Development plan · Donegal County Council
County Donegal Development Plan 2024–2030 (As Varied)
The council's development plan written statement: its strategy, policies, objectives and development standards.
Donegal County Council · 2024–2030 · 783 pages
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- County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 (As Varied) 258 Chapter 14 Marine Resource, Coastal Management, and the Islands The Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy for the Northern and Western Region 2020-2032 sets out a number of marine related Regional Policy Objectives including: protecting, upgrading and expanding the key fisheries ports of Killybegs and Greencastle (RPO 4.31), enabling the expansion of regional blue economy assets such as marine research and innovation and seafood innovation (RPO 4.32) , facilitating marine renewable energy projects (RPO 4.33), developing marine resource innovation parks at Greencastle and Killybegs (PRO 4.34), upgrading and improving the region’s harbour and ports (RPO 4.35) and supporting increased access to coastal areas (RPO 4.1). 14.4 Coastal/Wild Atlantic Way Settlements Donegal possesses a distinct set of coastal settlements ranging from larger towns such as Moville, Falcarragh, Glenties, Ardara to smaller places such as Culdaff, Portsalon, Downings, Carrick etc. These settlements provide specific functionality within our overall urban structure, being both key settlement nodes along the Wild Atlantic Way tourism route and also important local service centres, economic drivers, and employment centres for their respective local communities. However due to a legacy of underinvestment, many of these settlements collectively face significant development challenges including: inadequate or lack of wastewater treatment (See Table below), poor/underdeveloped public realm and civic spaces, inadequate amenities, community and recreational infrastructure, vacancy and dereliction, and insufficient sustainable and active travel infrastructure. In turn, these deficiencies hinder the realisation of their tourism potential, are a barrier to additional residential development, disincentivise economic investment, detract from quality of life, and deter social/community development. A programme of focused, collaborative, and co-ordinated investments and actions, combined with sustainable development management, can deliver the significant tourism and socio-economic potential of these coastal settlements. In this regard the Council considers that these settlements require a specific range of actions and interventions including: • Delivery of wastewater treatment capacity and water supply infrastructure. • Regeneration of the public realm and the provision of new/enhanced civic spaces. • Provision of new amenity, recreation and community infrastructure (e.g. parks and playgrounds). • Tackling vacancy and dereliction to provide new town centre living options, facilitate new economic development opportunities (e.g. digital or enterprise hubs) and to protect built heritage. • Providing new and enhanced active travel and sustainable mobility infrastructure (e.g. footpaths, cycleways, bus stops/shelters, reallocation of existing road space) to encourage modal shift and a safer pedestrian environment. • Creating new visitor facilities including: public conveniences, visitor parking and transient campervan facilities at sustainable locations. Consequently, the Council will work with all key stakeholders (e.g. Local communities, Uisce Eireann and government departments) and utilise all suitable funding mechanisms (e.g. Rural Regeneration and Development, Town and Village Renewal Scheme, Croi Conaithe (Towns) fund etc) to deliver the necessary actions to tackle these development challenges in order to unlock the tourism and economic potential of, and deliver improved quality of life for, these coastal settlements.
- County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 (As Varied) 259 Chapter 14 Marine Resource, Coastal Management, and the Islands Table 14.1: Spare Wastewater Treatment Capacity and Water Capacity in Coastal/Wild Atlantic Way Settlements Spare Wastewater Treatment Capacity & WWTP Upgrade Progress Water Capacity Donegal MD Cill Chartaigh (Kilcar) An Charraig (Carrick) Glenties MD An Fál Carrach (Falcarragh) Stage 3 Cresslough Ardara Dunfanaghy Stage 2 Glenties WTP Upgrade in short-term Portnablagh Stage 2 N/A Letterkenny MD Na Dúnaibh Portsalon No UÉ WW Assets N/A Rathmullan Stage 4 Inishowen MD Ballyliffin Stage 2 Greencastle No UÉ WW Assets Malin Moville Stage 3 Clonmany Culdaff *See Note below Works ongoing to improve LoS Legend Wastewater Capacity Spare capacity Potential Capacity available to Urban Wastewater Standard only No spare capacity Water Capacity Capacity available Potential Capacity available Note: • The above table provides an indication of available capacity and is based on a national standardized review of available information in June 2023 and is subject to change. • The UÉ Culdaff WWTP currently only serves the village core and has limited spare capacity. Private WWTPs outside the village core are not accounted for in the UÉ capacity register and UÉ WWTP would be required to be upgraded if these private WWTPs were to connect to same.
