Department bids to relax Lough Neagh sand extraction rules

FRESH concerns have been raised over sand dredging on Lough Neagh, as a Stormont department bids to relax the restrictions around extraction.

Mid Ulster District Council is to let the Department for Infrastructure know it is content with proposed changes to conditions in relation to sand extraction on Lough Neagh provided the department is satisfied the changes will not result in any harm to species, biodiversity or residential amenity.

At a meeting of the council’s planning committee earlier this month members were informed the Department for Infrastructure has notified the local authority of an application to vary two conditions relating to restrictions on the operations to daylight hours during winter months and the condition which relates to the size of barges used for the sand extraction process. Less than two years ago, attempts to stop the practice of taking sand from the bottom of the lough amid fears over the impact on the ecology and environment, were dealt a major blow, when the then Infrastructure minister Nichola Mallon gave approval for the dredging to continue.

Controversy erupted when it emerged that there had never been any planning approval for the dredging which has been happening on an industrial scale for decades.

Despite the concerns of environmentalists who had taken the case to court on several occasions, Nichola Mallon said she had come to the conclusion that the work would cause “no adverse effect” to the protected features of the lough and subsequently gave approval. At the time, James Orr from Friends of the Earth said, “To approve this extraction in a place that is meant to be a specially protected nature reserve means that nowhere is safe in Northern Ireland from extractive industries.”

At the meeting of the Mid Ulster Council when the matter was raised again this month, the head of planning – Dr Chris Boomer – admitted they did not have the resources to police the activity on the lough.

Councillor Sean Clarke asked if consideration had been given to the impact this change might have on wildlife around Lough Neagh at dusk and noted the lough would be a “very important area for wildlife”.

Dr Boomer said the council could make it clear it wants assurances that there will be no harm to species, biodiversity or residents as a result of these changes.

Responding to another question, Dr Boomer admitted, “Lough Negah always concerns me, if there is any breach of any condition the department pushes it to us.

“Some of the conditions are very difficult, in that, without going into specifics, we have a lough controlled by Lord Shaftesbury and his estate. He grants extraction under licence but then what if extraction takes place by people who don’t have a licence.

“Complaints are raised and it is pushed to us to deal with and that becomes problematic. We would be enforcing something but if they are not doing it under licence, that would be an offence that Lord Shaftsbury should ask the DPP to prosecute. I don’t have the resources to send people out to sit in boats day in and day out. There are an awful lot of things that give me concern in our ability to actually make this work.”

A proposal to respond to DfI’s consultation explaining the council is satisfied with the proposed changes to the conditions provided the DfI is assured there will be no harm to the species or biodiversity of the lough as a result of these changes in condition and residential amenity is protected in relation to noise was put forward by Councillor Sean Clarke and seconded by Councillor Wesley Brown.