SEA Environmental Report for the Draft Cork City Development Plan 2022-2028
Where the mapping shows a concentration of environmental sensitivities there is an increased likelihood that development will conflict with these sensitivities and cause environmental deterioration. However, the occurrence of environmental sensitivities does not preclude development; rather it flags at a strategic level that the mitigation measures - which have been integrated into the Plan - will need to be complied with in order to ensure that the implementation of the Plan contributes towards environmental protection. The overlay mapping shows that environmental sensitivities are not evenly distributed throughout the City. Most of the City is of a low to moderate sensitivity due to the low level of environmental sensitivities occurring. Higher levels of environmental sensitivities are found: In the City centre, as a result of cultural heritage sensitivities; Across much of the City Harbour and Estuary landscape character type, much of which is covered by a High Value Landscape designation; In areas of Extreme and High groundwater vulnerability, which occur across much of the Plan area; and Within and adjacent to the River Lee and its tributaries and Cork Harbour, on account of various water, ecological, flood risk and landslide risk (along the steeper valleys) sensitivities.
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Overlay of Environmental Sensitivity Mapping
In order to identify where most sensitivities within the City occur, a number of the environmental sensitivities described above were weighted and mapped overlapping each other. Figure 4.23 provides an Overlay of Environmental Sensitivities in the City. Environmental sensitivities are indicated by colours which range from higher to lower sensitivity. The map was prepared using Geographical Information System (GIS) software that allowed for a weighting system to be applied with differentiation in certain layers as follows:
European Sites – SACs and SPAs (10 points); Other Ecological designations – NHAs and pNHAs (5 points); Sensitive Landcover Categories (10 points); WFD Status of Surface moderate and unassigned ecological status (5 points); WFD Status of groundwater poor ecological status (10 points); Groundwater vulnerability (aquifers which are extremely vulnerable - 10 points; and highly vulnerable - 5 points); WFD RPA Nutrient Sensitive Rivers and Lakes and Estuaries (10 points) and Rivers in Nutrient Sensitive Areas (5 points); GSI Landslide Susceptibility (High or High Inferred – 10 points; Moderately High or Moderately High Inferred – 5 points); Cultural Heritage including: Architectural Conservation Areas, entries to the Record of Protected Structures, entries to the Record of Monuments and Places, SMR and RMP Zones of Notification, National Monuments in State Care and entire to the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (10 points); WFD RPA Nutrient Sensitive Estuaries (10 points) and Rivers Nutrient Sensitive Areas (5 points); WFD RPA Rivers for Drinking Water (10 points); WFD RPA Salmonid River Regs (S.I. 293 only) (10 points) and Rivers in Salmonid Regs and Surface Waters in Salmonid Regs (5 points); WFD RPA Surface Water in Shellfish Areas (5 points); Flood Zone A (10 points) and Flood Zone B (5 points); Geological Sites (10 points); Landscape Sensitivity: High (10 points); Cork City Landscape Designations: Historic Street Character Areas, Landscape Preservation Zones and Area of High Landscape Value (10 points). Scenic Views (10 points);
CAAS for Cork City Council
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