Waterworks decision put on hold due to A5

A DECISION on granting permission to a new wastewater treatment works in Newtownsaville has been put on hold for a maximum of two months after it emerged that the proposal could impact the planned A5 dual carriageway.

The application had been submitted to accomodate more than a dozen homes in the area.

Discussions between the applicant, NI Water and the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) on how to facilitate the scheme for a sewerage facility are ongoing.

Last week, a meeting of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council’s planning committee was told that the DfI had recommended refusal of the sewerage facility.

This, they said, was due to its proximity within the land-take earmarked for the new A5 Western Transport Corridor (WTC).

A planning official said that the location of the wastewater treatment works had been changed by the applicant to better suit the construction of new homes in the area.

A water course in the area will be diverted due to the land-take of the new A5 dual carriageway, which would pass close by, if and when it is completed.

“It (the application) would if permitted prejudice the implementation of this strategically significant Northern Ireland Executive flagship project,” the DfI added.

The meeting was told that there are no other issues associated
with the application, other than
its difficulties in relation to the
A5.

Planning agent for the project, Toirleach Gourley, told the meeting that there was an approved scheme from 2020 for the provision of the wastewater treatment works for 16 dwellings in the location.

He added that negotiations in relation to a possible solution were ongoing between the applicant, the NI Water and the DfI.

Mr Gourley said that the applicant had tried their best to have the issue around the sewerage facility resolved.

He added that the difficulties were almost resolved, but that if permission was refused then it would potentially take months to gain permission as the application would have to be submitted
again.

The meeting heard that NI Water were content with the application, but that DfI and consultants for the A5 WTC had to consider the location and land-take for the sewerage facility.