PRIVATE & CONFIDENTIAL JM Consulting (NI) Two Loughs Scoping Study Report June 2017 Content Updated & Added To Feb 2018 By DCSDC 1 | P a g e Contents Section 1.0 Preface Page 3 Section 2.0 Executive Summary Page 3 Section 3.0 Introduction Page 12 Section 4.0 Strategic Review & Context Page 15 Section 5.0 Review Of Existing Facilities And Page 53 Infrastructure Section 6.0 Case Studies & Best Practice Page 78 Section 7.0 Record of Consultations Page 106 Section 8.0 Proposed Costings & Action Plan Page 123 Options Appraisal, Conclusion and Section 9.0 Recommendations Page 145 2 | P a g e 1.0 Preface In December 2016 JM Consulting were commissioned by Derry City and Strabane District Council, Loughs Agency and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs’ Inland Fisheries Division (Two Loughs working group) to produce a study into the opportunities and options for development at Moorlough & Lough Ash. Although completed in June of 2017 the study highlighted a number of areas – e.g. clarification around access- which would benefit from additional scrutiny and analysis. The Two Loughs working group agreed to investigate with a view to populating the report with the additional information where it existed. This review exercise also identified other sources of information which were also integrated into the original report to add value. 2.0 Executive Summary Derry City and Strabane District Council (DCSDC), Loughs Agency and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs’ Inland Fisheries Division have come together to investigate options for developing a number of still water (and other) sites located- within the DCSDC council catchment- as angling, recreational and heritage hubs. The aims of the proposed development fit with the strategic objectives of all main stakeholders aligning in particular and critically with: • DCSDC’s Community Plan/Draft Tourism Strategy • Loughs Agency’s Strategic Development Plan (2015 – 2022) • The Fisheries Act (1966) and DAERA’s Strategic Policies • Tourism NI’s draft Tourism Strategy 2020 (currently under review) • Rural Development Programme for Northern Ireland (2014-2020) 3 | P a g e In accordance with the brief, this study followed a number of key stages leading to the identification of issues and recommendations. (i). A review of existing facilities and infrastructure The key findings of which were the requirement to clarify or formalise some legal rights, legacy agreements, and roles/ responsibilities relating to services. The sites are also prone to anti-social behaviour, littering and vandalism, and are in need of some initial baseline upgrade works as well as significant capital investment should additional service provision decided to be undertaken. (ii). Observation of good practice Several visits were made to sites considered models of good practice to provide a framework for any future development. The sites included: - Loughmacrory, County Tyrone. - Lough Muckno, County Monaghan. - Mullingar Angling Centre, County Westmeath. - Lough Sheelin, County Cavan. - Castlewellan Lake, County Down. The following themed findings from visiting models of good practice were identified as being of significance to the Two Loughs project: • Collaboration Best practice examples have a strong collaborative approach to maintenance and development, with several groups, including GAA clubs, community development associations and angling clubs working closely together. Inland Fisheries Ireland and the Irish Angling Development Alliance are involved with some areas and local councils usually have a service level agreement with local community based organisations for maintenance. Some areas have also incorporated partnerships with private businesses. Many examples of good practice are multi use and are shared by different user groups including anglers, canoeists, walkers and cyclists. Castlewellan Forest Park and Lake is such a facility with the NI Forest Service, Newry, 4 | P a g e Mourne and Down District Council and DAERA’s Inland Fisheries all contributing to different types of service delivery /end users. • Continuous Community Development Development at these best practice sites has been ongoing for a number of years and have included building well-established community and voluntary models for the management of the sites e.g. voluntary bailiff systems for enforcement of angling rules and regulations. Many of the best practice examples such as Lough Muckno and Loughmacrory tend also to be situated in the heart of their respective communities. In such instances these facilities - because of their central location and ease of accessibility- can benefit from the added value of investment by others in additional facilities on site or nearby e.g. playparks, picnic sites, barbeque areas, caravan parks, shops and restaurants. The end result is that at sites like Lough Muckno and Loughmacrory investment enables the provision of an amenity both for local people as well as a top class angling venue for visitors and angling competitions. • Localised Strategic Priority The promotion and development of examples of best practice is a key priority within a number of local authority/council tourism strategies. For example Westmeath County Council’s Tourism Strategy 2016-20 has identified key objectives for short term development of angling in the county while Monaghan County Council have listed the development of Lough Muckno as one of their key priorities. In 2016 Monaghan County Council supported twelve angling festivals at Lough Muckno. This support- in an area overlooked by Failte Ireland's core funding for tourism destinations- helped generate significant revenue locally and underlined the importance of angling tourism to the Lough Muckno economy. Monaghan County Council are currently looking at the potential for developing further access to Lough Muckno. This may provide an opportunity for a funded cross border co-operation/partnership project to be established with the DAERA – as the lead agency at Moorlough and Lough Ash- in the future development of this project. 5 | P a g e (iii). Consultation Those consulted included: - Staff from Loughs Agency and DAERA’s Inland Fisheries who are involved in the maintenance and administration of Moorlough’s & Lough Ash’s angling resources. DAERA is the principal agency with both sites forming part of the wider public angling estate managed by DAERA. Any proposals for development therefore have to be mindful of, add value to or complement the angling remit of DAERA at both sites. - Landowners and those with legal rights - Potential providers - The local community via three public meetings (held in Glenmornan, Donemena and Aughabrack) - Other key stakeholders ( via one-to-one interviews) including relevant staff at Derry City and Strabane District Council, who could potentially play an important role in driving proposals to facilitate increased local usage. 6 | P a g e Key findings of the consultations: • The two sites are managed by DAERA as part of the Public Angling Estate – public access is primarily for permit holding anglers. • At Moorlough DAERA have permitted other recreational users on to the Public Angling Estate via formal agreements e.g. in 2016 with a local model club being permitted use of Moorlough for club activities. There was also a Jet Ski club which had formal permission to use the Moorlough at dedicated times. It is likely that given the unrestricted access at Moorlough that there would be some duty of care for DAERA on non-anglers. • Site furniture: At Moorlough this is generally kept to an essential minimum (such infrastructure has been subject of ongoing vandalism). Inland Fisheries maintain angling stands and an anglers’ shelter (at Moorlough), as well as information signs, picnic benches, bins. Council has responsibility for an interpretive panels as well as the toilet block. • At Moorlough there is an informal arrangement with the council that litter is removed from the site in addition to Inland Fisheries staff doing the same when stocking or inspecting the site. • Re Lough Ash, DAERA have advised 1. Maintenance at the site to date has focused on the car park area and any stiles close to it. The physical status of the path around the lough would require review as would the access agreements with landowners. 2. Access is primarily for permit holding anglers. It is likely that given the unrestricted access at the sites that there would be some duty of care for DAERA on non-anglers. Access for walkers should not be an issue but work would be required to formalise all access around the Lough to ensure it was of a sufficient standard. Landowner concern has been expressed in relation to people camping, leaving litter and scaring livestock 3. DAERA Inland Fisheries carry out maintenance at the site to include the car park, litter bin, lifting of litter and access stiles. Though much effort has focused on those structures nearest the car park. Currently the other structures are being inspected to assess their condition. 4. Angling rights at Lough Ash are currently held in trust by DAERA in the absence of an owner of the rights being identified– Any investment at Lough Ash could be at risk if ownership of rights is asserted at some point in the future. 7 | P a g e • DAERA recognise the need to review the status of landowner agreements at both sites. • Due to custom and practice, DAERA (and its predecessors) has in the past carried out resurfacing of the circular roadway at Moorlough annually to facilitate angler’s vehicular