Submission from the Office of the Planning Regulator (Submission No 426)
Issues / Recommendations / Observations
Chief Executive’s Resp onse & Recommendation
the potential for largescale wind energy development is very limited and therefore generally not open for consideration. It acknowledges that there may be potential for small or microscale wind energy development, which will be supported in appropriate locations. In preparing the Draft Development Plan, cognisance was taken of Cork County Council’s Wind Energy Strategy 2014, which included the areas of the City which formed part of the County area prior to the City boundary extension. This used the sieve mapping analysis recommended in the Wind Energy Guidelines, where the urban areas, metropolitan/town green belts and NHAs were not generally considered suitable for wind farm developments. Having regard to the Guidelines, it is still considered that these areas are not suitable as well as the remaining built-up area of the City and cannot accommodate large-scale wind energy infrastructure. Section 9.20 will be updated to cross-reference Chapters 5 and 11, so that the policy guidance on Renewable Energy can be more easily referenced. As it is clearly stated in the text the large-scale wind energy is generally not open for consideration anywhere in the City apart from potential for small or microscale wind energy, there is no conflict with zoning objective “ZO 2 New Residential Neighbourhoods”. The Draft Plan does consider other types of renewable energy that would be more feasible to provide such as solar with detailed guidance set out in Sections 11.247 and 11.248; heat pumps in Section 11.249 and District Heating in Sections 5.34 and 11.250. Section 5.34 will be amended. Section 9.20 will be further strengthened in this area to state that the City Council work with Cork County Council in terms of facilitating off- shore windfarms. These changes should be read in conjunction with those set out in Chapter 5 Climate Change and the Environment and Chapter 9 Environmental Infrastructure to take account of other amendments proposed. Recommendation: (i) Amend Section 9.18 as follows:
61
Powered by FlippingBook