Agenda released for upcoming inquiry about Tyrone gold mine plans

THE Planning Appeals Commission (PAC) has released its agenda for the upcoming public inquiry into controversial plans to build a goldmine and processing plant near Greencastle.

Hearings will begin at the Strule Arts Centre in Omagh on Monday, January 13, after a pre-inquiry meeting last year ended in chaos.

Back then, the Chief Commissioner for the PAC, Andrea Kells, said that it would be ‘imprudent’ to proceed with the inquiry.

The Department for Infrastructure (DfI), the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (DAERA) had asked the PAC to consideration representations made in respect of the application.

The so-called ‘Conjoined Public Inquiry’ will examine a number of aspects of the various strands of the application by Dalradian Gold Ltd.

These include the application for ‘underground valuable minerals mining and exploration, surface level development including processing plant and other associated development and ancillary works’.

POWER LINE

The second aspect will examine an application for a 33kv power line to serve the Curraghinalt mine.

This will run through both the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council and Derry City and Strabane council areas.

In addition, the inquiry will examine an application for a consent to discharge, two applications for the abstraction and impounding of water and another for the proposed abandonment of part of the Crockanboy Road.

It will run initially for six days between January 13 and January 24 next year. There will then be a break before it resumes on February 25 to 28 and between March 18 and 20 and on March 25 and 26.

Last month, Donegal County Council stated in correspondence to the DfI that it would be engaging in the Transboundary Consultation as it is considered that there was a clear hydrological link between the proposed goldmine development and the River Finn Special Area of Conservation.

It stated that the planning authority has concerns on the potential risks that the proposed mining development would have on the Owenkillew and Owenreagh Rivers, which converge and flow to Newtownstewart, where they join the Strule River which subsequently joins the River Finn at Lifford and Strabane.