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A Stormont department spent almost £400,000 on a gold mine report, but submitted it too late for it to be included as evidence at a public inquiry, it can be revealed.
The Planning Appeals Commission (PAC) said yesterday that it would not accept the report as late evidence.
A public inquiry is currently underway into an application by Dalradian Gold to mine in the Sperrins mountains.
The US-backed firm plans to mine gold and other precious metals in the Sperrins Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The proposal would leave around 4.8 million cubic metres of waste rock over 50 metres high on a hillside in the vicinity of homes and a school.
The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) hired environmental consulting firm Golder Associates UK Ltd to independently review Dalradian’s mine waste management plans.
Now it has emerged that its ‘Technical Review Report of the Mine Waste Management Plan for the Curraghinalt Project’, completed in August 2021, is not among the evidence being considered by the Planning Appeals Commission, despite being referenced in multiple submissions.
Two representatives from global engineering firm WSP, which acquired Golder Associates in 2021, appeared at the inquiry this week to speak on the report as “consultants” for DfI.
According to documentation from DfI, seen by The Detail, the total cost of their work by May 2020 was £328,267.50 before the addition of VAT, bringing it to an estimated £393,921.
Omission of the document was first raised by counsel for the applicant, Dalradian Gold, who subsequently asked the PAC to consider adding it to evidence on Tuesday.
Stewart Beattie KC made the case that the report, dated August 2021, was not in the Commission’s papers and since it is “referenced” by DfI, DAERA and other parties, added “it seems to me you should have it”.
DfI and Fermanagh and Omagh District Council supported its inclusion while third parties highlighted how the date for admission of new documents had lapsed.
DfI counsel, Julie Ellison, told the PAC: “The department was of the understanding that the report had been served.
“DfI thinks the PAC should have it. The two experts we have here today rely upon it - not just for mine waste but for the water element.”
When asked for justification as to why it was not in evidence, she added: “The department thought it had been submitted. We would have to go back and investigate.”
This is the second time DfI officials failed to submit documentation to the PAC on time.
DfI Roads also submitted a ‘Statement of Case’, in relation to a road abandonment and its proposed replacement, too late to be included in PAC evidence.
After hearing submissions after the Golder report, Commissioner Jacqueline McParland said on Wednesday morning she would “not be accepting it as late evidence”.
She added: “The applicant’s request is denied. DfI, NIEA and the applicant all had the opportunity to provide it and didn’t.”
Mr Beattie responded: “This will be problematic moving forward.”
Third-party objector Martin Tracey also raised conflict-of-interest allegations, stating that Golder Associates had previously provided technical studies for Dalradian’s proposed Co Tyrone mine before DfI commissioned the firm.
Save Our Sperrins solicitor, Mary Brolly, requested the admission of two documents she said were published after the December 2025 cut-off date for admissions.
A March 2026 report on filtered tailings by the campaign group’s mining expert, Dr Steven Emerman, was accepted. A second article by Peter Werner published in Mining Engineering was not, after Mr Beattie said it was available publicly online in November 2025.
DfI has been contacted for comment.