FERMANAGH and Omagh District Council’s planning and building regulations include no safety requirements in relation to the positioning of overhead electrical cables.


At the council’s January Regeneration and Community Committee, members requested a report detailing the statutory requirements relating to the positioning of high voltage cables over the forecourts of filling stations.


The request was made after a swan collided with an overhead powerline in January, causing the electrical cabling to collapse onto the forecourt of Lilley’s Centra on the Lough Shore Road.


As a result members specifically requested that clarification be sought regarding any Planning or Licensing requirements.
The report was brought before the committee on Tuesday this week.
It informed members that, from a Planning perspective, the relevant policy in considering applications for overhead electricity lines “focuses consideration on the visual impact of wires” rather than any safety tests.


The policy does refer to preference being given to undergrounding services in urban areas where appropriate “but this is linked to visual intrusion, rather than safety”, added the report.


“The Council’s Planning Department rarely receives proposals which cross over buildings and it is assumed that this is because Power NI has its own criteria for, for example, clearance from existing buildings,” said the report.


“With regards to the consideration of proposals for buildings located under Power NI lines, where a line crosses the site, there is usually an indication that the line will be re-routed or that the building is not directly underneath,” it said.


Whilst there are no requirements under the Building Regulations regarding the positioning of overhead cables, in terms of Licensing, the relevant policy states: “Wherever possible filling stations should be so arranged that there are no overhead conductors.”


The policy states that: “Exceptionally and only after agreement with all relevant authorities, the site may be located beneath suspended overhead conductors provided that precautions are taken to avoid danger from falling cables, possibility of stray currents in the metalwork and the possibility of direct contact by delivery personnel using dipsticks on the tops of tankers. This can be achieved by ensuring that all metalwork on site within hazardous areas is electrically bonded and earthed.”


According to the report, Lilley’s site had been electronically bonded and earthed.
The report will be brought before all council members at the next full council meeting.