MP slams 'shameful treatment' of poultry house planning applications

Mr Allister said there are many poultry farmers across North Antrim and elsewhere who are being impacted because of the system and, in particular, by the “absurd stance” of Shared Environmental Services.

The leader of the TUV wrote to the CEO and head of planning at Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council earlier this year in relation to matters arising under the Service Level Agreement for the delivery of Shared Environmental Services (SES) which were thwarting an application.

The application was for a new poultry unit with litter from the new unit to be spread at identified sites in both County Londonderry and County Donegal.

According to the North Antrim MP, the County Londonderry sites are acceptable, but issues have arisen due to SES demanding Air Quality Impact Assessments in respect of the County Donegal sites.

“The most egregious cases involve a demand by SES that if the farmer is proposing to export poultry litter to the Republic, then they must conduct expensive Air Quality Impact Assessments at the receiving site in the Republic, even though such is not required under ROI law and processes,” Mr Allister said.

“The overreach of SES in making demands as to what must be done beyond this jurisdiction is spectacular.

“Accordingly, I wrote months ago challenging SES on the legality of their approach.

“Over four months later – and after a meeting which Carla Lockhart MP and I held weeks ago with relevant officials – I have received what amounts to a mere holding reply, but which reveals that only now is SES taking the legal advice and carrying out the investigations with other agencies which it should have done before it ever put the brakes on planning applications.”

Jim Allister continued: “Meanwhile farmers seeking permissions for poultry houses are left to languish while SES finally exerts itself to do what it should have done months ago, instead of arrogantly asserting jurisdictional control where it has none.

“This is one of the worst examples of a careless and ill-judged approach by a public agency that I have encountered in a long time.

“This issue requires finality and SES accepting the limits on its jurisdiction.”

In the response to Mr Allister, Principal Environmental Planning Officer, Malachy Kearney, said: “The extent of the obligations placed on decision-makers to assess the impacts of land spreading on designated sites in the Republic of Ireland under the Conservation (Natural Habitats, etc.) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1995 along with other relevant pieces of legislation and policy is a matter of some complexity which the Shared Environmental Service is presently seeking clarification on from relevant public authorities. Legal advice is also actively being obtained on these matters.”

He added: “I have asked officials in the Northern Ireland Environment Agency to engage with their counterparts in the Republic of Ireland to ensure that this correspondence receives the timely and full attention that is needs in light of the issues raised. The Shared Environmental Service will reach a view on its obligations in light of replies received.”