Development plan · Clare County Council
Clare County Development Plan 2023–2029 (as varied)
The council's development plan written statement: its strategy, policies, objectives and development standards.
Clare County Council · 2023–2029 · 568 pages
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- __________________________________________________________________________________ Clare County Development Plan 2023-2029 14 | Landscape Source: Environmental Resources Management (2003) Development Plan Objective: Seascape Character Areas CDP 14.6 It is an objective of Clare County Council: a) To require that it be demonstrated that every effort has been made to visually integrate any proposed development within a Seascape Character area. This must be demonstrated by assessing the proposal in relation to: • Views from land to sea; • Views from sea to land; • Views along the coastline. b) To ensure that appropriate standards of location, siting, design, finishing and landscaping are achieved. 14.5 Views and Prospects County Clare contains a number of valuable views and prospects which offer a very attractive cross-sectional view and overall impression of differing landscapes as one traverses the county. These views and prospects, many of which are located along identified scenic routes, are interwoven with the settled, working and heritage landscapes outlined above. The Council recognises that in some areas the land adjoining these scenic routes has relatively limited capacity (both environmentally and in terms of scenic amenity) to accommodate individual houses in significant numbers. In such areas, the Council will aim to protect sensitive areas from injurious development, while providing for development and change that will benefit the rural community.357
- __________________________________________________________________________________ Clare County Development Plan 2023-2029 14 | Landscape There is a need to protect and conserve views adjoining public roads throughout the county where these views are of high amenity value. In conserving views, it is not proposed that this should give rise to the prohibition of development along these routes but development, where permitted, should not seriously hinder or obstruct these views and should be designed and located to minimise their visual impact. Designated Scenic Routes throughout the county are identified in more detail on the maps contained in Volume 2 of this plan. They are also indicated on Map 14A in this chapter and listed in Appendix 5. The Wild Atlantic Way follows the west coast of County Clare, from Killimer on the Shannon Estuary to New Quay in North Clare. A series of seventeen Discovery Points and Signature Discovery Points have been identified encompassing the most scenic and high-amenity areas along the route. In order to maximise the potential of the Wild Atlantic Way, important views and prospects from the route will be preserved. The Council will work with Fáilte Ireland to ensure the sustainable development of viewing points along the route. Development Plan Objective: Scenic Routes CDP 14.7 It is an objective of Clare County Council: a) To protect sensitive areas from inappropriate development while providing for development and change that will benefit the rural community; b) To ensure that proposed developments take into consideration their effects on views from the public road towards scenic features or areas and are designed and located to minimise their impact; and, c) To ensure that appropriate standards of location, siting, design, finishing and landscaping are achieved. 14.6 Applications for Single Houses in the Countryside Planning applications for single houses in the countryside in areas that are designated as Heritage Landscapes or are accessed off Scenic Routes must also comply with objective CDP 4.14 of this plan.358
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- __________________________________________________________________________________ Clare County Development Plan 2023-2029 15 | Biodiversity, Natural Heritage and Green Infrastructure Chapter 15 Biodiversity, Natural Heritage and Green Infrastructure Goal XIV: A county that protects and enhances its unique natural heritage and biodiversity and recognises the potential for sustainable green infrastructure development, while promoting and developing its cultural, educational and eco-tourism potential in a sustainable manner. Chapter 15 Table of Contents 15.0 Introduction 15.1 Strategic Aims 15.2 Natural Heritage and Biodiversity 15.2.1 Biodiversity and Climate Change 15.2.2 European Sites 15.2.3 Appropriate Assessment 15.2.4 Natural Heritage Areas (NHAs) 15.2.5 County Geological Sites 15.2.6 Other Sites for Environmental and Ecological Protection 15.2.7 Non-designated Sites and Biodiversity 15.2.8 Environmental Impact Assessment 15.2.9 Contaminated Lands 15.2.10 Promoting and Protecting Biodiversity and Wildlife Corridors 15.2.11 Urban Ecology 15.2.12 Habitat Fragmentation 15.2.13 Biodiversity on Local Authority Lands 15.2.14 Inland Waters, River Corridors and Riparian Zones 15.2.15 Freshwater Pearl Mussels 15.2.16 Peatlands 15.2.17 Woodlands, Trees and Hedgerows 15.2.18 Grasslands 15.2.19 Wetlands 15.2.20 The Burren 15.2.20.1 The Burren National Park 15.2.20.2 Limestone Habitats 15.2.20.3 Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark 15.2.21 UNESCO World Heritage Site 15.2.22 Dark Sky Reserves 15.2.23 Alien and Invasive Species 15.3 Green Infrastructure and Climate Change360
