Planning Appeals Commission set Lough Neagh sand extraction hearing for March

The Planning Appeals Commission has set its informal hearing into the extraction of sand from the bed of Lough Neagh for March.

A spokesperson for the organisation said the hearing isn’t really informal - as the title would suggest - and that everyone with an interest in the case will be given a chance to have their say.

Mountains of sand removed from the bed of Lough Neagh

placeholder image — Mountains of sand removed from the bed of Lough Neagh

The March 14 hearing will be led by Commissioner Andrew Speirs at the PAC’s Belfast headquarters and will be open to the public.

After all parties present their case Mr Speirs will then decide whether to uphold the Enforcement Notice issued to sand traders and Lord Shaftesbury in relation to the removal of hundreds of tonnes of sand from the lough by former Environment Minister Mark H Durkan.