SEA Environmental Report for the Draft Cork City Development Plan 2022-2028
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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. Objective 6.23 Designated Sites and Protected Species 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. Objective 6.24 Information to be considered for development affecting designated sites To ensure that development proposals affecting designated sites have regard to the sensitivities identified in the SEA Environmental Report prepared in respect of this Plan. Objective 6.25 Non-designated Areas of Biodiversity Importance 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. Objective 6.26 Alien Invasive Species 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). Objective 6.27 Areas of Geological Importance To seek the conservation of important features of geological interest in Cork City. 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) 64 .” 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”. Commentary: The assessment of the Plan’s Green and Blue Infrastructure, Open Space and Biodiversity provisions against Strategic Environmental Objectives (SEOs BFF, PHH, S, W, MA, A, C, CH and L) is consistent with the: Environmental effects detailed under subsections 8.2 to 8.7 of this report; and Assessments of the selected alternatives for the Plan provided at Section 7 of this report. Implementing the Plan will help to direct incompatible development away from the most sensitive areas in the City and focus on directing: compact, sustainable development within and adjacent to the existing built-up footprint of the City, including its surrounding settlements; and sustainable development elsewhere. Development of areas within and adjacent to the existing built-up footprint, which are generally more robust, better serviced and better connected, will contribute towards environmental protection and sustainable development, including climate mitigation and adaptation. Compact development can be accompanied by placemaking initiatives to enable the City to become a more desirable place to live – so that it can sustainably accommodate new residents and maintain and improve services to existing and future communities. Compatible sustainable development in the City’s sensitive areas is also provided for, subject to various requirements relating to environmental protection and management being met. The focus of most of the provisions in this Chapter is the protection and management of the City’s natural heritage (including the landscape and it’s various components, including biodiversity, water and cultural heritage). The provisions in this Chapter of the Plan would contribute towards the Statutory consent granting and decision-making framework for land use developments and activities, and sustainable development of the City, in combination with other Plan provisions and other plans, programmes, strategies, etc. Potential adverse environmental effects arising from land use development and activities include in-combination effects arising from services and infrastructure to service development, for example those relating to water services, transport and energy. The development of new greenways, blueways and walking and cycling routes, including those between Cork City, the adjoining County area and beyond has the potential to contribute towards sustainable mobility and a better management of movements in sensitive areas, thereby benefitting various environmental components including habitats at certain locations. The development of these projects, however, presents a variety of potentially adverse environmental effects that would, if unmitigated, have the potential to arise from both the construction and operation of such developments and/or their ancillary infrastructure. These types of infrastructure are often constructed in ecologically and visually sensitive areas adjacent to the banks of rivers and streams and along coasts and estuaries. Potential adverse effects would be mitigated both by measures that have been integrated into the Plan which provide for and contribute towards environmental protection, environmental management and sustainable development (including those identified at Section 9 of this report) and by measures arising from lower tier assessments (including those for the preparation of lower tier plans and projects). Projects would need to be subject to normal planning and environmental assessment processes, as well as complying with the Corridor and Route Selection Process under Objective 4.5. The development of green and blue infrastructure can achieve synergies with regard to the provision of open space amenities, sustainable mobility, the sustainable management of water, the protection and management of biodiversity, the protection of cultural heritage and the protection of protected landscape sensitivities.
64 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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