- County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 (As Varied) 260 Chapter 14 Marine Resource, Coastal Management, and the Islands 14.5 Fishing, Seafood and the Blue Economy The contribution of fishing, seafood and related marine industries in Donegal remains strong despite challenges presented by quota restrictions and the loss of valuable fishing quota in UK waters due to Brexit. The 2013 National Ports Policy recognises Killybegs as a port of Regional Significance and in 2021 Killybegs remained Ireland’s premier fishing port with €121m30 worth of landings. The Killybegs region is a nationally important blue economy hub with well-established value-added seafood processing, marine engineering/servicing, renewable energy logistics, offshore support, and marine services industries. Recent funding to provide a 120m quay extension at Killybegs Fisheries 30 The Business of Seafood A Snapshot of Ireland’s Seafood Sector 2021 (BIM, 2021) (P. 15)
- County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 (As Varied) 261 Chapter 14 Marine Resource, Coastal Management, and the Islands Harbour Centre will help to alleviate congestion, increase overall port capacity, and facilitate the further expansion of the fishing, seafood, renewable energy and marine tourism sectors. Furthermore, increasing fishing vessel length may necessitate additional harbour expansion. Greencastle remains an important harbour with €9m31 worth of landings in 2021 and is home to BIM National Fishery college. The completion of the Greencastle Breakwater Project will provide additional shelter and associated safety benefits for the fishing fleet. Collectively the seafood sector in Donegal provided 1,938 and 4,327 jobs in direct and downstream seafood employment respectively in 2021, and seafood industries provide 16% of coastal employment in Donegal,, marine related industries. In particular, it is recognised that Killybegs and Greencastle have significant clusters of marine industries and act as economic catalysts for their respective local economies. It is essential therefore to provide a planning framework which aids the further growth and diversification of the marine sector. Given the above context, the Plan will support the development of additional fisheries harbour infrastructure where necessary, and onshore fisheries related development at appropriate locations in accordance with the economic development policies of the plan. 14.6 Aquaculture Donegal continues to have a robust aquaculture sector (e.g. salmon, oyster, mussel farming and seaweed harvesting) which provides considerable local employment both onshore and offshore for coastal communities and represents a profitable value-added export-orientated industry. The Council will therefore facilitate the sustainable development of onshore/ancillary aquaculture developments to sustain and maximise the potential of the sector whilst protecting marine ecosystems. 14.7 Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Ireland’s north western seaboard possesses one of the world’s greatest offshore wind and wave resources. The Climate Action Plan 2021 aims to capitalise on this resource to provide 5GW of offshore wind energy by 2030 to meet Ireland’s climate change and renewable energy targets. Designated Maritime Area Plans (DMAPs) under the new Maritime Area Planning Act 2021 will provide the necessary planning framework for new offshore renewable energy projects in maritime areas off Donegal. Whilst the shallower waters off south and east coasts of Ireland are providing an initial focus for fixed bottom offshore wind energy, floating offshore wind (FOW) energy projects are likely to commence off the west and north-western seaboard in the medium to long term. The deployment of such projects will require onshore operation and maintenance facilities. Killybegs, with its strategic location, 12m deep quay, sheltered deep-water harbour, and marine service industries is ideally placed to provide and benefit from this sector. In addition, such deployment may present additional opportunities for Killybegs to provide shore-based support for ORE projects. In this context, it is likely that the provision of additional harbour and onshore facilities will have to be considered to enable Killybegs to fulfil it’s potential. The Governments ‘ Policy Statement on the Facilitation of Offshore Renewable Energy by Commercial Ports in Ireland’ (December 2021) recognises the need for large scale infrastructure for project deployment and smaller-scale port facilities for operation and maintenance, espouses a multiport approach, highlights OREport-related infrastructure funding opportunities for TEN-T network ports, and recognises the ORE opportunities for Killybegs. The significance of Killybegs port in providing international connectivity is highlighted in Chapter 8.1: ‘Transport’. In addition, the feasibility of seeking TEN-T Comprehensive Network Status 31 The Business of Seafood A Snapshot of Ireland’s Seafood Sector 2021 (BIM, 2021) (P. 15)
