[ Cork City Development Plan 2022-2028, Section 15(2) Two-Year Progress Report ]
SEA Interim Monitoring Report for the Cork City Development Plan 2022-2028 Two-Year Progress Review
Section 1 Introduction and Requirements
1.1 Introduction This is the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Interim Monitoring Report for the Cork City Development Plan 2022-2028 Two-Year Progress Review. It is part of the overall SEA monitoring process being undertaken for the Cork City Development Plan 2022-2028. Monitoring concerns the likely significant environmental effects of implementing the Plan – it can help demonstrate the positive environmental effects facilitated by the Plan and enable, at an early stage, the identification of unforeseen adverse effects, if any, and the undertaking of appropriate remedial action. 1.2 Requirements Article 10 of the European SEA Directive (2001/42/EC) states that the significant environmental effects of implementing a plan/programme shall be monitored. The Directive requires “a description of the measures envisaged concerning monitoring” to be included in the SEA Environmental Report and SEA Statement that are prepared alongside a plan/programme. However, the Directive does not prescribe what to include in a monitoring programme beyond the Directive’s indication that “existing monitoring arrangements may be used if appropriate, with a view to avoiding duplication of monitoring”. Irish legislation puts the onus for SEA monitoring on the plan-making authorities, requiring that they monitor the significant environmental effects of their plans/programmes. SI No. 436 of 2004 (Article 13J), as amended, describes that: (1) The planning authority shall monitor the significant environmental effects of implementation of the development plan in order, inter alia, to identify at an early stage unforeseen adverse effects and to be able to undertake appropriate remedial action and, for this purpose, existing monitoring arrangements may be used, if appropriate, with a view to avoiding duplication of monitoring. (2) The report required of the Chief Executive under section 15(2) of the Act shall include information in relation to progress on, and the results of, monitoring the significant environmental effects of implementation of the development plan. The DHLGH’s SEA Guidelines (2022) set out details on SEA monitoring requirements, including documenting monitoring results. The recently published DHLGH’s Development Plans - Guidelines for Planning Authorities (2022) provide that: “…. The Chief Executive’s report [the Two-Year Progress Report] must specifically include information in relation to progress on, and the results of, monitoring the significant environmental effects of implementation of the Development Plan. This report must include the results of SEA monitoring for the Development Plan, as well as variations to the Plan and the effects of implementing Local Area Plans….” The EPA have published guidance on SEA Statements and Monitoring (EPA, 2023), which includes various recommendations and advice on monitoring that is taken into account by SEA Monitoring of the City Development Plan alongside legislative requirements.
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CAAS for Cork City Council
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