9.26 National Policy Objective 64 of the National Planning Framework aims to: improve air quality and help prevent people being exposed to unacceptable levels of pollution in our urban and rural areas through integrated land use and spatial planning that supports public transport, walking and cycling as more favourable modes of transport to the private car, the promotion of energy efficient buildings and homes, heating systems with zero local emissions, green infrastructure planning and innovative design solutions 24 . 9.27 While air quality is dependent on the achievement of outcomes in other policy areas such as promoting green energy and sustainable transport methods, Cork City Council is taking direct action by preparing its first Air Quality Strategy. The strategy outlines the actions that Cork City Council will undertake between 2021 and 2026 to reduce the concentrations of air pollutants in the city area, thereby positively impacting on the health and quality of life of residents and visitors to the city. It builds on significant work being conducted by Cork City Council to develop a high-quality air monitoring system and other initiatives that will significantly lower the levels of pollutants in the air in the city. The actions set out to deliver the strategy have been categorised into seven themes: Health and Well-being; Air Monitoring; Travel; Electric Vehicles and Charging Infrastructure; Regulation and Enforcement; Green Infrastructure; and Research and Innovation. The strategy will be reviewed every five years and progress on measures to improve air quality set out in this strategy will be reported annually in an Annual Air Quality Report. 9.28 RPO 130 Air Quality of the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy states that it is an objective to support local data collection in the development of air quality monitoring and to investigate the merits of creating a regional air quality and greenhouse gas emissions inventory 25 . Cork City Council works in cooperation with UCC and the Environmental Protection Agency on projects to measure air quality in the city. There are four ‘reference level’ air monitoring stations at Heatherton Park,
South Link Road, UCC Distillery Fields and Munster Technological University (MTU) that provide live, continuous air quality data and are used by the EPA for national reporting purposes. In addition, fifteen air quality sensors have been installed at locations across Cork City, intended for use as indicators of air quality and as a back-up to the data obtained from the EPA stations.
Light Pollution
9.29 It is essential that external lighting (e.g. street lighting, floodlighting) be designed to provide a safe and secure environment, while minimising the potential for light pollution or light spillage to surrounding properties. Excessive lighting can be harmful to wildlife and result in skyglow, which is the luminance of the night sky over urban areas from artificial lighting. The design of street lighting including lighting columns and other fixtures can have a significant effect on the streetscape and where new proposals for lighting require planning permission, including flood lighting for sports and recreational facilities, Cork City Council will ensure that these potential impacts are considered.
Noise Pollution
9.30 The Cork Agglomeration Noise Action Plan 2018 – 2023 26 was prepared in accordance with EU Directive 2002/49/EC European Communities (Environmental Noise) Regulations 2018. The Noise Action Plan is to act as a means of managing environmental noise, and to meet the aim of the European Noise Directive (END) of preventing, and reducing where necessary, environmental noise through the adoption of the action plan. Road traffic noise is the predominant source of noise within the Cork Agglomeration Area. Under the Regulations, Cork City Council and Cork County Council are designated the action planning authorities for the Cork Agglomeration area.
24 https://npf.ie/wp-content/uploads/Project-Ireland-2040-NPF.pdf 25 https://www.southernassembly.ie/uploads/general-files/Regional_Spatial__Economic_Strategy_for_the_Southern_Region_LOW_RES.pdf 26 https://www.corkcity.ie/en/council-services/services/environment/noise-monitoring/noise-action-plan-2018-2023.html
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Cork City Draft Development Plan 2022-2028
Volume 1 I Chapter 9
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