I didn’t try to mislead anyone, says Trinity landowner

Thursday 22nd July 2004, 12:00AM BST.

FARMER Charles Gallichan this morning described as ‘absolute rubbish’ the suggestion that he had tried to hide the true nature of his plans for five Trinity fields.

Speaking publicly about the scheme for the first time since the controversy blew up, Mr Gallichan told the Canavan inquiry that there was no foundation for the allegation that he had sought to deceive anyone.

He said that the project for a new reservoir and to level the fields had been his son’s idea to improve the quality of the fields, some of which were ‘hopeless’ for growing.

It was, he believed, an ‘extremely simple’ project and he was confident that any environmental concerns could be met.

He said he only became involved when the planning sub-committee visited the site.

Until then, his only ‘material’ involvement had been to ‘sign the cheque for the planning fees’.

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