Appropriate Assessment of the Draft Cork City Development Plan 2022-2028
Topic
Measures integrated into the Plan, including:
(2) How the SuDS strategy integrates the four pillars of SuDS Design – water quantity, water quality, amenity and biodiversity. (3) The use of green roofs other green infrastructure as a means of contributing towards sustainable urban drainage, improving biodiversity and influencing heat loss/gain from the building. (4) Energy efficiency through thermal insulation, passive ventilation and cooling, passive solar design and any technologies used to help occupants better manage energy usage. (5) The use of district, renewable and/or low-carbon energy supply opportunities. (6) How the proposals at all stages embrace the circular economy approach in relation to waste management from construction through to the operation of the building(s). (7) How noise and air pollution will be managed across all stages of development from construction through to operation of the building(s). 6.1 Under the EU Freshwater Fish Directive the River Lee is designated as a Salmonoid River from its source to Cork City Waterworks. This imposes an obligation to maintain specific water quality standards and to control pollution. Species of fish found along its length include Brook, Sea Lamprey and Salmon. In addition, the River Lee and its banks provide habitats, feeding and resting grounds for a variety of protected species of birds, bats and other mammals such as the otter. 9.8 To protect, enhance and manage the City’s floodplains, wetlands and coastal habitat areas that are subject to flooding as vital ‘green infrastructure’ which provides space for storage and conveyance of floodwater, enabling flood risk to be more effectively managed and reduce the need to provide flood defence infrastructures. Cork Council will also require that all proposed flood protection or alleviation works will be subject to Appropriate Assessment to ensure there are no likely significant effects on the integrity, defined by the structure and function, of any European Sites and that the requirements of Article 6 of the EU Habitats Directive are met. 11.219 Development proposals should integrate green and blue infrastructure measures to offset peak flood flows including the following options: (1) Nature based solutions and slow-the-flow initiatives. (2) Incorporation of SuDS to limit runoff from existing and new development. (3) Wetland enhancement on the floodplain. (4) Native Tree planting and landscaping schemes. (5) Green roofs and Green Walls 11.1 New green and blue infrastructure shall be designed at an early stage and implemented to allow adequate time to become successfully established. The creation of green and blue infrastructure assets, links and greenways must be appropriately designed to avoid habitat loss and disturbance due to increased movement of people. Tivoli 10.2 Green and Blue Infrastructure (GBI) shall be integrated into the design and operation of Tivoli Docks, including an integrated urban drainage strategy using Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) for flood risk management. The strategy shall set out design solutions to enhance the local ecosystem and biodiversity including strong physical, visual and ecological connections with the waterfront. 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” Objective 7.24 Sustainable Tourism To support the sustainable growth of tourism and marketing of Cork City as a multi-faceted visitor destination and a gateway to the southern region, Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland’s Ancient East by: • Working in partnership with Fáilte Ireland, businesses and other stakeholders to support tourism investment, innovation and promotional and marketing strategies. • Supporting the implementation of the Cork City Tourism Strategy 2017-2022, the Local Economic and Community Plan-2016-2021 (Pure Cork) and their successor strategies. • To support the implementation of the Tourism Destination Plan for Cork City and East Cork. • Develop existing tourist attractions and activities, while seeking investment in new attractions that help to diversify the tourism market. • Support the development of cultural facilities such as the Crawford Art Gallery and the Cork Events Centre. • Support initiatives that improve the sustainability of tourism, and support eco-tourism along with the reduction of the carbon footprint of tourist accommodation, attractions and activities. • Support high quality proposals, initiatives and pilot projects that represent opportunities to provide new or enhanced visitor facilities and attractions. This also extends to proposals that utilise technology to improve visitors’ experiences and aid interpretation and navigation and seek to better leverage the City’s network of green and blue infrastructure as tourism attractions. • Seeking to manage, where appropriate, any increase in visitor numbers to semi-natural areas in order to avoid significant effects including loss of habitat and disturbance, by ensuring that new any projects, such as greenways, are located a suitable distance from ecological sensitivities, such as riparian zones. • Seeking to manage, where relevant, any increase in visitor numbers to key habitats and / or any change in visitor behaviour in order to avoid significant effects, including loss of habitat and disturbance, by ensuring that new projects and activities are located a suitable distance from ecological sensitivities. Visitor / Habitat Management Plans may be required for proposed projects where relevant and as appropriate. 6.25 To support the implementation of measures to control and prevent the introduction, establishment or spread of ecologically damaging alien invasive species (e.g., Japanese Knotweed and Himalayan Balsam). 11.226 All planning applications for development where there is evidence of alien invasive species on the site are required to submit a management plan for the effective management and removal of the species. (6) Rainwater harvesting and rainwater boxes. (7) Natural banks, water dykes and water squares. (8) SUDS and natural flood management techniques. 9.17 (a) To protect and improve air quality in Cork City in accordance with the provisions of EU Directives and national legislation on air pollution and support the actions of the City Council’s Air Quality Strategy 2021- 2026, when it is finalised and its successors. (b) To continue to monitor air quality results submitted from selected locations throughout the City in co-operation with the Environmental Protection Agency and support the creation of a regional air quality and greenhouse gas emissions inventory. Noise SO 8 Promote pro-active management of noise. 9.19 To support the implementation of the objectives of The Cork Agglomeration Noise Action Plan 2018 – 2023 and promote the pro-active management of noise where it is likely to have significant adverse impacts on health and quality of life. Air SO 8 Improve air quality
Fisheries
Flood Risk Management
Green / Blue Infrastructure, Recreation and Tourism
Invasive species
Light, air & noise pollution
CAAS for Cork City Council
21
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