- __________________________________________________________________________________ Clare County Development Plan 2023-2029 15 | Biodiversity, Natural Heritage and Green Infrastructure 15.0 Introduction County Clare has a wealth of natural heritage and biodiversity of local, national and international importance and the Council has an important role in the protection of this heritage and the conservation and enhancement of the natural environment. Biodiversity forms the basis of our landscapes and amenity areas, provides for food and clean water supplies, opportunities for waste disposal, nutrient recycling, coastal protection, and flood storage and attenuation. Green Infrastructure refers to the integration of walking, cycling and recreation with biodiversity, creating interconnected networks of land and water that sustain environmental quality and enrich our quality of life. Ever increasing demands of people for food, fuel, space and other resources is threatening biodiversity. In addition, climate change increases pressure on habitats and species and in recognition of these related issues a Climate and Biodiversity Emergency was declared in the Dáil Éireann in 2019. The protection of biodiversity is necessary to regulate climate and provide ecosystem services including clean air and water, healthy soils, food supplies and medicines. Also, where sustainably managed, natural heritage and biodiversity can have economic and social benefits such as job creation, improvements to quality of life and the promotion of pride of place. Clare County Council has an important role to play in the protection and management of biodiversity and in addressing climate adaptation and mitigation. Both the NPF and the RSES require that green infrastructure is integrated into land use planning and the achievement of net gains to the existing green infrastructure networks. Green infrastructure provides ecosystem services and provides quality of life benefits to people and planning for green infrastructure is included in the development objectives and land use zonings as set out in this plan. This chapter outlines how the Council will meet its statutory environmental protection and conservation obligations whilst also outlining how the diverse natural heritage of County Clare can be sustainably utilised to create opportunities for active living, recreation, education and enhanced wellbeing and quality of life through the creation of an extensive green infrastructure network. 15.1 Strategic Aims This chapter presents the objectives required to promote County Clare as an environmentally sustainable county and to support the natural heritage of the county through the conservation, protection and enhancement of its natural resources. In accordance with the overall ‘Vision’ of the plan it is based on the following strategic aims: • To conserve and protect sites which have been designated for their ecological or environmental sensitivity; • To ensure the sustainable management and conservation of areas of natural and geological heritage within the county;361
- __________________________________________________________________________________ Clare County Development Plan 2023-2029 15 | Biodiversity, Natural Heritage and Green Infrastructure • To increase education about and awareness of our natural heritage and biodiversity; • To promote sustainable development, in harmony with local biodiversity and, if possible, take steps to enhance the natural environment; • To ensure compliance with the requirements of the EU Habitats Directive and Birds Directive; and, • To promote the creation of an integrated and coherent green infrastructure network throughout County Clare in order to enhance connectivity, social inclusion, sense of place and the creation of wildlife corridors. 15.2 Natural Heritage and Biodiversity County Clare, with its coastal location hosts a wide diversity of wildlife and habitats and this natural heritage requires effective management in order to balance the need for development with the protection of the natural environment. 15.2.1 Biodiversity and Climate Change Biodiversity refers to species, habitats and genetic diversity. It includes all plants and animals (including humans), fungi, algae and all other microscopic life forms, as well as their habitats and their interaction with other species within that habitat. A habitat is the environment(s) in which plant or animal species normally live or occur and examples include woodland, freshwater or coastal habitats. Biodiversity provides us with food, clean water, fuel and medicines, as well as underpinning our agricultural sector and providing a unique landscape which drives our tourism sector. It also provides opportunities such as waste disposal, nutrient recycling, coastal protection, flood storage and regulation and therefore a wide range of economic and social benefits and services result from the protection of environmental quality and biodiversity. The Intergovernmental Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service (IPBES) has published its global assessment on the state of the world’s biodiversity and ecosystem services. Ireland officially declared a climate and biodiversity emergency on May 9th 2019, becoming the second country after the UK to do so. The report shows that nature is declining globally at rates unprecedented in human history and the rate of species extinction is accelerating, with grave impacts on people around the world now likely. The health of ecosystems on which we and all other species depend is deteriorating more rapidly than ever. We are eroding the very foundations of our and future generation’s economies, livelihoods, food security, health, and quality of life worldwide. Current negative trends in biodiversity and ecosystems are undermining progress towards achieving 80% of the assessed targets of the Sustainable Development Goals, related to poverty, hunger, health, water, cities, climate, oceans, and land. Loss of biodiversity is shown to be not only an environmental issue, but also a developmental, economic, security, social and moral issue as well.362
- __________________________________________________________________________________ Clare County Development Plan 2023-2029 15 | Biodiversity, Natural Heritage and Green Infrastructure The report also stresses that it is not too late to make a difference, but only if we start now at every level from local to global. The report concludes that “Through transformative change, nature can still be conserved, restored and used sustainably – this is also key to meeting most other global goals. By transformative change, the report means a fundamental, system-wide reorganisation across technological, economic and social factors, including paradigms, goals and values.” Ireland’s 4th National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBAP) is due to be published in early 2024 which will take account of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) actions and strategies as adopted at COP 15 in Montréal. This will form the national strategy for tackling biodiversity loss from which the new Clare Biodiversity Plan will take its lead. The key targets as set out in the GBF will be translated at a national level which can subsequently be applied at a local level. It is premature to include county specific targets in the absence of a published national strategy and associated action plan at present however, once the new NBAP is published the new Clare Biodiversity Action Plan can incorporate the translated key targets at a national level to the local county level. The development of the plan follows increased resourcing to the National Parks and Wildlife Services with a 64% budget increase since 2020 and an independent review of the NPWS published in May 2022, leading to a fully-funded strategic action plan to transform the organisation and better enable it to deliver positive outcomes for nature. Threats to Biodiversity Biodiversity is undergoing major decline worldwide, to the extent that scientists refer to this age as the ‘sixth mass extinction’. Causes of biodiversity loss include habitat loss, climate change, pollution, pesticide/herbicide usage and the spread of invasive species. Many of these issues are related to increased industrialisation and intensification of agriculture. A growing number of studies indicate that human-induced stressors such as habitat loss and fragmentation, pollution and climate change are seriously reducing the abundance, diversity and biomass of insects and other invertebrate on a global scale. The exact mechanism of such declines is poorly understood, but there is a strong scientific consensus that the decline of insects (and other invertebrates) is a very real and serious threat to ecosystems and to humanity. Therefore, we must act urgently to address this decline. Recently, a consortium of international scientists proposed a global ‘roadmap’ for insect recovery, which entails the immediate implementation of several ‘no regret’ measures to help slow or stop insect declines, such as habitat protection and creation, phasing out pesticide use and reducing light, water and noise pollution. While there is an emphasis on nature-based solutions as a response to climate change, the modification of any existing habitats that maintain ecological functions should generally be avoided. Retention of existing habitats is a priority. The creation of new habitats should only take place after detailed ecological assessment which would establish the nature of existing habitats to minimise the chances of ecological damage.363
