Public Inquiry: Dalradian Goldmine Applications for Discharge Consent and Abstraction & Impoundment Licence

The PAC/WAC has decided to cojoin the hearings alongside the planning applications relating to the proposal. Please refer to the Planning Appeals Commission for the procedures and updates relating to the Curraghinalt Project (Dalradian) Public Inquiry.

A pre-inquiry hearing was held on 20^th March 2024. 

Subsequent to the pre-inquiry hearing the PAC/WAC has determined that the 2 Abstraction and Impoundment Licence applications have been deemed refused under Regulation 19 of the Water Abstraction and Impoundment (Licensing) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 The Abstraction and Impoundment Licence Applications AIL/2020/0150 and AIL/2020/0160 have therefore been removed from the conjoined Public Local Inquiry.

On the 24^th April 2024 Dalradian Gold Ltd submitted two Abstraction and Impoundment Licence Applications, reference AIL/2024/0003 and AIL/2024/0004  for the same proposals.

The Department directed the Appeals Commission under Regulation 17(1) of the Abstraction and Impoundment Regulations 2006, on 2^nd May 2024 to hold a public local inquiry to consider representations in respect of the applications submitted on the 24^th April 2024.

However, Dalradian Gold withdrew these Abstraction and Impoundment Applications AIL/2024/0003 and AIL/2024/0004 on 26 July 2024.

Dalradian Gold submitted new Abstraction and Impoundment Applications to the Department on 26^th July 2024, reference AIL/2024/0008 and AIL/2024/0009. Please refer to this link to view the new applications.

Any person wishing to make a representation in relation to the abstraction and impoundment applications AIL/2024/0008 and AIL/2024/0009 must do so following the guidance set out on the following page:

Applications for Abstraction and Impoundment Advertisement Requirement | Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (daera-ni.gov.uk)

It is important to note that representations made on previous applications (AIL/2020/0105, AIL/2020/0106, AIL/2024/0003 and AIL/2024/0004) will not carry over to these new applications. Anyone who has made representations in respect of the previous applications may, within the 28 day period from the date of advertisement, resubmit their previous representations quoting the application numbers AIL/2024/0008 and AIL/2024/0009. See link to Advertisement Page.

Key Documents

See summary of the public representations received in relation to the above applications below:

• Summary of representations received in relation to consent applications (TrC 80/20 and TrC 81/20)
• Summary of representations received in relation to abstraction applications ( AIL/2020/0105 and Licence AIL 2020/0106)
• Summary of representations received in relation to abstraction applications AIL/2024/0003 and AIL 2024/0004 is under development.

In addition, please see key documents which are relevant to the inquiry:

• Condition assessment for Northern Ireland’s Freshwater Pearl Mussel Margaritifera Margaritifera population Horton, M., Bell, D., Keys, A. & Mitchell, F. (2018) . Report prepared by Ballinderry Rivers Trust for the Northern Ireland Environment Agency.
• Owenkillew and Owenreagh Freshwater Pearl Mussel Survey data Ballinderry Rivers Trust 2021-2022
• Investigative Electro-Fishing Survey on Curraghinalt Burn and Pollanroe Burn. Loughs Agency for Northern Ireland Environment Agency, 2021
• Deemed Refused Applications AIL/2020/0105 and AIL/2020/0106

At the Pre-Inquiry meeting the Commissioner requested additional supporting information in relation to the consent to discharge for exploration site (consent reference TC 40/12). Please refer to the Planning Appeals Commission in relation to the Curraghinalt Project (Dalradian) | pacni.gov.uk Public Inquiry for the documents shared with the PAC/WAC.