Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

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Application withdrawn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
Countryside Management Unit
Academy House
121A Broughshane Street
Town Parks
Ballymena
BT43 6HY
Email: eia@daera-ni.gov.uk
Telephone: 0300 200 7842
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