The row over a renewable energy plant near Lough Neagh continues. According to BBC, Lisburn City Council has voted to refer a planning application to build an incinerator close to Lough Neagh to public inquiry. The council took the same decision last year when the proposal first came up.

Rose Energy wants to build a power plant near Glenavy to convert chicken litter and bone meal into energy.

Campaigners against the plant say it will damage the Lough's ecosystem by extracting 3.8 million litres of water per day to cool the incinerator.

A European Directive means Northern Ireland and its poultry industry must come up with alternative ways of disposing of poultry waste or face huge fines.

Rose Energy, says that Glenavy is the best place for this incinerator and argues that the plant would create a renewable energy source.

However, Ray Clarke, Chairman of Communities Against the Lough Neagh Incinerator (CALNI), accused Rose Energy of disregarding local residents and the Lough Neagh environment.

Sinn Fein MLA Paul Butler said: "Lough Neagh is not a suitable site for an incinerator plant and the proposal to abstract water will damage the world renowned wetland ecosystem and wildlife on the Lough which depends so much on water."

One councillor, Alderman Cecil Calvert from the TUV, voted in favour of the application and said he believed putting the issue out to a public inquiry was unwise.

However, the BBC report adds that there was cross-party support for the proposal to be examined in detail first.