Army 'spy hills' sold for £3m

A range of hills high above Belfast once used by the British army to spy on terrorists in the city has been sold in a £3m (€4.3m) deal, it was revealed today.

The UK National Trust has become the new owner of the famous Divis and Black Mountain which will be opened to the public for the first time.

Conservationists believe a huge amount of important archaeological remains could be buried in the slopes.

Ruth Laird, the Trust’s Northern Ireland director, said: “This mountain has formed the backdrop for so many people’s lives in Belfast yet it has been alien to them.

“We can now begin to preserve and protect the rich and varied wildlife on the mountains and open up a landscape that affords spectacular views of the city, Belfast Lough and much of Northern Ireland.”

The 1,500 acres of grassland and heath was first leased from farmers by Britain's Ministry of Defence in 1953 before being bought in 1986.

Military chiefs used land on the 1,562ft Divis Mountain and 1,275ft Black Mountain to train soldiers and guard a communications base.

The British army refused to confirm what survellance operations were carried out from the hills, but it is thought the area provided a vital site for anti-terrorism operations at the height of the conflict in Northern Ireland.

Once paths, fencing and signs have been put up, however, the Trust plans to allow ramblers on to the mountains by summer 2005.

The acquisition was made possible by a £1.3m (€1.9m) grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and a £600,000 (€857,400) contribution by the Environment Heritage Service. The National Trust stumped up another £1m (€1.4m) towards the costs, ending four years of planning.

Fiona Reynolds, the National Trust’s director general, described the handover as one of the most significant acquisitions in Northern Ireland for an organisation which already owns the Giant’s Causeway, 60 miles of coastline and more than a dozen estates.

“The Trust was founded on the principle that everyone should have access to open countryside,” she said.

"This vision is as relevant to today’s society as it was 100 years ago. We delight in the opportunity that this acquisition gives us to contribute in such a significant way to the people of Belfast and further afield.”

EHS chief executive Richard Rogers agreed with the Trust on the importance of the Belfast Hills.

He said: “This application met many of the objectives of our Natural Heritage Grant Programme including nature conservation, landscape protection, public access and great opportunities for community involvement and education.”