More than 100 homes approved for Chipping Norton
The county council said it would not seek contributions towards building the proposed north-south link road because Roman remains were found in the area, which cast doubt over whether it could be built.They said the traffic caused by the new housing would not be severe.Further details for the development will be submitted in a later application.
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Belfast Telegraph
17 hours ago
- Belfast Telegraph
‘Distressing' footage emerges of eels in Lough Neagh with potentially ‘millions' feared dead
It comes after recent footage has emerged on social media appearing to show dead eels atop a thick blanket of blue-green algae on the lough. Videos circulating on social media show eels squirming on top of and throughout the thick algae, with some appearing unable to resurface into the water. One clip also appears to show several eels unmoving while others depict small fish, understood to be juveniles, on top of the toxic growths in the Battery Harbour area. Nitrogen and phosphorus from agricultural fertiliser running off fields and from wastewater treatment are said to be a contributory factor in the blue-green algae blooms. The spread of the invasive zebra mussel species is also understood to have played a role in the blooms, as they have made the water clearer, allowing more sunlight to penetrate, stimulating more algal photosynthesis. Climate change is another factor as water temperatures rise. When the Belfast Telegraph visited last Monday the bacteria was in the early stages of forming plumes. Now large swathes of the lake are layered in a thick blue-green sludge. Mick Hagan, a seventh-generation eel farmer, said millions may be dead as the smaller juvenile eels struggle to sustain themselves, as he revealed it is the first time he can recall seeing dead eels in Lough Neagh. Several fishermen in the area have messaged Mick's Facebook community page, Western Shore Anglers, noting dead eels deep in the lough. 'If they're starting to die out in the open lake, they're definitely going to die in the shallows,' Mick explained. "That's the first I've seen the eels actually dying. That first outbreak in 2023 – it was a bigger outbreak, believe it or not – but there was fishing obviously out in the middle of the water, but in the likes of the harbour I'd never seen eels dying in it. 'I've had messages there from people that follow the page to say they have come across dead eels at shorelines and different areas in the lough, so it's just not in the one specific place.' A spokesman for the Department of Agriculture referred to the images as 'graphic.' They said: 'These images are a graphic and distressing reminder of the critical need to back the interventions required to address the crisis facing Lough Neagh and other water ways. Blue-green algae arrives back on Lough Neagh 'Whilst there is no quick fixes Minister Muir is determined to turn the tide on water quality by delivering the actions set out in the Lough Neagh Report in partnership with others, recognising that collective action is essential. 'The Lough Neagh Report includes 37 actions focused on education, incentivisation, regulation and enforcement, with 14 delivered to date and 22 in progress.' The spokesman added: 'There has already been a range of work to help address the pressures on the lough including; the establishment of a task force for regulation and enforcement focused upon the Lough Neagh catchment area with 300+ site investigations so far; research vessel to aid monitoring; Small Business Research Initiative to treat, reduce and suppress the growth of Blue Green Algae. 'A collaboration with the UK Space Agency to predict and monitor blue-green algal blooms and £8million investment committed to date, in the Small Business Research Initiative to help reduce excess phosphorus from livestock slurry.' Lough Neagh's significant levels of blue-green algae have been recorded for the third year in a row. Concerns have been raised surrounding agricultural fertiliser run-off which spurs the growth of algae as it filters into the lough. NI Water additionally told this newspaper almost 13,000 metric tons of wastewater is pumped into Lough Neagh every year, of which 1-2% is raw sewage. Agricultural Minister Andrew Muir blamed agricultural run-off for 62% of all pollution in Lough Neagh in 2024 with 24% as a result of wastewater and a further 12% from septic tanks.
