UFU Deputy President John McLenaghan, on his farm near Garvagh. Picture: Cliff Donaldson
Following a joint meeting between the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) and Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA), both organisations are strictly opposed to the recent progress on the Sligo, Leitrim, and Northern Counties Railway (SLNCR) Greenway, stating that landowner opposition should not be overruled by vesting powers. The Greenway project which is proposed to run across the border from Sligo to Enniskillen has moved to ‘phase 3’ and work has begun to test the suitability of their chosen route, despite no landowners in the vicinity supporting the project.
UFU deputy president John McLenaghan said, “The UFU stand with farmers in their opposition to the SLNCR Greenway project and condemn any move to override the landowner opinion using vesting powers. This proposed greenway corridor is unsuitable as unanimously voiced by all affected landowners in the area at a recent meeting. It has the potential to divide large areas of farmland, uproot farmers who have worked hard to build their farm business, and see large amounts of private property disrupted – this cannot be allowed to happen.”
The project which will see a greenway established along an old 75km railway line has elicited a great deal of anxiety amongst landowners in the area who foresee their livelihoods being disturbed.
“The UFU believe greenways should be done predominantly on public land to reduce the impact on private land but this proposed project will largely affect private landowners and is to follow an abandoned railway route which most farmers have legally incorporated as part of their farm,” continued Mr McLenaghan.
“A cross-border greenway is a positive move, but it must be executed in a fair way, taking into consideration the landowners and their rights and we cannot not condone the act of strong-arming landowners with a threat of vesting powers, particularly for amenities like these. Landowners have made clear their position, their concerns are valid and in good conscience, must not be overlooked.”
Chair of Sligo IFA Michael O’Dowd and Leitrim IFA Chair Liam Gilligan said the IFA is opposed to any compulsory purchase orders (CPOs) for amenity projects like Greenways and also opposed to the severance of farms for Greenways.
“The impact of the proposed Greenway on private farm lands and farming enterprises is very severe. Greenway projects like the SLNCR should maximise the use of public lands and minimise the impact on private lands, in line with the Government Strategy for the Future Development of Greenways and the Greenways Code of Best Practice.”
“This is clearly not the case with the proposed Sligo/Leitrim Greenway as the vast majority of the lands on the emerging proposed route are not public or State-owned lands and are in fact farmland. This is unacceptable and extremely challenging for the landowners.”
The Council have proposed that the Greenway would follow the old railway route. However, the IFA pointed out in practice farmers now farm and use most of the land where the abandoned railway line was. The reality is this is no longer a rail line and is now part of active farms and may include houses and farmyards.
“The old, abandoned railway line is long gone and this land is now active farmland, making it unsuitable for a Greenway.”
Other key issues highlighted by the IFA included farm viability; severance; access issues; privacy; safety and security; anti-social behaviour; dogs; litter; animal disease and wildlife; and environmental issues.
The Sligo and Leitrim IFA County Chairs said IFA had met with Sligo and Leitrim County Councils along with the ARUP consultants on a number of occasions and outlined all of the issues and concerns of farmers regarding the proposed Greenway.
