County Donegal Development Plan 2024–2030 (As Varied)

1. Page 201

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   County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 (As Varied) 198 Chapter 10 Tourism Table 10.2: Summary of Tourism Accommodation Policies Within Urban Areas Rural areas (excluding EHSA areas) Specific Policy Requirements New-build ‘mainstream’ accommodation Hotels  x Hotels functionally dependent on, and ancillary to, an existing rural resource (e.g. golf courses)   In urban areas, developments shall be within safe walking distance of local services and facilities (i.e. via an existing footpath or a footpath required as part of the development) Small Hotels/Guesthouses   (up to a maximum of 10 bedrooms) Hostels   (up to a maximum occupancy of 20 people) Extensions to existing ‘mainstream’ accommodation, Hotels   May include standalone modular accommodation subject to site conditions. Guesthouses   Hostels   Development of accommodation involving refurbishment/renovation of an existing building   New Prefabricated, Modular and/or Mobile Holiday accommodation unit developments (refer to ‘Definitions’ below) Static mobile homes, caravans, demountable modular units, cabins etc.  x Within urban areas, the development shall be within safe walking distance of local services and facilities (i.e. via an existing or proposed footpath); Provision of quality supporting infrastructure including suitably designed surface parking bays, green space commensurate with the nature and capacity of the site, Touring caravans, campervans, motorhomes and camping/glamping   (up to an aggregate maximum of 10 units/pitches) Extensions to existing prefabricated, modular and/or mobile holiday accommodation unit developments Static mobile homes, caravans, demountable modular units, cabins etc.   Touring caravans, campervans, motorhomes and camping/glamping   (up to an aggregate maximum of

2. Page 202

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   County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 (As Varied) 199 Chapter 10 Tourism Within Urban Areas Rural areas (excluding EHSA areas) Specific Policy Requirements 10 units/pitches) communal toilets/shower facilities, water sources, wastewater disposal facilities, signage and recycling facilities. Definitions: Modular Holiday Unit: Self-contained units incorporating shower, bath, wc, kitchen and other amenities/facilities Glamping Unit: Glamping: Glamorous camping in the form of small-scale units (maximum 15 sq. m) that provide for sleeping and resting, and where wc/showering facilities are provided in on-site communal facilities only. TOU-P-7 To consider development proposals for holiday resorts of a scale that would have a regional impact on the tourism market involving high quality recreational amenities/visitor facilities and associated managed accommodation units, in both urban and rural locations areas excluding areas of Especially High Scenic Amenity where they comply with the following criteria: a. The resort offers a wide range of high quality on-site sports and recreational activities for various age groups (e.g. playgrounds, ball courts, all weather pitches, indoor swimming pools, marine leisure equestrian, golfing, etc.) and other visitor facilities (e.g. reception, restaurant, bar/evening entertainment, games rooms) within walking distance of the accommodation units. b. It is demonstrated that at minimum 75% of the associated accommodation units will be retained within the ownership of the resort and are designed for, and rented on a short term basis (maximum one month) in conjunction with, the holiday resort with the remainder of the units leased on a longer term basis. c. The proposed development of a high-quality design and layout with natural boundary screening, internal planting and landscaping, physically defined and adequately surfaced internal road and pedestrian linkages. d. The development is within safe walking distance of local services and facilities (via an existing or proposed footpath) where developments are located within or adjacent to town and villages. e. That there is the suitable provision of toilet/shower facilities where camping facilities are proposed. f. It would otherwise comply with the Tourism Development General Criteria Policy (TOU-P-8 refers). TOU-P-8 That all development proposals for the creation of new, or the extension of existing Tourist Developments (including Resource Related/Activity based Tourism Product Developments, Campervan/Motorhomes and Touring Caravan Stopover Sites, Hotels, Guest Houses, Tourism Hostels, Holiday Resorts, Mobile Homes/Static Caravan Parks Camping Sites, and other Tourist Related Developments) shall comply with the following criteria:

