Appropriate Assessment of the Draft Cork City Development Plan 2022-2028
Mitigation Measures Table 5.1 outlines measures that have been incorporated into the Draft Plan in order to mitigate against potential effects to European Sites as identified above. The Draft Plan was prepared in an iterative manner whereby the Plan and AA documents have informed subsequent versions of the other. These mitigation measures ensure that there will be no Section 5
significant effects to the ecological integrity of any European Site from implementation of the Plan. Table 5.1 Mitigation Measures that will contribute towards the protection of European Sites
Topic
Measures integrated into the Plan, including:
Natural Heritage and Biodiversity
SO 5 Manage and enhance green and blue infrastructure, to protect and promote biodiversity, ecology and habitat connectivity, protect natural areas, enhance landscape character and maritime heritage, and manage access to green and blue spaces that provide recreation, amenity and natural areas. 9.4 (c) To encourage the provision of green roofs and green walls as an integrated part of Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) and which provide benefits for biodiversity, wherever feasible. ZO 18 To preserve and enhance the special landscape and visual character of Landscape Preservation Zones. ZO 21.1 The primary objective of this zone is to preserve the character of the City Hinterland generally for use as agriculture, rural amenity, open space, recreational uses, green and blue infrastructure and to protect and enhance biodiversity. Rural-related business activities which have a demonstrated need for a rural location are also permissible. Any development associated with such uses should not compromise the speci fi c function and character of the City Hinterland in the particular area. 5.23 To encourage all development proposals to include rainwater harvesting measures. 11.213 To help protect the City’s character, all existing green and blue infrastructure (e.g., mature trees, hedgerows, watercourses, etc) shall be identified at the initial stage of the planning process and used to guide the site layout and design. 6.5 (a) To protect and enhance the City’s tree and urban woodlands in public and private ownership. Cork City Council will seek to survey, map and maintain existing important individual and groups of trees, using Tree Preservation Orders as appropriate. (b) To encourage the planting of new urban woodlands and trees where appropriate throughout the City and particularly where there are deficiencies in tree coverage as identified in the Cork City Green and Blue Infrastructure Study. (c) To support the preparation of a City Tree Strategy which provides a vision for long-term planting, protection and maintenance of trees, hedgerows and woodlands. (d) To support retaining existing trees and the planting of new trees as part of new developments subject to care on the species of tree and the siting and management of the trees to avoid conflict with transport safety and residential amenity in particular. (e) To promote the planting of pollinator friendly native deciduous trees and mixed forestry to benefit biodiversity. 6.9 (e) To discourage proposals necessitating the removal of extensive amounts of trees, hedgerows and historic walls or other distinctive boundary treatments. 6.15 (a) To protect the character of those views and prospects obtainable from scenic routes identified in this Plan. (b) To require those seeking to carry out development in the environs of a scenic route to demonstrate that there will be no adverse obstruction or degradation of the views towards and from vulnerable landscape features. In such areas, the appropriateness of the design, site layout, and landscaping of the proposed development must be demonstrated along with mitigation measures to prevent significant alterations to the appearance or character of the area. 6.20 (c) To support the development of active recreation infrastructure (including outdoor and indoor facilities) in Cork’s City Parks while also ensuring the continued improvement of their passive recreational offer, natural setting and biodiversity credentials. 6.22 (a) To protect, promote and enhance Cork City’s natural heritage and biodiversity. (b) To support the implementation of the National Biodiversity Plan and the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan and successor publications in Cork City. (c) To support and implement the biodiversity actions from the Cork City Heritage and Biodiversity Plan (2021-2026) in partnership with all relevant stakeholders. (d) Cork City Council will seek to establish and use a City biodiversity database, accessible across all council departments for consideration in land management decision-making. (e) Cork City Council will seek the enhancement of existing, and the delivery of new, biodiversity-rich areas throughout the City including individual buildings, streets, public and private spaces by supporting the
provision of green roofs and walls, rain gardens, biodiversity-rich parklets, rainwater harvesting, natural banks and naturalised SUDS. (f) Cork City Council will seek, where appropriate, to enhance the linear habitat connectivity, including the interconnection and enhancement of:
• Woodlands, gardens, open spaces, fields and hedgerows. • Coastal habitats, river catchments, lakes, streams, ponds.
• Aquatic, marginal and bank side habitats. • Parks, playing fields and recreational areas. • Upstream of mapped flood zones. • City transport routes.
6.23 To protect and enhance designated sites and areas of natural heritage and biodiversity and the habitats, flora and fauna for which it is designated, and to protect, enhance and conserve designated species 6.24 Cork City Council will seek to map the City’s ecological networks and corridors of local biodiversity value outside of designated areas, and to work with local stakeholders in supporting the effective management of features which are important for wild flora and fauna and habitats. 11.225 All development proposals are expected to: (1) Avoid, or as a last resort satisfactorily mitigate, adverse impacts on existing designated and non-designated habitats. This is in addition to the Appropriate Assessment requirement relating to designated sites.
CAAS for Cork City Council
18
Powered by FlippingBook