- __________________________________________________________________________________ Clare County Development Plan 2023-2029 15 | Biodiversity, Natural Heritage and Green Infrastructure Clare County Council has prepared a Biodiversity Manual to guide the application of best practice with regard to biodiversity and habitat protection by the Council and will also implement the County Clare Heritage Plan 2017-2023 and the County Clare Biodiversity Plan 2017-2023. Developments which are inappropriately located or designed have the potential to cause habitat fragmentation and have negative impacts on biodiversity and climate change. Examples of such developments include new roads dividing habitats or hedgerow clearance in bat commuting areas. Biodiversity has the potential to enhance development settings rather than posing obstacles to developments and where biodiversity is appropriately considered the potential for adverse impacts can be avoided or minimised. The inclusion of buffer zones between developments and biodiversity sites or areas of natural heritage importance may be required for a variety of reasons including the protection of biodiversity, flood alleviation and the management of nutrient and silt loading. In the identification of buffer zones for the protection of biodiversity in the plan area the following criteria should be taken into consideration: • Areas that are practicable and appropriate to manage; • Buffer characteristics (e.g. slope, soil type); • Conservation value of the feature to be protected; • Intensity of adjacent land use(s); • Local wildlife corridors and species connectivity; • Proximity to existing development and lands zoned for development; • Specific buffer function; and, Tolerance of the species and habitat to disturbance.364
- __________________________________________________________________________________ Clare County Development Plan 2023-2029 15 | Biodiversity, Natural Heritage and Green Infrastructure Development Plan Objective: Biodiversity CDP 15.1 It is an objective of Clare County Council: a) To implement the National Biodiversity Action Plan 2017- 2021, the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan 2021-2025, the EU A Farm to Fork Strategy 2020, the County Clare Heritage Plan 2017-2023 and the County Clare Biodiversity Plan 2017- 2023, or any subsequent plans, in partnership with all relevant stakeholders; b) To review the Clare County Heritage Plan 2017-2023 and to prepare a new plan, which will be set within the context of the National Heritage Plan ‘Heritage Ireland 2030’, upon the expiry of the existing adopted plan; c) To support National Biodiversity Week and events such as Bioblitz in order to increase awareness of biodiversity and its benefits to the community; d) To ensure that features of importance to local biodiversity are retained as part of developments and projects being undertaken in the county; e) To identify ecological buffer zones, where appropriate, in the plan area; and, f) To support current and future projects with the aim of restoration/rehabilitation of natural habitats and species.365
- __________________________________________________________________________________ Clare County Development Plan 2023-2029 15 | Biodiversity, Natural Heritage and Green Infrastructure Development Plan Objective: Natural Heritage, Biodiversity and Built Heritage Assets CDP 15.2 It is an objective of Clare County Council: To support initiatives that enhance and protect County Clare's unique natural heritage, biodiversity and built heritage assets, recognising the contribution which education and outreach can play in developing understanding of biodiversity and heritage in our communities. Such initiatives should secure funding to support projects in the region in line with the National Biodiversity Action Plan. 15.2.2 European Sites The EU Habitats and Birds Directives provide for the conservation, protection and, in some cases, restoration of habitats and species (plants and animals) of European importance which may be rare, threatened or in danger of disappearance in the EU (as listed in various annexes of the Directives). The Directives also seek to establish ‘Natura 2000’ sites, which form a network of protected areas throughout Europe. These protected areas include: Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) - These sites are for the conservation and protection of plants, animals (other than birds) and wildlife habitats that are of importance to the EU. The sites are designated for habitats and species listed in Annex I and Annex II of the EU Habitats Directive (1992) respectively. Special Protection Area (SPAs) – These sites are for the conservation and protection of birds and their habitats designated under the EU Birds Directive 2009 (first adopted by Member States in 1979), which was implemented in Ireland through the Conservation of Wild Birds Regulations (Statutory Instrument 291 of 1985). These sites are for the protection and conservation of rare and threatened bird species and their habitats. As a competent authority the Council shall in the performance of its functions, take appropriate steps to avoid the deterioration of natural habitats and the habitats of species within these Natura 2000 sites, as well as the disturbance of the species for which the site has been designated, insofar as such disturbance could be significant in relation to the objectives of the Habitats Directive. In addition, the Council has duties as a public authority under Regulation 27 of the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011 relating to nature conservation.366
Source Clare County Council: Clare County Development Plan 2023–2029 (as varied) (2023–2029) · Licence the publisher's termsText read from the publisher’s PDF; tables, maps and drawings do not survive as text, and page numbers are the PDF’s (its first page is 1). Check the original before relying on a passage.