'Farcical': Ammonia regulations holding up farm planning applications, UFU say

The delay Northern Irish farmers have faced for a decision in the processing of farm planning applications as a result of ammonia regulations has been described as "farcical".

The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) made the comments following reports that Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) and Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) are to make decisions on outstanding cases, after long delays.

Ammonia is a pungent gas produced in relatively large quantities from animal waste, concentrations of which are greatest in areas with the most livestock farming.

According to DAERA, when released into the atmosphere, it increases the levels of air pollutants that are harmful to human health.

Agriculture is the dominant source of ammonia emissions, making up 93% of Northern Ireland’s current emission levels, according to the department.

'No consultation'

The UFU have frequently criticised the government's approach to ammonia, saying planning applications are being held up as a result.

UFU president Ivor Ferguson said: “DAERA must make the right decisions on planning applications and ammonia to ensure that local agriculture can progress. We have been pressing DAERA and NIEA for some time on this and have been critical of the way they have dealt with the issue.

“Significant internal policy changes took place at least twice in 2017. There was no consultation with farmers at any time, even though farmers had applied for planning in good faith and many had spent £10,000 or more on applications.

“This should not have happened and we need answers as to why this occurred and who made these decisions,” Mr Ferguson added.

'Knowledge gaps'

The UFU has been co-operating with NIEA in trying to improve the environment, and farmers have taken steps to reduce ammonia emissions on farms.

Mr Ferguson continued: “We still do not know the extent of our ammonia emissions across NI and the UFU has concerns that some of the emission factors that are being used to calculate ammonia do not reflect the real situation on many local farms.

“While we welcome the fact that DAERA have commissioned a number of research projects to address these knowledge gaps, this will take time and in the meantime we are left in limbo using information that is out of date and is open to considerable question. How can farmers plans be judged by NIEA using information that cannot be substantiated?”