Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA (Ag))
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a way of helping farmers, landowners and others to consider the environmental effects of changing the way they farm.
EIA Regulations for agriculture
Under the Environmental Impact Assessment (Agriculture) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007, any person intending to alter the use or management of areas of uncultivated or semi-natural land must obtain prior approval from Department of Agriculture Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA). DAERA will screen all such applications and any that are likely to have significant environmental effects will be requested to prepare an Environmental Impact Assessment before a decision on whether the project can go ahead is given.
It is an offence to carry out any such work without prior permission from DAERA. DAERA may serve a notice to stop unauthorised works with immediate effect. It is an offence not to comply with a stop notice.
In addition the offender may be liable for the cost of reinstating the land to its former condition. If after a conviction, the land is not reinstated as requested, a further daily fine will be imposed until the reinstatement work is carried out.
Agriculture EIA decisions
Recent decisions under the Environmental Impact Assessment (Agriculture) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007
| Name of applicant | Location | Project | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Millar | Co. Tyrone | Reclaim whins to grass | Project exempt |
| Abraham | Co. Armagh | Cultivation and soil improvements | Project exempt |
| Skillen | Co. Down | Scrub removal and reseeding | Project exempt |
| Kerrigan | Co. Fermanagh | Scrub removal | Project exempt |
| Trotter | Co. Down | Soil spreading and reseeding | Project exempt |
| Skillen | Co. Down | Scrub removal | Application withdrawn |
| Watson | Co. Tyrone | Deforestation | Project exempt |
| Corrigan | Co. Fermanagh | Scrub Removal | Project approved |
| Earls | Co. Fermanagh | Cultivation and reseeding | Project exempt |
| McElholm | Co. Tyrone | Drainage work | Project exempt |
| McKenna | Co. Derry/Londonderry | Scrub removal and drainage | Project exempt |
| Sayers | Co. Tyrone | Stocking intensification | Project exempt |
| Thompson | Co. Derry/Londonderry | Cultivation | Environmental statement required |
| Walsh | Co. Armagh | Install drains, cultivate and reseed. | Project exempt |
| Donnelly | Co. Antrim | Remove scrub for drain maintenance. | Environmental statement required |
| Leathem | Co. Antrim | Cultivate and reseed. | Project exempt |
| King | Co. Down | Raise Field level and reseed. | Project exempt |
| Cirefice | Co. Down | Remove gorse and regenerate grassland. | Project exempt. |
| Harrison | Co. Down | Reclaim ground, remove whins. | Project exempt |
| Armstrong | Co. Tyrone | Restore grass field. | Project exempt |
| Keys | Co. Fermanagh | Clear vegetation and cultivation. | Environmental statement required |
For further information contact:-
DAERA
Technical Delivery Unit
Academy House
121A Broughshane Street
Town Parks
Ballymena
BT43 6HY
Email: eia@daera-ni.gov.uk
Telephone: 0300 200 7842