- County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 (As Varied) 262 Chapter 14 Marine Resource, Coastal Management, and the Islands for Killybegs is specifically highlighted in the NWRA RSES (p.216 refers). In this regard the Council will pursue the upgrading of the N56 National route to the port (as outlined in Table 8.1A of this plan), facilitate the provision of additional harbour facilities at the port (as provided for by MRCM-P-3 and 4), constructively engage with all relevant stakeholders, and support the carrying out of any relevant feasibility studies. The deployment of large-scale offshore renewable energy in the North West is dependent on the strategic necessity to upgrade he electricity transmission network to the north-west. Consequently, to harness this ORE potential the Council will support: the ancillary use of the existing fisheries harbour centre facilities for the ORE sector, the provision of additional harbour infrastructure to accommodate ORE sector requirements (subject to a demonstrated need); the upgrade of the electricity transmission network in Donegal and the designation of Killybegs Port as part of the TEN-T comprehensive network. ORE may also provide a synergistic opportunity for the production of green hydrogen and its conversion to green ammonia within the Killybegs area. Such fuels could in turn could be used for example in HGV transport, a sustainable marine propulsion fuel, or a heavy industry fuel for bulk export. This would require suitable lands for hydrogen production (electrolysis), ammonia conversion and storage facilities. The Council recognises this strategic potential and will investigate the feasibility and identification of suitable locations for this sector. The Council will seek to facilitate and support ORE Research and Development. 14.8 Onshore Renewable Energy Killybegs port has emerged as an important logistics hub for onshore renewable energy development in recent years, ancillary to its primary function as a fisheries harbour. In particular, this role requires not only berthing space but set down space for turbine components. The Council will support the continued use of Killybegs harbour as a logistics hub for onshore renewable energy. The Council will also support the principle of additional harbour infrastructure to facilitate this sector. 14.9 Islands Donegal possesses a diverse range of islands including large/well populated islands (e.g. Arainn Mhór and Toraigh) smaller islands with low/seasonal populations (e.g. Rutland, Gabhla) and uninhabited islands (e.g. Inis Oirthir). Together these islands represent a unique geographic, scenic, environmental, heritage, cultural and linguistic asset for the County. Each Island has its own distinctive character, population and infrastructural profile and issues. Collectively however the Islands face a range of development challenges including: depopulation, socio-economic disadvantage, the need to sustain, support and enhance marine access and any associated ferry services, a lack of mains water and electricity supply, inadequate tourism infrastructure (e.g. public conveniences), localised coastal erosion and the influence of protected habitats. In the context of these issues, the Islands’ sublime landscapes and seascapes, rich built heritage, robust communities, the Irish language, marine and coastal assets, together with modern communications provide key development opportunities including: island and marine tourism (e.g. day trips, marine charters, fishing, kayaking, walking, bird watching, and rock climbing), language, cultural and linguistic tourism and, increasingly, remote working.
- County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 (As Varied) 263 Chapter 14 Marine Resource, Coastal Management, and the Islands The Council is committed to sustaining island communities, enhancing their social, economic, tourism and cultural vitality whilst enhancing their environment, heritage, and landscape (e.g. the Árainn Mhór shorefront and Burtonport harbour project). Consequently, in view of the above challenges and opportunities the Council will work collaboratively with island Communities and relevant stakeholders to support sustainable developments of the Islands subject to natural and built heritage policies of the plan. 14.10 Cruise Ship Tourism With a strategic 12m deep water all-weather quay at Killybegs, and sheltered deep-water anchorages at Lough Foyle and Lough Swilly and a wealth of nearby scenic, historic and cultural attractions (e.g. Sliabh Liag, the Wild Atlantic Way, Glenveagh National Park, Dunree Fort) the North-West is an ideal destination for the cruise ship market. The deep-water quay at Killybegs Fisheries Harbour has attracted a significant number of large-scale cruise ships in recent years bringing considerable local economic benefits. Foyle Port has proposed additional cruise ship berthing facilities at Greencastle and it is acknowledged that this project has the potential to significantly enhance its usability and attractiveness as a cruise destination. The Council will continue to support the use of Killybegs fisheries harbour as a Cruise Ship destination including the facilitation of additional berthing facilities where necessary and where compatible with the functioning of the fisheries harbour. In addition, subject to appropriate feasibility studies. the Council will support the provision of cruise ship berthing facilities at Greencastle. 14.11 Marine and Coastal Access Infrastructure Donegal has an extensive network of marine access infrastructure including approximately 100 harbours, piers, and slipways, as well as pontoons and visitor moorings, which provide vital marine access infrastructure for coastal fishing, angling, aquaculture, marine tourism and leisure sectors. Whilst coastal fishing has declined in recent decades marine tourism and leisure are increasing in popularity and there is a growing demand and need for associated marine access infrastructure and ancillary facilities. Donegal has a rugged tidal coastline and marine tourism studies have emphasised the need to create a chain of safe berthing facilities at regular intervals to facilitate visiting boats. In this regard the marina at Fahan and other recent developments at Donegal Town, Mountcharles,
