Chapter 6
Green and Blue Infrastructure, Open Space and Biodiversity
Issues / Recommendations / Observations
Sub. No.
Chief Executive’s Response & Recommendation
• Suggesting encouraging water-based leisure activities and land site facilities such as rowing, light craft and swimming at City Docks (Objectives 10.20 and 10.30). • and working with stakeholders to facilitate safe, improved accessibility to the water, including the River Lee (Objective 6.3). (v) The submission supports the maritime heritage of Cork City. The submission requests that any future road bridges down river are of the opening type to facilitate recreational and commercial navigation on the river.
121
Cork City Council recognises the invaluable role of the River Lee in the cultural heritage of the City and its role as an amenity for recreational activities. This is referenced in many areas of the plan including Objectives 6.3 and 6.23. Specific bridge design specifications are not part of the Development Plan but general access to green and blue infrastructure is addressed in Objective 6.2, Accessibility to the Green and Blue Infrastructure Network. Recommendation: No change. Using water nature-based solutions presents many benefits and should be key in the management of green and blue infrastructure, as well as any future developments in the City. This is reflected in the Regional and Metropolitan Scale Green and Blue Infrastructure Opportunities.SuDS are discussed more specifically in Chapter 9, but they are referred to in Chapter 6 in the Active Recreation and Open Space Sub-chapter (paragraph 6.44 and are part of Objective 6.22. It is recommended to include additional text in Objective 6.18 Public Open Space to support GBI in public open spaces. Recommendation: No change.
National Heritage and Biodiversity
The submission welcomes the inclusion of policies and objectives supporting the implementation of SuDS and the enhancement of GBI. SuDS and GBI need to be encouraged in new developments including the public realm and retrofitted in existing developed areas as they provide a cost effective and sustainable means of managing stormwater and water pollution at source, keeping surface water out of combined sewers (thus increasing capacity for foul drainage from new developments), while providing multiple benefits e.g. improved air quality, amenity, noise reduction.
360
287
Powered by FlippingBook