, you should clearly explain what you consider the market failure to be and link it to the policy objectives of the subsidy.
- Ensure to provide a clear explanation of how the subsidy is proportionate, by coming to clear conclusions as to how negative effects are minimised.
- After having determined the size of the subsidy, public authorities should then compare that size with the size of the affected market(s), project costs and the operating cost. If the subsidy is too large relative to these, the impacts on domestic competition, investment and trade could be disproportionate.
- If your subsidy concerns a visitor attraction, ensure to analyse the potential effects on international visitor attractions if the new attraction is introduced. Analyse whether there will be tourist displacement and explain what the resulting distortive effects will be.
Belfast City Council, Mourne Mountain Gateway Project
Posted in Subsidy Advice Report Tracker.