- County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 (As Varied) 264 Chapter 14 Marine Resource, Coastal Management, and the Islands Killybegs, Kilcar, Teelin, Ardara, Burtonport, Rathmullan, Ballywhoriskey(Fanad), Bonagee(Culdaff) and Greencastle represent significant marine leisure and tourism assets. It is also recognised that other piers and harbours and visitor mooring at locations such as such as Creevy, Bundoran, Teelin, Arranmore, Kincasslagh, Bunbeg, Magheragallon, Portnablagh, Downings, Mevagh, Portsalon, Buncrana and Portmore, provide important local infrastructure for a wide range of marine activities including coastal fishing, sea angling, marine charter, diving and other marine leisure activities. In addition, the council also acknowledge the important roles of Fahan, Rathmullan and Greencastle as sailing centres and Bundoran and Rossnowlagh as surfing centres. The Council therefore recognises the need to maintain and, where appropriate, enhance Donegal’s marine access infrastructure in order to sustain the fishing, angling, marine tourism and leisure sectors. In this regard the Council will: • Progress projects to provide new floating pontoon facilities at Mevagh, Burtonport, Bunbeg and Ballyshannon. • Upgrade marine access infrastructure at key piers and harbours subject to an identified need and resource availability. • Provide ancillary infrastructure (e.g. parking, vehicular and pedestrian access, safety barriers and public toilets) at other piers and harbours subject to demand and financial resources. In addition, the Council recognises the socio-economic and tourism importance, and will continue to support the operations of, the Greencastle-Magilligan and Rathmullan-Buncrana car ferry routes during the lifetime of the plan. 14.12 Foyle Port The strategic role of Foyle Port as a cross-border operation is a key infrastructural asset, marine gateway, and economic enabler for the North-West City Region. In this context the Council supports the continued growth of the Foyle Port’s facilities, the provision of improved infrastructural links to
- County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 (As Varied) 265 Chapter 14 Marine Resource, Coastal Management, and the Islands the port, and, subject to appropriate feasibility study, the provision of enhanced cruise ship berthing facilities at Greencastle and the continued development at Greencastle Harbour to meet the future needs of the marine industry. 14.13 Coastal Management Donegal has a unique and varied coastline with rocky cliffs, headlands, sea loughs, coastal estuaries, beaches (including 12 blue flag and 4 green coast award beaches) and dune systems and associated valuable and sensitive marine and coastal habitats (including designated Natura 2000 sites) This coastline and the associated marine environment has long been recognized as one of Donegal’s key scenic, environmental, recreational and tourism assets. The maintenance and improvement of water quality in coastal and bathing waters requires a multifaceted/multi-stakeholder approach including improving municipal wastewater treatment facilities, providing individual Wastewater Treatment Systems to EPA standards in unsewered areas, and sustainable agricultural management practices. The Council will therefore implement the wastewater infrastructure policies of this plan to maintain and improve such water quality. The Council will also protect and manage the visual scenic and environmental amenities of our coastal areas in accordance with the natural heritage policies of this plan. In recent years pressures on coastal areas and associated marine environments have increased due to development pressures and higher seasonal visitor numbers and associated increased demands for improved beach/coastal access and recreational infrastructure and management services. The retention of our strategically important Blue Flag Beaches requires adherence to strict environmental education and management, water quality, and safety criteria. Green Coast beaches require the achievement of excellent water quality and environmental management to protect the natural environment. To sustainably manage this vital resource the Council therefore recognizes the need to maintain, and improve, such infrastructure and services including: vehicular parking and management, public conveniences/changing facilities, playgrounds/play areas, pedestrian/cycling infrastructure, waste management, informational signage water safety, as well as implementing beach and maritime craft byelaws and protect the underlying environmental resource including sensitive habitats. Coastal change, such as coastal erosion and deposition, is a phenomenon which can result from both natural processes (e.g. wave action, longshore drift) and human actions (e.g. sand removal, trampling of dunes, building of piers, harbours, causeways etc.). Donegal’s soft shorelines such as beaches and dune systems, generally based on a finite resource of glacial derived sand, formed by a complex interplay of geomorphological forces, and involving finely balanced sediment budgets, represent a unique and fragile resource which requires careful management. In this regard coastal erosion and deposition is often part of a natural cyclical process. Donegal has been largely insulated from significant sea level rise to date by post glacial uplift. However, our coastline and coastal developments are at risk from increased storm surges and future sea level rise from climate change. Flood risk mapping for future climate change related sea level rise scenarios is available through floodinfo.ie and the Council will utilize these and other appropriate datasets in managing development in coastal areas in accordance with the flood risk management policies of the plan (See Section 8.4 of the Plan). There are a range of strategies for managing coastal erosion/sea level rise which are suitable to specific locations and circumstances including doing nothing (e.g. in remote unpopulated areas),
