SEA Screening Report for the Draft Caherconlish Local Area Plan 2023-2029

Ms Karen Burke
Senior Executive Officer
Forward Planning
Economic Development and Enterprise Directorate
Limerick City and County Council
Merchants Quay
Limerick 
V94 EH90

21st October 2022                                                                      Our Ref: 221002

Re. SEA Screening Report for the Draft Caherconlish Local Area Plan 2023-2029.

Dear Ms Burke,

We acknowledge your notice, dated 14th October 2022, in relation to the Screening Report for the Draft Caherconlish Local Area Plan 2023-2029 (the ‘Plan’) and associated Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) screening. 

The EPA is one of the statutory environmental authorities under the SEA Regulations. In our role as an SEA environmental authority, we focus on promoting the full and transparent integration of the findings of the Environmental Assessment into the Plan and advocating that the key environmental challenges for Ireland are addressed as relevant and appropriate to the plan. Our functions as an SEA environmental authority do not include approving or enforcing SEAs or plans.

Proposed SEA Determination
We note your proposed determination regarding the need for SEA of the Plan. As a priority, we focus our efforts on reviewing and commenting on key sector plans. For land use plans at county and local level, we provide a ‘self-service approach’ via our guidance document ‘SEA of Local Authority Land Use Plans – EPA Recommendations and Resources’. This document is updated regularly and sets out our key recommendations for integrating environmental considerations into Local Authority land use plans. While noting your Screening Report SEA determination, we would suggest that you take this guidance document into account and incorporate the relevant recommendations as relevant and appropriate to the Plan.
Sustainable Development  
In proposing and in implementing the Plan, Limerick City and County Council should ensure that the Plan is consistent with the need for proper planning and sustainable development. Adequate and appropriate critical service infrastructure should be in place, or required to be put in place, to service any development proposed and authorised during the lifetime of the Plan.  

In considering the Plan, Limerick City and County Council should take into account the need to align with national commitments on climate change mitigation and adaptation, as well as incorporating any relevant recommendations in sectoral, regional and local climate adaptation plans.

Limerick City and County Council should also ensure that the Plan aligns with key relevant higher-level plans and programmes and is consistent with the relevant objectives and policy commitments of the National Planning Framework and the Southern Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy.

State of the Environment Report – Ireland’s Environment 2020
In preparing the Plan, the recommendations, key issues and challenges described in our published State of the Environment Report Ireland’s Environment – An Integrated Assessment 2020 (EPA, 2020) should be considered, as relevant and appropriate to the Plan should also be taken into account, in preparing the Plan.

Environmental Sensitivity Mapping (ESM) WebTool 
This new tool was launched recently by the EPA.  It is a new decision support tool to assist SEA and planning processes in Ireland.  It is available at www.enviromap.ie. The tool brings together over 100 datasets and allows users to create plan-specific environmental sensitivity maps.  These maps can help planners examine environmental considerations, anticipate potential land-use conflicts, and help identify suitable development locations while also protecting the environment.

EPA SEA WebGIS Tool
Our SEA WebGIS Tool has been updated recently and is now publicly available at https://gis.epa.ie/EPAMaps/SEA. It allows public authorities to produce an indicative report on key aspects of the environment in a specific geographic area It is intended to assist public authorities in SEA screening and scoping exercises.

EPA WFD Application 
Our WFD Application provides access to water quality and catchment data from the national WFD monitoring programme. The Application is accessed through EDEN  https://wfd.edenireland.ie/ and is available to public agencies. Publicly available data can be accessed via the www.catchments.ie website.

Future amendments to the Plan 
Where changes to the Plan are made prior to finalisation, or where modifications to the Plan are proposed following its adoption, these should be screened for potential for likely significant effects in accordance with the criteria set out in Schedule 2A of the SEA Regulations (S.I. No. 436 of 2004).

EPA AA GeoTool 
Our AA GeoTool application has been developed in partnership with the NPWS. It allows users to a select a location, specify a search area and gather available information for each European Site within the area. It is available at: https://gis.epa.ie/EPAMaps/AAGeoTool .

Environmental Authorities
Under the SEA Regulations, prior to making your SEA determination you should consult with:
•    Environmental Protection Agency;
•    Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage
•    Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications; and
•    Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
•    any adjoining planning authority whose area is contiguous to the area of a planning authority which prepared a draft plan, proposed variation or local area plan.

If you have any queries or need further information in relation to this submission, please contact me directly. I would be grateful if you could send an email confirming receipt of this submission to: sea@epa.ie.

Yours sincerely,
 
_______________________
David Galvin
SEA Section
Office of Evidence and Assessment