Amendments to Environmental Reports

Closed28 Jan, 2023, 8:00am - 27 Feb, 2023, 5:00pm

Proposed Amendments

Submission No./Elected Members Submission No.

1.

Amend the report title from Natura Impact Statement to Natura Impact Report.

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2.

Amend the Natura Impact Report to include the following objectives.

  1. Avoid areas with sensitive habitats and species.  

Careful consideration shall be taken in areas containing sensitive habitats and species and in particular, Natura 2000 sites, environmental assessments shall be carried out to an appropriate level to safeguard these areas.

  1. Ensure that walkways are taken inland from river banks to prevent disturbance of habitat features and bird life.  Careful planning is required to ensure adequate buffer distances to prevent disturbance of bird and other species and riparian habitats and shall also incorporate where possible elements of screening or use of existing topography to screen human movement. Ecological assessment will determine the correct locations and types of access and routes permissible in specific locations. It may also identify sensitive areas which would benefit from no additional public access.  

Ensure that walkways are taken inland from the river bank to prevent disturbance of habitat features and bird life.  Adequate buffer distances shall be provided to prevent disturbance of birds, other species and riparian habitats and shall also incorporate where possible screening or use of existing topography to screen human movements. Ecological assessment will determine the appropriate locations, access types and routes and may also identify sensitive areas which are not suitable for additional public access.

  1. Ensure that any proposals for access to the water or picnic areas, shall be confined to suitable locations within the existing settlement, which are areas already subject to a certain amount of human disturbance. This would ensure that disturbance through provision of access to water shall be kept to a minimum. 

Ensure that any proposals for access to the water or picnic areas, shall be confined to suitable locations within the existing settlement, which are already subject to human disturbance.

  1. Ensure that walks are located on one side of the river only to allow room for birds and other species to withdraw.

Ensure that walkways are appropriately designed and developed to allow room for birds and other species to withdraw.

  1. Avoid looped walks around the entirety of ponds, lakes and water bodies and habitat features close to the river channel.
  2. Avoidance of lighting. 

Lighting shall be designed to take account of sensitive habitats and shall only be permitted, if deemed suitable and supported with an appropriate level of environmental assessment.

  1. Ensure that any access to the river shall have warning signs regarding biosecurity to prevent the transmission of diseases, such as crayfish plague or invasive species. In areas for waterside access use of bio-security facilities for washing and treating craft such as kayaks shall be made available.

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