- County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 (As Varied) 266 Chapter 14 Marine Resource, Coastal Management, and the Islands managed retreat (e.g. allowing low-lying rural areas to flood/erode), or holding the line (e.g. protecting urban or valuable areas via hard engineering solutions such as sea walls or rock armour or soft engineering solutions such as dune protection or beach nourishment). The Council recognizes that hard engineering solutions are the most resource intensive, costly and also may result in high levels of interference with natural processes. Consequently, it is best coastal management practice that such solutions only be used in limited strategic circumstances where supported by appropriate risk managements studies. In addition to natural coastal erosion and sea level rise, our coastline is also at risk from developments that may alter natural coastal process such as a longshore drift and tidal currents and thus cause siltation/deposition and also potentially increase erosion elsewhere due to the resulting displacement of sediment. Objectives MRCM-O-1 To sustain and enhance the economic, social and cultural, and tourism vitality of Donegal’s marine sector, coastal communities and islands communities. MRCM-O-2 To safeguard and enhance the health of Donegal’s marine and coastal ecosystems and sustainably manage our coastal environment. Policies MRCM-P-1 To ensure that development proposals are consistent with the National Marine Planning Framework including the environmental, economic, social and sectoral objectives and policies detailed therein. MRCM-P-2 To support and facilitate the provision of:
- County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 (As Varied) 267 Chapter 14 Marine Resource, Coastal Management, and the Islands • additional wastewater treatment capacity and water supply upgrades • public realm improvements, • new/enhanced civic, cultural, green, amenity, and recreational infrastructure, • initiatives to tackle vacancy and dereliction • active and sustainable transport infrastructure and visitor facilities in our coastal/Wild Atlantic Way settlements. MRCM-P-3 To safeguard and enhance the roles of Killybegs, Greencastle, and Burtonport, as centres of fishing, fleet activity, seafood processing and/or ancillary marine services and education including, where necessary the provision of additional harbour infrastructure, and facilitate the diversification of such locations into new areas of appropriate investment and employment opportunities, including marine related economic activity including supporting the development of Marine Resource Innovation Park(s). MRCM-P-4 CC To support the development of Killybegs as a centre for Offshore Renewable Energy and as a marine logistics hub for onshore wind energy, including: • facilitating operations and maintenance; • storage infrastructure; • engineering and assembly activities ; • ancillary marine support services and training, research and development facilities; • its designation as a Comprehensive TEN-T Network Port; and • supporting the development of additional harbour infrastructure where necessary and compatible with its primary function as a fisheries harbour. MRCM-P-5 To facilitate onshore aquaculture related developments including servicing, marine access, storage and processing-related developments. including where feasible the development of a seaweed biorefinery. MRCM-P-6 To support and maintain existing, and facilitate the improvement of, marine access infrastructure and ferry services, tourism, cultural, community, transport, remote working and education facilities for Donegal’s Islands. MRCM-P-7 a. To facilitate the development of new, and the upgrading of existing, small scale marine and inland waters access infrastructure including piers, harbours, berthing/pontoon facilities, slipways for fishing, angling, marine tourism and leisure purposes, subject to an identified need. b. To facilitate large scale marine access infrastructure (e.g. marinas in excess of 100 berths, large scale harbour facilities) in accordance with the following locational criteria: i. Within established ports/harbours or coastal settlements ii. At alternative locations, excluding areas of Especially High Scenic Amenity where there are no suitable sites available which met the locational criteria in Point a) or where the development is functionally tied to a specific location. c. To support the continued operation of the Greencastle to Magilligan and Buncrana to Rathmullan Ferry Services. d. To support the development of Killybegs and Greencastle as regional cruise ship destinations including where necessary the facilitation of additional cruise ship berthing facilities in Killybegs (where compatible with its primary function as a fisheries harbour) and provision of cruise ship berthing facilities at Greencastle.
Source Donegal County Council: County Donegal Development Plan 2024–2030 (As Varied) (2024–2030) · 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.