10. Natural Environment

Closed29 Mar, 2022, 12:00am - 26 Apr, 2022, 4:00pm

 Note:

Additions are shown in green text.

Deletions are shown in red text with strikrthrough

 

Proposed Amendment CH 10.1

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10.3

National & Regional Position

179

Amend Section 10.3 to read as follows:

The NPF and RSES recognises that communities in Ireland benefit from the goods and services that the natural environment provides, including food, renewable energy, water purification, flood mitigation and places for recreation, education, creative thinking, health and wellbeing. They also recognise the importance of biodiversity and how the planning system should be responsive to our national environmental challenges and ensure that  evelopment occurs within environmental limits, having regard to the requirements of all relevant environmental legislation. The NPF and RSES acknowledges the wealth of the natural and cultural assets within our landscape, which supports our quality of life, provides for a healthy and resilient economy and helps us adapt to and mitigate climate change. The NPF and RSES both aim to protect and value our important and vulnerable habitats, landscapes, natural heritage and green spaces, including their interrelationships. The NPF also requires the integration of planning for green infrastructure and ecosystem services into all statutory land use plans. Additionally, the RSES seeks to unify the region around an environmental, growth management, economic and infrastructural strategy that is efficient, sustainable and inclusive, which builds on protecting and enhancing our natural capital. The environment and our health and wellbeing are inextricably linked, and we need to look beyond simply protecting people from threats in their environment to considering how the environment can deliver a much wider range of social, economic and environmental benefits whilst ensuring no net contribution to biodiversity loss.

Proposed Amendment CH 10.2

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10.4.2

Designated Sites, Protected Species and Habitats

180

Amend paragraph 2 under Section 10.4.2 to read as follows:

Natural Heritage Areas (NHAs) are designated due to their national conservation value and/or geological/geomorphological heritage. They seek to protect habitats, landforms or geomorphological features, wildlife plant and animal species or a diversity of these natural attributes. NHAs are designated under the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000. and proposed Proposed Natural Heritage Areas (pNHAs) are sites that are designated or proposed for designation under the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000. were published on a non-statutory basis in 1995, because of their important for wildlife and habitats, but have not been statutorily proposed or designated. These are sites that are of national importance and support a range of habitats, plant and animal species and in some cases, geological features. There are 15 NHAs in County Mayo. The Plan provides protection for these sites.

Proposed Amendment CH 10.3

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10.4.3

Non-Designated Sites

181

Amend paragraph 2 of Section 10.4.3 to read as follows:

All bat species and their breeding and resting places (roosts) are legally protected in Ireland under the Wildlife Acts 1976-2000. Bats are also protected as ‘strictly protected species under Annex IV (Habitats Directive) species of flora and fauna, which also protects their key habitats (i.e. breeding sites and resting places), wherever they occur. It is particularly critical that wildlife corridors, tree lines and hedgerows within the area of Lesser Horseshoe Bat roosts are retained to allow for the free movement of these bats and other species within and through the surrounding area.

Proposed Amendment CH 10.4

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10.4.3

Biodiversity, Designated Non-Designated Sites Policies

181

Amend Policy NEP 1 as follows:

NEP 1: To support the protection, conservation and enhancement of the natural heritage and biodiversity of County Mayo, including the protection of the integrity of European sites, that form part of the Natura 2000 network, the protection of Natural Heritage Areas, proposed Natural Heritage Areas Ramsar Sites, Nature Reserves and Wild Fowl Sanctuaries (and other designated sites including any future designations).

Proposed Amendment CH 10.5

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10.4.3

Biodiversity, Designated Non-Designated Sites Policies

181 - 182

Amend Policy NEP 2 as follows:

NEP 2: To protect and enhance the county’s natural heritage and biodiversity To support by supporting the implementation of the National Biodiversity Action Plan 2017-2021, the National Pollination Plan 2015-2020 and County Mayo Biodiversity Plan 2015- 2020 and any future editions, in partnership with relevant stakeholders, subject to available resources.

