Strategic Environmental Assessment Report

Environmental Effect requiring Environmental

Potential Environmental Effects (in the absence of Environmental Mitigation)

AQ N

Ref.

Proposal

PHH

BFF

Mitigation identified?

will be more evenly distributed across the city but with a greater focus in areas where there is limited off-street parking (i.e. the city centre and inner suburbs).

The proposal promotes the development of EV charging infrastructure within and around the city centre. The development of charging stations in the context of the built up urban environment of Cork City centre has the potential to impact existing street/transport conditions, cultural heritage and archaeology. The widespread delivery of EV Charging infrastructure in the city has the potential generate a variety of slight to potentially significant positive effects on a number of environmental components, including air quality, climate and population and human. The widespread development of charging stations within Cork City has the potential to generate some degree of cumulative effect on existing street/ road operations, cultural heritage, population and human health, and tourism and recreation, particularly where charging station development projects in the city overlap between each other and with other active travel related projects supported by the Cork City Development Plan or the Cork City Local Authority Climate Action Plan. The construction and operation of sizeable charging stations at biodiversity sensitive areas may generate localised adverse impacts on important habitats, flora and fauna - through a reduction in habitat area or disturbance to key species, for example. Construction activities associated with the development of charging stations may lead to localised noise and dust nuisance, particularly in the case of the development of the more sizeable fast speed charging station bays, and where the development is occurring in built up areas of the city centre.

The delivery of the electric vehicle infrastructure will need to be phased to match the delivery of electric vehicles on street with a more modest roll-out of between now and 2025 and ramping up significantly as we move towards 2030. In addition, the delivery of an extensive network of electric vehicle charging stations in Cork will require upgrades to the ESB Network both at a regional and local level and there is a requirement for continual dialogue between ESB Networks and Cork City Council with respect to the roll out and phased delivery of any new infrastructure.

Yes

+/-