Dungiven campaign group say Gateway to the Sperrins has been ‘abandoned’ by Council 

A campaign group has claimed that funding, which was meant to be used to upgrade walkways and signage on Benbradagh mountain in Dungiven, has been ‘diverted’ to another location without any consultation with the local community.

The Save Benbradagh group say they feel ‘abandoned’ by Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council following the news.

The community of Dungiven was involved in a consultation on the Peace Plus funding as part of a process that commenced in 2022. 

Funding of £131,667 was approved in May 2024 and launched in February 2025. 

In November 2023, the project report published by Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council stated: “Increasingly the community consultation suggested that Benbradagh was the perfect setting to showcase much of the cultural and natural heritage, the desire to actively preserve and maintain it as a beauty spot, this proposal will support.”

However, in the last number of days, the Save Benbradagh group say they have discovered that the funding has been ‘diverted’ to a totally different location without any consultation with the local community. 

With more wind farms planned for Benbradagh, the group say there are ‘very real fears that the way is being cleared for the industrialisation of the mountain’.

Brishey wind farm is currently under consideration and is recommended for approval in spite of the fact that three turbines will be visible from Dungiven as indicated by the planners in their report in September 2025.

The report states that ‘the Planning Department still has concerns regarding these issues, particularly when viewed from Legavallon Road, to the North of the site and when travelling east towards Dungiven along the new A6 dual carriageway where the tips of three turbines can still be viewed above the ridge of Benbradagh. These public viewpoints are from main roads into, or past, Dungiven and would therefore have a high number of receptors.” 

There are already 13 industrial turbines on the mountain at Evishigaran which breach the unique ridgeline of the mountain. There are four recommended for approval at Brishey and there are also plans for nine more turbines at Evishigaran. 

Based on what is in the planning system or awaiting submission, the total amount would be 26 industrial wind turbines on a protected, iconic mountain in the Sperrins AONB.

A spokesperson of the Save Benbradagh group said: “There has been a complete lack of transparency in respect of the Peace Plus project for Benbradagh. 

“The long established walkways have always been there for local people and tourists to enjoy. The Peace Plus project would have upgraded these existing paths and signage and provided more information on the rich cultural heritage of Benbradagh. 

“The significant change to divert funding away from Benbradagh mountain is alarming. There is now grave concern about the prioritisation of extractive industry over and above

the preservation of this highly valuable natural and cultural asset for the benefit of the community. 

“Benbradagh is vital to our tourist infrastructure and is widely promoted across tourist and outdoor recreational platforms.”

A spokesperson for Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council said: "The Benbradagh 'Gateway to the Sperrins Project' is one of five outdoor recreation capital projects in the local PEACEPLUS Action Plan, which has been supported by the Special European Union Programmes Body with funding secured through the European Union.   This funding is timebound with the action plan projects required to complete before June 2027. 

"The 'Gateway to the Sperrins' project is on privately owned land and, despite best efforts,  agreement has not been achieved with the private landowners. Due to the funding timeframes, and the need to ensure that funding is not lost to our Council area,  the PEACEPLUS Partnership identified an alternative project in the Benbradagh District Electoral Area - 'Dungiven Castle Park Project'.  This project will complement other proposed developments in the area, engage the local community and achieve completion within the required timeframe – ensuring that the funding will not be lost to the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council area. 

"Officers have worked hard to identify another project and we are very pleased that an alternative project has been identified and agreed for Benbradagh."