3. Page 203

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   County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 (As Varied) 200 Chapter 10 Tourism a. The location, siting and design of the development (including associated infrastructure and landscaping arrangements) is of a high quality, integrates successfully with, and does not, either individually or in combination with existing and permitted developments, have an adverse impact on; the scenic quality, visual amenity, rural character, streetscape, vernacular character or built environment of the area. b. That there are no significant impacts on designated habitats such as Natura 2000 sites and designated Nature Reserves. c. The development does not negatively affect sensitive natural environments. d. The development is significantly set back from, and adequately screened from, coastlines, shorelines and riverbanks. e. The development will not detract from the visual setting of the coastline or be visually obtrusive from key points along the coastline. f. Appropriate boundary treatment, landscaping and means of enclosure are provided and any areas of outside storage proposed are adequately screened from public view; g. The development will not significantly impact on existing residential amenities. h. There is an adequate means of water supply. i. There is existing capacity in the public wastewater infrastructure for developments within urban areas or suitable on-site effluent treatment facilities to EPA standards can be provided in rural areas. j. The development will not cause a traffic hazard, and the existing road network can safely handle any extra vehicular traffic generated by the proposed development. k. Adequate parking provision, access and maneuvering arrangements (including for touring coaches and motorhomes), and servicing areas are provided in accordance with road safety standards, and the technical standards and policies of this Plan. l. The layout of the development provides for a high level of, and prioritises, pedestrian permeability and access. m. The development does not create a noise nuisance and will not cause any significant environmental emissions. n. The development will not have an adverse impact on the built, scenic, or natural heritage of the area including structures on the RPS/NIAH and designated habitats such as Natura 2000 sites and designated Nature Reserves. o. The development is not located in an area at flood risk and/or will not cause or exacerbate flooding. p. The development will not compromise the water quality of water bodies within River Basin Districts designated under the Water Framework Directive or hinder the programme of measures contained within any associated River Basin Management Plan. TOU-P-9 To support and promote existing festivals and sporting events to increase the cultural, heritage and lifestyle profile of the county, and, where appropriate, promote and facilitate the development of new festivals and events, subject to compliance with other relevant provisions of this Plan. TOU-P- 10 To support Failte Ireland in the development of ‘Destination and Experience Development Plans’ for the Inishowen Peninsula, West Donegal & The Islands and for South Donegal. TOU-P- 11 To support and protect the built heritage assets that are the focus for tourism development to promote heritage led economic growth and regeneration whilst not adversely detracting from the built heritage assets or their setting. Any proposals shall respect features of the special architectural and historic character by appropriate design, materials, scale and setting.

4. Page 204

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   County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 (As Varied) 201 Chapter 10 Tourism Map 10.1 – Tourism

5. Page 205

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   County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 (As Varied) 202 Chapter 10 Tourism

6. Page 206

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   County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 (As Varied) 203

7. Page 207

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   County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 (As Varied) 204 Chapter 11 Natural, Built, and Archaeological Heritage Chapter 11 – Natural, Built and Archaeological Heritage 11.1 Biodiversity 11.1.1 Introduction Biodiversity means the variety of all living things and the living systems of which they are a part including the variation within and between species and habitats/ecosystems and is a core element of our natural heritage. Ensuring a high level of biodiversity is vital not only for the protection of natural ecosystems but for the protection and enhancement of quality of life, visual amenity, landscape, water quality, carbon sequestration, tourism, and food production and therefore is an essential component of any strategy for the proper planning and sustainable development of Donegal. Donegal has a wide range of biodiversity assets including habitats and species in protected Natura 2000 sites, Ramsar Wetlands Sites, Nature Reserves, Natural Heritage Areas, proposed Natural Heritage Areas, extensive blanket bog covering significant parts of the county, and within woodlands, hedgerows, within urban areas and aquatic environments in the wider environment. The protection of Biodiversity requires a multi-faceted, all of society approach including the Government, the National Parks and Wildlife Services, landowners, NGOs and the local authority. However, the Development Plan can play a significant role in protecting our Biodiversity through for example: • Ensuring that new developments do not have significant adverse effects on the integrity of Natura 2000 sites. • Protecting other designated sites e.g. pNHAs, RAMSAR and Natura Reserves. • Safeguarding existing biodiversity in the wider environment through the planning process. 11.1.2 Current State of Biodiversity Unsustainable development has heavily impacted biodiversity both internationally, nationally and locally. The 2019 IPBES Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystems found that globally, nature was declining at unprecedented rates, extinction rates were accelerating, and transformative change was required. This Biodiversity Crisis is mirrored in Ireland with the 2019 NPWS Article 17 Reports indicating that 46% of EU Protected Habitats and 15% of EU Protected Species were suffering ongoing decline and Birdwatch Ireland reporting in 2021 that 63% of bird species are declining at alarming rates. Furthermore, analysis of said Article 17 reports indicates the following conservation status and trends for the EU Protected habitats and species present in Donegal:

