In Armagh and Tyrone, over 150 farmers and landowners have initiated legal action against the construction of a controversial 138km power line. The proposed line would feature over 400 pylons, posing environmental risks and disrupting local farming. Led by Safe Electricity Armagh and Tyrone, they advocate for less intrusive alternatives like underground cables. Despite previous planning approvals, the project faces persistent opposition due to its environmental and visual impacts. Further insights await about this ongoing controversy.
Key Takeaways
- Over 150 farmers and landowners from Armagh and Tyrone initiated legal proceedings against the proposed power line.
- The legal challenge focuses on the environmental impact and disruption to farming activities.
- Community advocates propose underground cables as a less intrusive alternative to overhead pylons.
- Sinn Féin opposes the overhead cables, adding political complexity to the resistance.
- Legal proceedings may delay the project, affecting its planning permission and future construction.
In a significant stand against the €350 million cross-border electricity grid project, a group of over 150 farmers and landowners from Armagh and Tyrone have initiated legal proceedings to challenge the proposed 138km power line stretching from Co Monaghan to Meath. This action, led by Safe Electricity Armagh and Tyrone (SEAT), underscores concerns over landowner rights and the environmental impact of the infrastructure. The group asserts that the planned overhead pylons, which accompany the line, pose important threats to the local environment, including potential harm to wildlife and disruption of farming activities.
The proposed power line, intended to connect electricity grids across the border, would involve the erection of over 300 pylons in the Republic and more than 100 in Northern Ireland. Despite receiving planning permission from An Bord Pleanála in 2016 and the Department for Infrastructure in 2020, the project has faced persistent opposition. The legal challenge focuses specifically on the planning approval for the pylons and a substation near Moy. With planning permission set to expire in the autumn, a successful legal challenge could delay or potentially alter the course of the project.
Opponents of the project advocate for the use of underground cables as a less intrusive alternative. However, Eirgrid, the company behind the project, maintains that underground installation is not feasible due to the distance and power capacity requirements. The visual impact of the overhead pylons and potential disruption to local wildlife remain central concerns for the community. These issues are amplified by the sentiment that such developments could detract from the region’s natural beauty and tourism potential.
The political landscape adds another layer of complexity, with Sinn Féin expressing opposition to the overhead cables while defending planning decisions in Northern Ireland. The legal proceedings initiated by SEAT reflect a broader resistance rooted in protecting landowner rights and mitigating environmental impact. As construction of the substation in Co Tyrone progresses amidst ongoing legal challenges, the outcome of these proceedings will likely play an essential role in shaping the future of this controversial infrastructure project, balancing the demands of energy connectivity with the preservation of local interests.
