Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Quarry firm blasted over ‘destruction of ancient woodland’
Rare species threat by firm awarded millions in contracts
THE “systematic omnishambles” that allowed a company making millions from Stormont to destroy ancient woodland has been blasted.
Craigall Rocks, thought to be the “last known Northern Irish site” for rare species including wood smallreed, intermediate wintergreen, small white orchids and stunted oaks dates back to 1650.
Campaigners appealed to quarry firm FP Mccann, officials and Causeway Coast and Glens Council to save the site near Garvagh, Co Derry, from the bulldozers.
People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll said: “Only in the bizarre world of Stormont could we have a situation in which mineral applications from extractive companies approved in the early 1960s could still be permissible.
“I therefore urge [Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon] to listen urgently to the concerns of conservationists and those interested in protecting forests and our environment and to intervene.”
Friends of the Earth NI director James Orr said: “For a quarry firm to benefit by more than £100million from government contracts yet trash an irreplaceable place is crass and heartbreaking. “This is yet another case of systematic omnishambles in how special spaces are meant to be protected.
“The Council has failed to abide by its own planning laws, the DFI has failed to introduce the Review of Old Minerals Permissions and the Minister for the Environment has failed to give us an Independent Environmental Protection Agency.”
In March, Mr Orr asked Causeway Coast and Glens Council to “urgently” intervene to stop the wood’s destruction.
A Department of the Environment spokesman said [Minister] Edwin Poots also “expressed his concerns about woodland being removed at Craigall Rocks stressing the need to ensure the conservation of biodiversity at the site”.
He wrote to them on April 16 “asking them to consider placing the woodland, or groups of trees, under a Tree Preservation Order and modifying planning permission to conserve the trees”.
A Causeway Coast and Glens Council spokesman said Mr Poots’ request “was discussed at last month’s planning committee where it was agreed not to serve a TPO”.
That discussion was held in private but the report, which we obtained through Freedom of Information shows only “the visual amenity value of the trees” to the public was assessed and not the biodiversity.
I urge Nichola Mallon to listen to concerns & intervene GERRY CARROLL PEOPLE BEFORE PROFIT MLA