8. Page 208

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   County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 (As Varied) 205 Chapter 11 Natural, Built, and Archaeological Heritage In particular it is noted that habitats such as shallow inlets and bays, fixed dunes, wet heath, dry heath, blanket bogs and old oak woodlands and species such as the Freshwater Pearl Mussel, White Clawed Crayfish, Maerl, and Geyers Whorl Snail were recorded as having a bad status. However, bat and marine species tended to have a favourable conservation status. In terms of bird species, the I-WeBS Species Trends Reports 1994/1995 to 2019/2020 for the Lough Swilly, Maghery Lake and Donegal Bay SPA’s indicates a mixed picture with large declines for species such as Scaup, Grey Plover, Pochard, and Goldeneye, moderate declines for other species, but also stable or increasing populations for a significant number of species. 11.1.3 Legislative and Policy Context The 1992 UN Convention on Biological Diversity aims to conserve biological diversity and sustainably use its components. It requires states to develop biodiversity strategies and integrate biodiversity into relevant sectoral plans, establish a system of protected areas and adopt in situ and ex situ conservation measures. The associated Draft Global Biodiversity Framework Strategic Plan sets out 2030 action targets including: ensuring all areas are under biodiversity integrated inclusive spatial planning, conserving 30% of land and sea areas, ensuring active management solutions to enable the recovery and conservation of species, reducing invasive species and increasing green/blue spaces in urban areas. Under the Ramsar Convention (1971) 4 wetland sites of international importance have been selected in Donegal namely: Lough Barra Bog, Meenachullion Bog, Pettigoe Plateau and Trawbreaga Bay. The convention requires parties to implement their planning so as to promote the conservation of said wetlands and to establish Nature Reserves on wetlands. The EU Birds Directive 1979 aims to protect all of the 500 wild bird species naturally occurring in the EU and requires member states to; take measures to maintain their population, designate Special Protection Areas for the most endangered Annex I species and other regularly occurring migratory species and take steps to avoid the pollution and deterioration of habitats for said species outside their habitats. The EU Habitats Directive 1992 is the cornerstone of EU biodiversity conservation policy and aims to conserve and to maintain at, or restore to, favourable conservation status, certain rare, threatened, or endemic natural habitats and species listed in the directive. It required member states to establish the Natura 2000 network consisting of both Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) for the protection of the specific habitat types and habitats of species listed in Annex I and II of the directive respectively and Special Protection Areas for the protection of certain bird species (originally designated under the Birds Directive). The Directive requires that any plan or project which is likely to have a significant effect on any Natura 2000 site must undergo an Appropriate Assessment (AA) and planning authorities shall only agree to the plan or project after having ascertained that it will not adversely affect the integrity of the Natura site concerned. Case law has also established that AAs must: be conducted using best scientific knowledge, have no reasonable scientific doubt in their conclusions and take into account effects on habitats and species outside Natura 2000 sites which could result in adverse effects on said sites. The directive also requires, where necessary, land use planning and development policies to encourage the management of landscape features of major importance for wild flora and fauna such

9. Page 209

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   County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 (As Varied) 206 Chapter 11 Natural, Built, and Archaeological Heritage as rivers, traditional field boundaries, ponds and small woods due to their importance for migration, dispersal and genetic exchange of wild species. It also obligates member states to take strict protection measures for the species listed under/in Annex IV in their natural range including prohibiting the deterioration and destruction of breeding sites or resting places for animal species. The Natura 2000 network covers large parts of Donegal and has been established to conserve a wide variety of habitats and species including the Freshwater Pearl Mussel (e.g. Leannan River, Lough Eske and Ardnamona Wood, and Fawnboy Bog/Lough Nacung SACs), Blanket Bog (e.g. Cloghernagore Bog and Glenveagh National Park and Lough Nillian SACs), Atlantic Salmon, (e.g. River Finn SAC), Otter (e.g. Lough Swilly SAC), Embryonic shifting dunes (Gweedore Bays and Islands SAC), Corncrake (Falcarragh to Meenlaragh SPA), Curlew (e.g. Lough Swilly SPA). The Council recognizes the crucial importance of the habitats directive in protecting the most sensitive habitats and species in Donegal and will therefore rigorously implement it in the assessment of development proposals. The EU Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive requires the assessment of projects that are likely to have significant effects on the environment including identifying, describing, and assessing direct and indirect effects on a wide range of environmental topics such as flora and fauna. Consequently, the council will carry out EIA as necessary in ensuring an appropriate level of biodiversity protection. The EU Water Framework Directive aims to: prevent deterioration in existing status of water bodies, protect, enhance and restore all water bodies to achieve good water quality status by 2027, and comply with requirements for designated sites, and also incorporates the requirements of the Shellfish Directive. Its implementation is of crucial importance to biodiversity and is dealt with under the Water and Waster Section of this plan (see Section 8.2.5). The need for urgent action, the importance of space for nature and the business case for biodiversity is set out in the EU Biodiversity strategy for 2030. This strategy lists land use change, overexploitation, climate change, pollution and invasive species as key drivers of biodiversity loss. It sets out a framework for putting biodiversity on a path to recovery by 2030 including: • A coherent network of protected areas including protecting at least 30% of EU land and sea areas and strictly protecting primary and old growth forests, peatlands, wetlands and ecological corridors. • An EU Nature Restoration Plan including legally binding restoration targets, preventing deterioration in conservation trends and status of protected habitats and species by 2030, addressing threats to soil, increasing forestry, sustainably sourced renewable energy, protecting and restoring marine and freshwater ecosystems, greening urban spaces, reducing pollution and addressing invasive species. The Planning and Development Act 2000(as amended) requires Development Plans to include objectives for the ‘conservation and protection of the environment including…. Natural heritage…. And European sites’ S.10(c) refers and ‘the encouragement, pursuant to Article 10 of the Habitats Directive, of the management of features of the landscape, such as traditional field boundaries, important for the ecological coherence of the Natura 2000 network and essential for the migration, dispersal and genetic exchange of wild species; S10(ca) refers. The Wildlife Act 1976 is the principle national wildlife protection legislation and aims to conserve wildlife and conserve biological biodiversity. Under the act bird species, 22 animal species and 86 species of flora are protected under the act by ministerial order. The act also provided for:

