[ 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 4 Findings and Analysis Available data for the Cork City Development Plan 2022-2028 Two-Year Progress Review collected from the sources identified in Section 3 of this report is provided in Table 4, in order to help indicate any changes in the environment that may have occurred since the coming into force of the Plan in August 2022 until June 2024. The following subsections provide an overview in this regard, drawing on much of this data and recognising that, as the Plan came into force only two years ago, the results of monitoring the significant environmental effects of implementing the Plan over the past two years is dependent upon information being available to this effect. 4.1 Biodiversity and Flora and Fauna Plan measures concerning biodiversity and flora and fauna are being implemented and are positively impacting upon the protection and management of biodiversity and flora and fauna. The Council continues to make significant progress in implementing the Cork City Heritage and Biodiversity Plan 2022-2026. The appointment by the Council of two full-time Biodiversity Officers, in the Parks Department (Operations Directorate) and Strategic Planning & Heritage Department (Strategic and Economic Development Directorate), has built capacity to support the implementation and delivery of the Biodiversity Plan. In addition, the appointment of a Landscape Architect in the Infrastructure Development Directorate is also supporting increased consideration of green space and ecology. Areas have been identified for prioritisation, to ensure the strategic goals of the plan are achieved. All new relevant local level land use plans are considering ecological assets and a green blue infrastructure approach, including connectivity, while any habitat removal is permitted in compliance with the Development Plan’s mitigatory provisions. There is a strong organisational understanding of the importance of protection of Natura 2000 sites. The following local plans and framework plans that apply a green/blue infrastructure approach to area and master planning are currently being undertaken: City Docks Framework Masterplan; Tivoli Docks Framework Plan; North Blackpool Kilbarry Framework Plan; and Northwest Regional Park Masterplan. Other plans that will be progressed at a later stage will which also apply a green/blue infrastructure approach include: Stoneview Framework Plan; and Airport City Gateway Framework Plan. There is a practice in the Council of referring relevant planning applications to the Biodiversity Officer for commentary. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Appropriate Assessment (AA) Screening are undertaken as part of each planning application as appropriate. Breeches of relevant planning conditions or non-compliance are reviewed under the Planning Enforcement Section on a continuous basis. In this regard, the Planning Authority are satisfied that planning permissions granted comply with objectives providing for the protection of Biodiversity and flora and fauna. All relevant Council plans are subject to the appropriate level of SEA and AA, including screening. Reporting on Special Protection Areas and Special Areas of Conservation (Articles 12 and 17 Reports) was released by the National Parks and Wildlife Service in 2019. The trends for sites brought to Stage 2 AA for the Plan are similar to trends for all sites nationally, insofar as populations of many habitats
CAAS for Cork City Council
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