Proposed Amendment CH 10.6

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10.4.3

Biodiversity, Designated Non-Designated Sites Policies

182

Amend Policy NEP 3 as follows:

NEP 3: To protect and enhance the county’s natural heritage and biodiversity To support through supporting the implementation, in partnership with the County Mayo Heritage Forum, relevant stakeholders and the community, of the objectives and associated actions in the County Mayo Heritage Plan and future editions thereof, which relate to the remit and functions of Mayo County Council.

Proposed Amendment CH 10.7

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10.4.3

Biodiversity, Designated Non-Designated Sites Objectives

183

Amend Objective NEO 7 as follows:

NEO 7: To seek the protection of the riparian zones of watercourses throughout the county, recognising the benefits they provide in relation to flood risk management, their protection of the ecological integrity of watercourse systems and the role they play in the enhancement of the county’s natural heritage and biodiversity.

Proposed Amendment CH 10.8

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10.4.3

Biodiversity, Designated Non-Designated Sites Objectives

183

Amend Objective NEO 8 as follows:

NEO 8: To maintain, protect and where possible enhance the natural heritage and biodiversity of bogs, fens and turloughs, where appropriate, in County Mayo.

Proposed Amendment CH 10.9

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10.4.3

Biodiversity, Designated Non-Designated Sites Objectives

183

Amend Objective NEO 9 as follows:

NEO 9: Recognise the importance, in terms of their natural heritage and biodiversity, of woodlands, tree lines, hedgerows, stonewalls, watercourses and associated riparian vegetation and the role they play in supporting to support bat populations and where possible developments will be encouraged to retain such features.

Proposed Amendment CH 10.10

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10.4.3

Biodiversity, Designated Non-Designated Sites Objectives

183

Amend Objective NEO 11 as follows:

To ensure that the impact of development within or adjacent to national designated sites, Natural Heritage Areas, Ramsar Sites and Nature Reserves likely to result in significant adverse effects on the designated site is assessed by requiring the submission of an Ecological Impact Assessment report (EcIA), Environmental Report (ER), an Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) if deemed necessary and/or a Natura Impact Assessment (NIS) if deemed necessary, prepared by a suitably qualified professional, which should accompany planning applications.

Proposed Amendment CH 10.11

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10.4.3

Biodiversity, Designated Non-Designated Sites Objectives

183

Include new objective after NEO 13 to read as follows:

NEO: To protect and enhance the ecological network throughout the county to improve the ecological coherence of the Natura 2000 network in accordance with Article 10 of the Habitats Directive.

Proposed Amendment CH 10.12

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10.4.3

Biodiversity, Designated Non-Designated Sites Objectives

183

Include new objective after NEO 13 to read as follows:

NEO: To create a database of the Local Biodiversity Areas and ecological networks (including green infrastructure) and develop a corresponding GSI dataset as an important tool for future biodiversity and natural heritage conservation planning in Mayo.

Proposed Amendment CH 10.13

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10.4.6

Peatland Policies

184

Amend Policy NEP 9 as follows:

NEP 9: To enhance the county’s natural heritage and biodiversity through supporting To support the protection and restoration of peatlands in County Mayo, where appropriate, in order to transition towards a low-carbon and circular economy.

Proposed Amendment CH 10.14

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10.4.8

Landscape Objectives

191

Amend Objective NEO 25 as follows:

NEO 25: To review the Landscape Appraisal for Mayo and update this plan as appropriate, following publication of the statutory guidelines for Planning Authorities on Local Landscape Character Assessments, as detailed in the National Landscape Strategy 2015-2025, and ensure consistency with the provisions of RPO 4.16 and RPO 5.2(b) of the RSES, 2020-2032.

                                                 Proposed Amendment CH 10.15

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10.4.10

Water Quality Policies

195

Insert a new policy after NEP 22:

NEP: To promote the construction of Anaerobic Digesters at appropriate location in Mayo with a view to improving water quality while at the same time making a significant contribution to National Renewable Energy targets.

Proposed Amendment CH 10.16

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10.4.11

Air Quality, Noise and Light Emissions Objectives

197

Amend NEO 43 as follows:

NEO 43: To protect the Mayo Dark Sky Park at Wild Nephin Ballycroy National Park and any adjoining sites that form part of the designated network, from adverse levels of artificial light pollution and encourage the use of Dark Sky Friendly lighting for all new lighting and lighting upgrades.