Chapter 6: Environment, Heritage, Landscape and Green Infrastructure ( Formerly Chapter 5)

42

Amend Objective EH O1 Designated Sites and Habitats Directive as follows:

Objective EH O1 - Designated Sites and Habitats Directive – It is an objective of the Council to ensure that projects/plans likely to have significant effects on European Sites (either individually or in combination with other plans or projects) are subject to an appropriate assessment and will not be permitted under the Draft Plan unless they comply with Article 6 of the Habitats Directive. The Council, will through the planning enforcement process where applicable, seek to restore the ecological functions of designated sites, where they have been damaged through inappropriate development.

5.3.2 Protected Sites and Species

EH O1 Designated Sites and Habitats Directive

157

43

Amend Section 5.3.3 Conservation outside Protected Sites to include the following:  

The Council will require all new developments, where possible to identify, protect and where appropriate enhance ecological features by making provision for local biodiversity and providing linkages to wider habitats.

5.3.3 Conservation outside Protected Sites

241

44

Amend Objective EH O9 Geological Sites to include the following:

a)  To protect from inappropriate development, the County Geological Sites contained in the Limerick Geological Heritage Survey 2021.

5.3.4 Areas of Geological Interest

EH O9 Geological Sites

93

45

Amend Objective EH O10 Trees and Hedgerows as follows: 

a)  Retain and protect amenity and biodiversity value of the County and City by preserving as far as possible trees, woodlands and hedgerows, having regard to the significant role that trees and hedgerows play in local ecology, climate change and air quality and their contribution to quality place making and the associated health and wellbeing benefits. 

b)  Require, in the event that mature trees or extensive mature hedgerow is proposed to be removed, that a comprehensive tree and hedgerow survey be carried out by a suitably qualified individual, demonstrating that the subject trees/hedgerow are of no ecological or amenity value tree specialist to access the condition, ecological and amenity value of the tree stock/hedgerow proposed for removal and to include mitigation planting and management scheme. The Council will seek in all cases to ensure when undertaking development or when permitting development that the loss of or damage to existing trees is minimised.

c)  Require the planting of native trees, hedgerows and vegetation and the creation of new habitats in all new developments and public realm projects. The Council will avail of tree planting schemes administered by the Forest Service, in ecologically suitable locations, where this is considered desirable. 

d) To identity and prepare TPO’s where trees of exceptional amenity, cultural or environmental value are identified which warrant a high level of protection.

e)  To implement the Limerick City and County Tree Policy when completed and review as

      appropriate.

5.3.5 Trees, Tree Preservation Orders and Hedgerows

EH O10 Trees and Hedgerows

25, 146, 153, 243, 246

46

Amend Objective EH O12 Blue Green Infrastructure as follows:

b)  Promote connecting corridors for the movement of species and encourage the retention and creation of features of biodiversity value, ecological corridors and networks that connect areas of high conservation value such as woodlands, hedgerows, earth banks, watercourses, wetlands and designated sites.  In this regard, new infrastructural projects and linear developments in particular, will have to demonstrate at design stage, sufficient measures to assist in the conservation of and dispersal of species. Projects which would be detrimental to existing Blue – Green Infrastructure features will not be permitted.

c)  Ensure the integration and strengthening of green infrastructure into the preparation of Local Area Plans. 

d)  Where possible remove barriers to species movement, such as the removal of in-stream barriers to fish passage for example. 

e) Seek to advance the use of an ecosystem services approach and ecosystem services valuation as a decision-making tool in plans and projects, subject to appropriate ecological assessment.

5.3.7 Blue Green Infrastructure

EH O12 Blue Green Infrastructure

157, 249

47

Amend section 5.3.9 Water Quality to include the following:

Ireland is currently in the latter stages of preparing the next River Basin Management Plan (RBMP). The Plan is required under the Water Framework Directive for the period 2022-2027. These plans, amongst other requirements, set out the environmental improvements to be delivered during a river basin planning cycle. The plans contain water quality objectives and a programme of measures to achieve those objectives.

5.3.9 Water Quality

246

48

Amend Objective EH O15 Ground Water and Surface Water Protection and River Basin Management Plans as follows:

b) Implement the provisions of the River Basin Management Plan 2022 – 2028 2018 - 2021 and any succeeding plan. The filling of wetlands, surface water features and modifications and drainage of peatlands shall generally be prohibited. 

c) Implement the measures put forward in the Limerick Groundwater Protection Plan, in assessing planning applications and their consequences for ground water.  

d) The Blue Dot Catchments programme is a key action under the River Basin Management Plan for Ireland 2022-2028. The aim of the programme is to protect and restore high ecological status to a network of rivers and water bodies in Limerick. In Limerick, the following rivers and water bodies are Blue Dot Catchments Bleach Lough, the Ogeen River and the Behanagh River. The Council will take a precautionary approach to development which might affect water quality in these areas in line with requirements of the Water Framework Directive.

5.3.10 Wetlands

EH O15 Ground Water, Surface Water Protection and River Basin Management Plans

246

49

Insert a new section Ecosystem Services Approach as follows:

Ecosystem Services Approach - Ecosystem services are defined as the direct and indirect contributions of ecosystems to human wellbeing, and have an impact on our survival and quality of life.  This includes the ability of humans to obtain products from ecosystems, such as food, water and resources; benefits obtained from the natural processes such as climate regulation, pollination and water purification; and the cultural services that benefit people through recreation and appreciation of nature.

Insert a new Objective EH OXX Ecosystem Services Approach as follows:

Objective EH OXX - Ecosystem Services Approach - It is an objective of the Council to promote an Ecosystem Services Approach, subject to suitable assessment, in the preparation of lower-level Plans, Strategies and in the Development Management process. 

New section after 5.3.10 Wetlands

New text and objective

249

50

Remove Table 5.1 Urban Character Areas: Limerick City and Environs and relocate to Chapter 3 Spatial Strategy:

Table 5.1 Urban Character Areas: Limerick City and Environs

225

51

Amend Specific Objectives for Landscape Character Area LCA05 Lough Gur as follows:

e) any structures in ruinous condition will not be allowed to be re-development or adapted for housing

Table 5.2 Rural Landscape Character Areas

LCA05 Lough Gur

161, 172

52

Insert new Objective EH OXX Climate Change Sectoral Adaptation Plan for Built and Archaeological Heritage in Section 5.5.3 as follows: 

Objective EH OXX - Climate Change Sectoral Adaptation Plan for Built and Archaeological Heritage - It is an objective of the Council to support the Climate Change Sectoral Adaptation Plan for Built and Archaeological Heritage 2019, as published by the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and any subsequent guidance or plans for dealing with climate change and archaeological heritage and the Council shall seek to:

• Promote awareness and the appropriate adaptation of Ireland’s built and archaeological heritage to deal with the effects of climate change;
• Identify the built and archaeological heritage in Local Authority ownership and areas at risk from climate change including, but not necessarily restricted to, the Record of Monuments and Places, protected structures and architectural conservation areas designated in the Development Plan;
• Undertake climate change vulnerability assessments for the historic structures and sites in its area, subject to resources and funding;
• Develop disaster risk reduction policies addressing direct and indirect risks to the built and archaeological heritage in its area;
• Develop resilience and adaptation strategies for the built and archaeological heritage in its area;
• Develop the skills capacity within the Local Authority to address adaptation/mitigation/ emergency management issues affecting historic structures and sites in order to avoid inadvertent loss or damage in the course of climate change adaptation or mitigation works.

5.5.3 Conservation and Management Plans

New objective

157