Many Civil Engineering contracts now require Agricultural Impact Assessments to be conducted as part of the overall submission to the Planning Authorities.

Where these contracts disrupt farming activities, or have an impact on future viability or livelihood of agricultural businesses, then an Agricultural Impact Assessment is normally required.

Over the past two years, several Agricultural Impact Assessments (AIAs) have been conducted on behalf of:-

Faber Maunsell AECOM (Manchester)
Ferguson McIlveen (Belfast)

AIAs have been conducted on the Civil Engineering road contracts listed below. In each case, all landowners were visited, the affected lands inspected, and a report (including photographs) on the likely impact on the agricultural business prepared. These reports have also been used to determine the necessity for direct access to farmland to be provided for livestock/machinery across new dual carrageways.

A2 dualling from Campsie to the City of Derry Airport

As currently proposed, this new road dualling scheme will affect farmers and landowners along the line of the proposed route, which will take the new dual carriageway off line from the existing A2 route, over agricultural land, affecting the viability of agricultural businesses along it’s route.

Extension to the M2, near Ballymena

The proposed extension of the M2 from the Larne roundabout to the Seven Towers roundabout, near Ballymena, run off-line from the end of the M2 and will impact on farmers and landowners along the proposed route.

A6 dualling, from Randalstown toToome & Toome to Castledawson

The proposed dualling scheme for the A6, extending to approximately 14km, will take the new dual carriageway mainly off line, away from the existing A6, with much of the route over prime agricultural land. This will significantly impact on many farmers and landowners along the proposed route, leading to approximately 100 agricultural businesses being visited and individually assessed.