10. Page 210

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    County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 (As Varied) 207 Chapter 11 Natural, Built, and Archaeological Heritage • Establishment of protected Nature Reserves including habitats and ecosystems of scientific interest, features of geological/geomorphological or other natural interests, and landscape features of major importance for wild flora and fauna. Donegal has 10 such reserves namely Ardnamona, Ballyarr Wood, Derkmore Wood, Duntally Wood, Inch Levels, Lough Barra, Meenachillion, Pettigo Plateau, Rathmullan Wood, and Sheskinmore which contain a range of important habitats and species. • The establishment of Natural Heritage Areas (NHA’s) which are areas considered nationally important for the habitats present or that hold species of plants and animals whose habitat needs protection which are additional to the Natura 2000 network. There are 12 NHA’s in Donegal. • The publication on a non statutory basis of proposed NHAs (pNHAs) of significance for wildlife and habitats. These have not been statutorily proposed or designated. Most were later incorporated into the Natura 2000 network but some remain outside said network. The Council recognises the ecological importance of these nature designations and will not permit development which would have any direct or indirect adverse effect on same. The 4th National Biodiversity Action Plan cites the poor state of biodiversity, the need for urgent, impactful action to prevent further loss, and highlights invasive species, change in land use including residential and commercial development and over-exploitation of resources such as peatland as the main drivers of biodiversity loss. The action plan sets out a number of planning related objectives including: • Adopting a whole of government/society approach including preparing local authority biodiversity actions plans by 2026. • Meeting urgent conservation/restoration needs noting the crucial importance of the protection and restoration of designated areas and species, the equal importance of biodiversity conservation/restoration in the wider countryside, supporting native tree planting, achieving good water quality status and invasive species management. • Securing natures contributions to people noting planning’s important role in safeguarding biodiversity, delivering biodiversity as part of new applications, and promoting green infrastructure and nature based solutions. • Embedding biodiversity at the heart of climate action including ensuring that the transition to carbon neutrality does not come at the expense of biodiversity. The importance of biodiversity is embodied in the Sustainable Management of Water, Waste and Other Environmental Resources National Strategic Outcome of the National Planning Framework, which highlights the need to protect habitats and species in both the Natura 2000 network and more widely and establishes an objective to enhance the conservation status and improve the management of protected areas and species (NPO 59 refers). The NWRA Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy cites the need to conserve habitats and species, highlights the importance of designated sites, undesignated habitats and peatlands and specifically contains a policy objective (RPO 5.5 refers) to ensure no net contribution to biodiversity loss arising from the strategy and to protect European sites and Natural Heritage Areas. 11.1.4 Biodiversity in the Wider Environment A significant portion of Donegal’s biodiversity is located in the wider environment outside of designated sites where interactions with new development is most likely. This biodiversity is contained within natural heritage features as hedgerows/field boundaries, trees, woodlands, wetlands, water bodies which collectively provide habitats for native wild flora (e.g. hawthorn,

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