Appropriate Assessment of the Draft Cork City Development Plan 2022-2028
Topic
Measures integrated into the Plan, including: (2) Integrate provision for biodiversity enhancement which may include compliance through public open space, gardens, areas of planting (pollinator friendly planting and native tree species should be prioritised), sustainable urban drainage systems, incorporating green roofs, bee hotels, bird and bat boxes. (3) Avoid adverse impacts, incapable of satisfactory avoidance or mitigation, on mature trees, protected flora, animal or bird species. Strategic biodiversity goals: (1) To protect and enhance designated areas of natural heritage and protected species and to adhere to all relevant biodiversity legislation; (2) To ensure that sites and species of natural heritage and biodiversity importance in non-designated areas are identified, protected and managed appropriately;
(3) To create green and blue infrastructure network thereby creating ecological corridors linking areas of biodiversity importance; (4) To implement the recommendations of the GBI study and integrate green and blue infrastructure solutions into new developments; (5) To ensure all citizens are within 5km of a green and ideally wild space; (6) To protect and maintain the integrity and maximise rivers and watercourses within the city; (7) To protect and enhance the city’s trees and urban woodlands; and (8) To promote best practice guidelines for management, control and eradication of invasive alien species. Tivoli 10.1 To strengthen and support the heritage and biodiversity of Cork City Centre. Hinterland 10.5
Maintain the Hinterland for the purposes of retaining the open and rural character of lands between and adjacent to urban areas, maintaining the clear distinction between urban areas and the countryside, to prevent urban sprawl and the coalescence of built-up areas, to focus development on lands within settlements which are zoned for development and provide for appropriate land uses that protect the physical and visual amenity of the area. Hinterland 10.6 (a) Protect the visual and scenic amenities of the Hinterland’s built and natural environment. (b) Landscape is an important consideration in all development proposals, ensuring that a pro-active view of development is undertaken while maintaining respect for the environment and heritage generally in line with the principle of sustainability. (c) Ensure that new development meets high standards of siting and design. (d) Discourage proposals necessitating the removal of extensive amounts of trees, hedgerows and historic walls or other distinctive boundary treatments. Hinterland Settlements 10.7 (b) Within the village development boundaries housing development must meet the following criteria: (iii) Encourage new development to be designed to ensure that water resources and the natural environment are protected. Protection and enhancement of biodiversity resources within the receiving environment of the villages is also to be encouraged. Development will only be permitted where it is shown that it is compatible with the protection of sites, designated or proposed to be designated, for the protection of natural heritage. Paragraph 6.62 “As with all Plan provisions, Objectives in this Section will be implemented subject to compliance with the Habitats and Birds Directives and other ecological protection objectives” Paragraph No. 6.63 “No plans, programmes, etc. or projects giving rise to significant cumulative, direct, indirect or secondary impacts on European sites arising from their size or scale, land take, proximity, resource requirements, emissions (disposal to land, water or air), transportation requirements, duration of construction, operation, decommissioning or from any other effects shall be permitted on the basis of this Plan (either individually or in combination with other plans, programmes, etc. or projects) 41 .” Paragraph 6.64 “Any agricultural or fishing/aquaculture activities related developments or would be considered subject to compliance with the Habitats and Birds Directives and in consultation with Inland Fisheries Ireland as relevant”. Objective 4.5 Corridor & Route Selection Process Policies and Objectives relating to new roads and other transport infrastructure projects (including greenways, walkways, cycleways and blueways) that are not already provided for by existing plans/ programmes or are not already permitted, are subject to the undertaking of feasibility assessment having regard to normal planning considerations and environmental sensitivities as identified in the SEA Environmental Report and the objectives of the Plan relating to sustainable mobility. Water services and quality SO 8 Ensure efficient and sustainable use of water services, enhance water quality and resource management. 9.1 (a) To work with Irish Water to ensure the efficient and sustainable use and development of water resources and water services infrastructure in the City. (b) To work with Irish Water to identify and facilitate the timely delivery of water and wastewater projects in order to facilitate development in accordance with the Core Strategy.
(c) To work with Irish Water in promoting water conservation and demand management measures among users and support the implementation of measures such as leakage reduction and network improvements. (d) To support Irish Water in the development and implementation of the National Water Resources Plan and Drinking Water Safety Plans. (e) To support Irish Water in the promotion of effective management of trade discharges to sewers in order to maximise the capacity of existing sewer networks and minimise detrimental impacts on sewage treatment works. Hinterland Settlements 10.7 (b) Within the village development boundaries housing development must meet the following criteria: (i) In the absence of a public wastewater treatment plant, only the development of individual dwelling units served by individual treatment systems will be considered subject to normal planning considerations. Any new dwellings with individual wastewater treatment must make provision for the connection to the public system in future and have a sustainable properly maintained private water system, unless a public supply is available. Such proposals will be assessed in line with the appropriate EPA code of practice and will have regard to any cumulative impacts on water quality. (ii) Where possible, all development should be connected to the public water supply, the public waste water treatment system and make adequate provisions for storm water storage and disposal. 9.7 (a) To ensure the delivery of the relevant policies and objectives of The River Basin Management Plan for Ireland 2018 – 2021 and any subsequent plan, including those relating to protection of water status, improvement of water status, prevention of deterioration and meeting objectives for designated protected sites. (b) To support Irish Water in its implementation of Water Quality Management Plans for ground, surface, coastal and estuarine waters as part of the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive and in the development of Drinking Water Protection Plans. (c) To support the provision of mitigation and protection measures for all protected areas, including Drinking Water Protected Areas and associated Source Protection Plans in line with the Water Framework Directives and River Basin Management Plans.
Peatlands, wetlands and water courses
41 Except as provided for in Article 6(4) of the Habitats Directive, viz. There must be: a) no alternative solution available, b) imperative reasons of overriding public interest for the project to proceed; and c) Adequate compensatory measures in place.
CAAS for Cork City Council
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