AQW 4230/17-22

Mr Andrew Muir
Alliance Party
North Down

Tabled Date: 21/05/2020
Answered On Date: 29/06/2020
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Communities why Model Engineers' Society (NI) Ltd cannot remain at Ulster Transport Museum, Cultra.

Answer:

National Museums NI is developing a new masterplan for the Cultra site and looking at how they can more fully unlock its potential in the future to meet long term objectives. In this context they reviewed the relationship with the Model Engineers Society NI, who for over 50 years have been given access to the Walled Garden within the Transport Museum site to operate their model engines.

National Museums NI have stated that they no longer consider this to be sustainable for the following reasons:

The Walled Garden is a key heritage asset and there is a responsibility to unlock greater public value from it – from both a social impact perspective and commercially. As part of the master planning work National Museums NI are actively developing a project to restore the Walled Garden and give it a new lease of life in a manner sympathetic to its original role.

The use of the site by the Society is creating increasing operational challenges and risks, particularly when they interface with visitors.

From a governance and accountability perspective it is increasingly difficult to justify exclusive free access and use of a key part of the site when other organisations have expressed an interest.

With these considerations in mind, National Museums NI indicated to the Society in October 2019 that their continued use of the Walled Garden would not form part of the future plans for the site.

National Museums NI have not yet given the Society formal written notice to vacate. They are obliged to give six months’ notice and they intend to issue that notice over the summer 2020.

National Museums NI advise that an important part of this project will involve assisting the Society’s move to an alternative location.