By Dionne Meehan
DONEGAL IFA recently met with senior officials from Donegal County Council to discuss farmer’s concerns in relation to the Ten T project.
The proposed major roads project, which is the county’s biggest road improvement scheme includes the development of the Twin Towns By-Pass, improvements to the Letterkenny to Manorcunningham Road and the Manorcunningham to Lifford Road dual carriageway which will lead onwards to Strabane and the A5.
Now in the final stage of phase three, the next stage of the project will be the publication of the Compulsory Purchase Orders.
This key step will mark the commencement of the planning process which could take place as early as the end of this year or the start of 2024.
Speaking to the Donegal News, Donegal’s IFA Chairman, Joe Sweeney said serious concerns were raised at the meeting with Donegal County Council.
“We raised serious concerns that have been brought to the attention of the IFA by farmers about the impact these projects will have on their farms and farming enterprises.
“The main issue with Donegal County Council was that they need to insist that Transport Infrastructure Ireland have an updated and improved IFA/TII Roads
Agreement in place when the project progresses to ensure that landowners are treated fairly,” he said.
With up to 200 farmer landowners involved across the three routes, which are 63 km long, Mr Sweeney said the roads will have a devastating impact on farms and farm businesses.
However, farmers are not the only ones affected by this project.
The projects will also impact hundreds of homeowners, with plans to remove 28 homes, six derelict properties and four commercial properties.
Depending on progress, it is anticipated construction will commence in 2027/ 2028.
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