Farmer waiting to be told how much he will be paid for A5 land

A LOCAL landowner who had 20 acres vested by the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) last year for the proposed A5 dual-carriageway, says he still doesn’t know what price will be paid for each acre taken.

Preferring to remain anonymous, the man, whose farm is located outside Omagh, is one of dozens of people between Ballygawley and Newbuildings who will lose sections of their lands for the construction of the £1.2 billion road.

Last November, the department vested land along the nearly 60-mile route, with landowners due to receive an agreed price, followed by compensation for business impact once the road is completed.

However, the farmer, who contacted the Tyrone Herald, says Land and Property Services (LPS), responsible for liaising with landowners, has yet to discuss the price.

“A price is due to be agreed with me for the land that has been vested in November. But in the four months since that, I have received no contact from Land and Property Services. This is despite my own attempts to make contact with them on this issue,” he said.

“We have been in limbo over our land for almost 20 years now since this road was first proposed. That’s still where we’re at and it means that we can’t go to the bank looking finance to perhaps purchase replacement ground.

“The whole uncertainty over this is affecting our farm business. We can’t put in place any future developments, and we won’t receive compensation until the road is completed and there’s a clearer picture of the impact on farm businesses like ours.”

The dairy farmer, who milks 150 cows on the farm originally started by his father, supports the new road but says the assumption that landowners will receive large lump sums is misleading.

“Friends always say that we’ll get well compensated, but at the moment we just don’t know how much money is going to be there for us. It’s very frustrating and uncertain,” he added.

“The new A5 is needed, but us landowners also require certainty so that we can plan ahead. I know of others locally who are in the same situation as myself.”

The Department for Finance, which is the umbrella Stormont department for Land and Property Services has been contacted for comment.

Speaking in Omagh on a visit to the site of preparatory works for the A5, Infrastructure Minister, Liz Kimmins, said: “The Department has been working very closely with all the landowners impacted and working through the statutory processes. That engagement will continue in the time ahead and I hope that we can find a positive resolution to this in terms of the work that needs to happen.”