The Department for Regional Development hereby gives notice, in accordance with Article 67A(1) and (9) of the Roads (Northern Ireland) Order 1993 (“the 1993 Order”), that it considers that its proposal for the construction of the A5 Western Transport Corridor is a relevant project within the meaning of Article 67(1) of the 1993 Order and falls within Annex I of Council Directive 85/337/EEC on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment, as amended by Directive 97/11/EC and Directive No. 2003/35/EC of the European Parliament and Council (“the Directive”).

The Department has determined that this proposal should be made subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment in accordance with the Directive.

Environmental Statement: Notice of Publication

The Department for Regional Development hereby gives notice in accordance with Article 67A(3) and (9) of the 1993 Order that it has prepared an Environmental Statement on the effects of the proposed construction of the A5 Western Transport Corridor.

The general effect of the project will be to construct 85 kilometres of new trunk road from just south of Londonderry at New Buildings, passing through Strabane and close to Newtownstewart, Omagh, Ballygawley and Aughnacloy.

The aim of the project is to improve conditions for road users by improving safety and reducing and improving the reliability of journey times for vehicular travellers.

In addition to earthworks and drainage, landscaping will be carried out to improve the appearance of the road and lessen the visual impact of the proposed project.

Trunk Road Order

The Trunk Road T3 (Western Transport Corridor) Order (Northern Ireland) 2016

The Department for Regional Development hereby gives notice in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 8 to the 1993 Order that it proposes to make an Order under Articles 14(1) and 68(1), (3), (4) and (5) of that Order.

The proposed Order will provide—

1. that 78.73 kilometres of new road (including 4 new roundabouts) consisting of:

(a) 74.98 kilometres of new road from a point on the existing T3 A5 Victoria Road, 212 metres north of its junction with U1155 Woodside Road, to a point on the T6 A4 Annaghilla Road, 120 metres south-west of its junction with C650 Feddan Road;

(b) 1.36 kilometres of new road from a point on the existing T6 A4 Annaghilla Road, 120 metres south-west of its junction with C650 Feddan Road, to its junction with the new Ballygawley Roundabout;

(c) 0.44 kilometres of slip road extending in a generally north-westerly direction from the new roundabout which will exist on T10 A32 Clanabogan Road, to the new route;

(d) 0.44 kilometres of slip road extending in a generally north-westerly direction from the new roundabout which will exist on T10 A32 Clanabogan Road, to the new route;

(e) 0.66 kilometres of slip road extending in a generally south-easterly direction from the new roundabout which will exist on T10 A32 Clanabogan Road, to the new route; and

(f) 0.85 kilometres of slip road extending in a generally south-easterly direction from the new roundabout which will exist on T10 A32 Clanabogan Road, to the new route, should be designated as trunk road and form part of the Belfast-Ballygawley-Londonderry-Land Frontier Trunk Road T3.

2. that 0.35 kilometres of new road to provide a new roundabout in the townlands of Ballygowan and Lammy in Fermanagh and Omagh District Council Area and County of Tyrone, from a point on the existing T10 A32 Clanabogan Road 306 metres south-west of its junction with U2159 Dromore Road, to a point 481 metres south-west of that junction should be designated as trunk road and be part of the Cookstown-Omagh-Enniskillen-Aghalane-Land Frontier Trunk Road T10;

3. for the stopping-up of certain junctions, the stopping-up of certain roads to road traffic and the stopping-up of certain roads to motor vehicles.

Stopping-Up Order

The Private Accesses on the A5 Western Transport Corridor (Stopping-Up) Order (Northern Ireland) 2016

The Department for Regional Development gives notice of its intention to make an Order under Article 69 of the 1993 Order the effect of which would be to stop-up to road traffic the following private accesses:

• A4 Annaghilla Road, Drumcorke, Ballygawley – south-east side, from a point 95 metres south-west of its junction with C651 Ballynany Road to a point 86 metres south-west of that junction.

• A4 Annaghilla Road, Drumcorke, Ballygawley – south-east side, from a point 75 metres south-west of its junction with C651 Ballynany Road to a point 70 metres south-west of that junction.

• C666 Loughmuck Road, Rylands, Omagh – north-west side, from a point 11 metres south-west opposite of its junction with U3302 Rylands Cottages to a point 8 metres south-west of that junction.

• U1307 Tullyrush Road, Tullyheeran, Omagh – south-east side, from a point 267 metres south-west of its junction with A5 Doogary Road to a point 260 metres south-west of that junction.

Articles 69(7) and 19 of the 1993 Order provide that where access to any land has been stopped-up in pursuance of an order made under Article 69 and any person has suffered damage in consequence thereof by the depreciation of any estate in the land to which he is entitled or by being disturbed in his enjoyment of the land, he shall be entitled to recover from the Department compensation in respect of that damage.

Notice of Intention to make Vesting Orders

The Department for Regional Development proposes to make orders vesting certain lands in the Department under the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1972 and the 1993 Order.

The Department proposes to acquire the lands for the construction of a dual carriageway from just south of Londonderry at New Buildings, passing through Strabane and close to Newtownstewart, Omagh and Ballygawley.

All documents and maps relating to the Scheme may be inspected and further information relating to the proposals may be obtained by any person, free of charge, at all reasonable hours during the period from 16th February 2016 to 4th April 2016 at the TransportNI offices of:

• Western Division, County Hall, Drumragh Avenue, Omagh; • Fermanagh & Omagh Section Office, 32 Deverney Road, Arvalee, Omagh;

• Mid-Ulster (South) Section Office, Moygashel Depot, Main Street, Moygashel; • Londonderry & Strabane Section Office, 20 Derry Road, Strabane;

• Headquarters, Room 2-13, Clarence Court, 10-18 Adelaide Street, Belfast; • Londonderry & Strabane Section Office, 1 Crescent Road, Londonderry;

and at the offices of—

• Mid Ulster District Council, Circular Road, Dungannon; • Derry City & Strabane District Council, 47 Derry Road, Strabane;

• Derry City & Strabane District Council, 98 Strand Road, Londonderry; and • Fermanagh & Omagh District Council, The Grange, Mountjoy Road, Omagh.

In addition, the Environmental Statement may also be inspected at all reasonable hours during the same period at the offices of Monaghan County Council, Roads Office, MTEK II Office, Armagh Road, Monaghan, Co. Monaghan and Donegal County Council, Public Services Centre, Drumlonagher, Donegal Town Co. Donegal.

Alternatively, an electronic version of the Environmental Statement (Non Technical Summary) is available for viewing at http://www.a5wtc.com

Any person who wishes to express an opinion on the Environmental Statement or to object to the making of The Trunk Road T3 (Western Transport Corridor) Order (Northern Ireland) 2016, The Private Accesses on the A5 Western Transport Corridor (Stopping-Up) Order (Northern Ireland) 2016 or the proposed Vesting Orders must, on or before 4th April 2016, write to the Divisional Manager, Department for Regional Development, TransportNI – Western Division, County Hall, Drumragh Avenue, Omagh BT79 7AF, stating their opinion on the Environmental Statement and/or the grounds of their objection to the proposed Orders. The Department will take into consideration any representations made before deciding whether or not to proceed with the project with or without modifications.

Information you provide in your response, including personal information, could be published or disclosed under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) or the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIR). For further details on confidentiality and FOIA/EIR please refer to http://www.ico.org.uk