CLIENT:
Cork City Council
PROJECT NAME: REPORT TITLE:
Cork City Electric Vehicle Charging Strategy
SEA Environmental Report
Environmental Component
Summary of the Baseline Environmental Characteristics The WFD groundwater status (2016-2021) underlying Cork City is generally identified as being of good status. The WFD status of rivers and streams (2016-2021) draining Cork City ranges from good (sections of rivers and streams, including Moneygurney and Lee to moderate (sections of rivers and streams including: Curragheen) and to poor (sections of rivers and streams including: Bride and Glasheen). Cork City is located on the south coast of Ireland, and some of the Strategy boundary is subject to flood risk from the Celtic Sea. Material assets include transport infrastructure, power generation plants and supply networks, water supply, wastewater treatment infrastructure and waste disposal sites among others. Potential opportunities and conflicts associated with these assets will be considered in the SEA. Other material assets covered by the SEA include archaeological and architectural heritage and natural resources of economic value, such as soil, air and water. Cork City is traversed by a number of major roads – the M8/N8, N22, N20, N27, N28, N40 and the N71. The City is served by the intercity commuter train services and local connections to metropolitan commuter towns. Cork City hosts ‘Wild Atlantic Way’ and the success of the brand strategy will result in infrastructure demands to previously less trafficked areas. Cork City Council has developed the Visit Cork Sustainability Strategy (2023-2030). Cultural Heritage sites in Cork City. also support heritage-related tourism and recreation Cork City is affected by climate change policy and issues broadly. The recent Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 was established to provide for the approval of plans by the Government in relation to climate change. This aims at pursuing the transition to a climate resilient, biodiversity rich and climate neutral economy by no later than the end of the year 2050. Ireland’s Climate Action Plan 2023 sets out Ireland’s national and sectoral targets in this regard. Future changes in climate and associated impacts on sea level, rainfall patterns/intensity and river flow will influence flooding frequency and extent in the future. Local Authorities in compliance with the Regional Planning Guidelines are attempting to adopt sustainable flood risk strategies in areas likely to be at risk of flooding in the future in the context of climate change and changing weather patterns. Changes to climate could lead to an increase in flooding events in Ireland.
Material Assets
Tourism and Recreation
Climate Change
Section 4 of the main body of this SEA Environmental Report contains further detail on baseline environmental characteristics, including a variety of details environmental mapping, for those who wish to develop a more in- depth understanding of the environmental baseline. Section 7 of the main body of this SEA Environmental Report contains a summary of the evaluation of the environmental effects of the implementation of the Strategy, including a summary of the various positive impacts, negative impacts, and cumulative impacts associated with Strategy implementation. Evolution of the Baseline Environment The SEA Directive requires that consideration is given to the likely evolution of the baseline environment in the event the Strategy is not progressed and implemented. In the event the Strategy is not implemented; the baseline environment in Cork City would primarily evolve in line with local plans and policies currently being implemented for the area (e.g., the Cork City Development Plan 2022-2028, the Cork City Local Authority Climate Action Plan 2024 - 2029, the Cork City Heritage and Biodiversity Plan).
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