The UFU is expecting changes to be made around the rules that govern planning permission for replacement livestock sheds.

UFU deputy president John McLenaghan said DAERA’s current interpretation of the relevant legislation makes it “difficult or impossible” to get planning approval.

He said this is the case even if the proposed replacement shed will have less environmental impact than the existing building.

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“We have sought legal advice on whether it is correct for DAERA to take that interpretation. We are very clear in our minds that they are wrongly interpreting it,” he said.

At a meeting in Coleraine last week, McLenaghan said the threat of legal action from the UFU over the issue has “resulted in a shift in thinking within DAERA”.

“We are hopeful and expectant that DAERA will give us a very clear indication that this policy direction towards betterment, which is the replacement of existing buildings, is going to change,” he said.

Speaking at Stormont on Monday, Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir described the issue of planning permission for replacement farm buildings as “difficult”.

“I am aware of the farming community’s concerns about the replacement sheds that they want. We are trying to find a solution to that. If it were easy, it would not have been sitting for so long before I came into office,” he said.

The issue of delayed responses to planning applications from the NI Environment Agency (NIEA), which is part of DAERA, was raised with Minister Muir several times on Monday.

New sheep scheme expected in 2027

A new support scheme for the NI sheep sector will not be rolled out until 2027 at the earliest, UFU president William Irvine has said.

In Coleraine last week, Irvine told UFU members that DAERA has agreed to delivering a new sheep scheme, but reaching this point “took more time and effort than it should have”.

“We have eventually got that over the line in principle, but it is going to be 2027 before the department manage to deliver it, which is a frustration,” he said.

In his presentation, UFU deputy president Glenn Cuddy said rolling out new schemes for the sheep and arable sectors is a key priority for the union.

“For those sectors, there is no new support but yet they have still lost part of their area-based payment with no way of getting it back,” he said.