91Èȱ¬

A ruling that a County Antrim gas storage project is lawful is to be challenged in the Court of Appeal.

In August, the High Court rejected a judicial review application by campaigners opposed to the plan to hollow out caverns for gas storage beneath Larne Lough.

Friends of the Earth and the No Gas Caverns campaign group have now formally appealed the ruling.

The proposal is to carve out seven caverns using solution mining.

Campaigners argue this would create a dead zone in a marine area that is home to a number of vulnerable species and designated an Area of Special Scientific Interest.

Those behind the project state it will create security of energy supply for Northern Ireland, with capacity to store up to a fortnight's supply of the UK's gas needs.

The appeal is based on the campaigners' belief that the application should have been referred to the Stormont Executive, which is currently not in place, and that a proposed community fund was an "irrelevant consideration".

Campaigner Lisa Dobbie from the No Gas Caverns group described the project as "nature wrecking major fossil fuel infrastructure".

The Islandmagee Energy company which is running the project has previously said there would be no long-term damage to wildlife.

A date has yet to be set for the appeal to be heard.