The National
a day ago
- The National
Archaeologists discover 2000-year-old Roman road in Scottish park
Volunteers, along with archeologists, have been excavating King's Park for more than eight years and have discovered a roundhouse that likely survived the Roman invasion. Along with the roundhouse, archeologists have unearthed a road near the roundhouse, which experts believe would have led to a nearby hillfort. According to Dr Murray Cook, an archaeologist for Stirling, Falkirk and South Lanarkshire councils, who led the excavation, the owners of the roundhouse were likely a wealthy family who survived the genocide of Scots ordered by the Roman emperor Septimius Severus. READ MORE: Scotland's art sector set to hold landmark gathering amid funding cuts He said that there had been a break in roundhouse settlements during that period, which suggests there was a genocide of Scots and that radiocarbon dates indicate that the building existed before and after the Roman invasion. 'I think we're looking at an elite family that survived the Roman invasions,' Dr Cook said. 'They may prosper under Rome, so they're probably on the side of Rome.' (Image: Dr Murray Cook) Dr Cook said the discovery of the road shows the roundhouse was oriented towards the hillfort and that the family which owned it was probably 'emulating' the Romans with their own road, which likely joined the Romans. He added that they likely would have taken 'Rome's coin' and would have been on the side of Rome, and that is probably why they survived the genocide. The archeology team have only excavated around 30% of the roundhouse, which they believe was built using stone from a local quarry. They also found an 'exotic piece of technology' which was purposely placed in the middle of the road leading to the roundhouse as a 'status symbol'– a rotary quern. Dr Cook said it was likely an 'expensive' piece of equipment which was used to grind seeds or flour and was likely imported from elsewhere in the country. (Image: Dr Murray Cook) 'They put it in a prominent position in the road, so as you approach the house, you see it. This is, this is them making some kind of statement about who they are,' he said. 'It might be to do with their wealth. Maybe it's a religious significance, maybe it's a fertility goddess, but they're signalling, just as you might put a Lamborghini in your drive, to everybody that comes to visit that we can afford this stuff.' The rotary quern has since been removed from the site and will be analysed and tested to see where the stone came from, so that researchers are able to determine what part of the country it was imported from. The roundhouse likely survived the Roman emperor Septimius Severus' first campaign after it seemed to successfully subjugate the Caledonians and the Maeatae, the two main tribal groups in the region of Falkirk, Stirling, and Perthshire. However, in 210 AD, the Maeatae rebelled, which led Severus to give the genocidal order. According to researchers, when asked by one of his officers about what they should do with any prisoners, Severus replied: 'You should kill everyone, even the babes in their mothers' wombs'. 'We're not quite sure if it's politics, if it's propaganda, but for the next 50 to 80 years, there's a break in the Scottish settlement pattern,' Dr Murray explained. (Image: Dr Murray Cook) 'When people in Scotland kind of re-emerge onto the historical record, it's the Picts. 'Then the Picts spent the next 100 years battering the Romans, and eventually the Romans decided to abandon the whole of Britain, at around 410. 'That's the traditional narrative that the Romans committed a genocide. It bought them 80 years of peace, but then the next 120 years after that, they're battered.' Stirling Council leader Gerry McGarvey welcomed the discoveries and thanked all the volunteers for helping to shed more light on Stirling's past. He said: 'This latest discovery of a Roman presence in Kings Park is another reminder that Stirling's remarkable history and heritage stretches back millennia. 'There can be few greenspaces in Scotland that have been the scene of so many key historical events, something that always crosses my mind when I visit the park.'
The National
a day ago
- The National
Historic 140-year-old metal bridge in Inverness closes
During a routine inspection of the city's Infirmary Bridge, part of the structure, called a hanger, had been found to be sheared and has since been closed due to concerns for public safety Following further examination, a small number of similar defects on other hangers, which hold the bottom cord of the bridge deck, were found. Highland Council said it was in the process of appointing a contractor to carry out the repairs on the crossing, which bridges the River Ness, but did not confirm a timescale for the work to be carried out. READ MORE: 2000-year-old Roman road and roundhouse discovered in Scottish park A statement issued by the council said: 'Infirmary Bridge was closed last week following a failure in one of the hangers. 'We are currently in the process of appointing a contractor to undertake repairs to allow the bridge to be reopened. 'We have identified a small number of similar defects on other hangers, and these will also be included in the repair works. 'We cannot commit to an exact timescale at the moment, but we are working to reopen the bridge as soon as possible.' Highland Council had planned to begin repairs to the bridge last year but delayed the work as officials said the scheme had been pushed back because money was needed for other projects.
