County Donegal Development Plan 2024–2030 (As Varied)

1. Page 431

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   County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 (As Varied) 429 Section 2: Amendment of ZoChapter 18 Buncrana Area Plan Objective BC-ZEL-O-1: To grow the industrial and office-based sectors in Buncrana inclusive of ensuring that there is sufficient zoned and appropriately located lands to attract such uses. 18.6 Active Travel, Permeability and Connectivity 18.6.1 Sustainable Mobility Chapter 8.1 sets out the national and regional policy context for this active travel, permeability and connectivity section of the Buncrana Plan. As well as the benefits to the environment and the population by reducing pollution, noise and traffic congestion and contributing to healthy more active lifestyles, in the case of Buncrana active travel facilities can also be considered as tourism assets to the town. Buncrana has a significant advantage in this regard as there is already a strong network of popular cycle/walkways which extend along the Shore Front into Swan Park and along the Crana River. It also extends along the shores of Lough Swilly to Ned’s Point/Fr Hegarty’s Rock and beyond to Stragill Strand. This Plan identifies additional walking and cycling ‘Active Travel’ schemes to further influence movement around the town by way of creating choice and options (see Fig:18.8 below). In this regard, there exists considerable scope for the development of additional walkways along natural corridors between the town centre and the suburbs. Examples include (see Fig 18.7): • Along the Owenkillew River – on both sides – from Victoria Bridge to the Old Mill with a spur to St Mary’s Road (via St Oran’s Drive); • Along the Crana River – northwards from the Tullyarvan Mill - parallel to the Cockhill Road; and • Extending Swan Park to the Castle Bridge (along the southern bank of the Crana River). These green corridors will enable more pedestrian access to and from the town centre, thereby enhancing mobility and assisting in desire lines and accessibility to town centre businesses. Further development in active travel outside of the town could see the extension of the coastal path for walking and cycling to Fort Dunree and completing the Greenway loop around Inishowen. The current baseline data indicates pedestrian and bus transport modes share of 23% and 8% respectively, (CSO 2022).

2. Page 432

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   County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 (As Varied) 430 Section 2: Amendment of ZoChapter 18 Buncrana Area Plan An increase in this modal share by active/sustainable travel modes will not only require the implementation of the transport/sustainable mobility projects detailed in the plan but also additional local public transport services and other measures to encourage sustainable mobility. The Local Transport Plan is the most appropriate mechanism to carry out adequate evidence-based research into this issue and to identify the extent of such services and any additional measures necessary to increase modal share. As such it is considered premature to indicate a modal share target for Buncrana prior to the preparation of said detailed transport plan. National Transport Authority’s (NTA) National Cycle Connect Network. Cycle Connect is Ireland’s National Cycle Network which aims to identify a National network for cycling to improve sustainable travel by providing the potential for more trips on a safe, accessible and convenient cycling network, connecting more people to more places. Proposals for cycling links in key cities, towns and villages in each county are included in the plan, in addition to connections between the larger towns, villages and settlements. The plan also incorporates existing and planned cycle routes such as Greenways and Blueways. The draft proposals envisage an extensive cycling network across the country to create an overall comprehensive cycle network for Ireland and includes identified networks within 2 urban centres in Donegal one of which is Buncrana. This network is identified on the NTAs Cycle Connect network within Buncrana.

3. Page 433

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   County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 (As Varied) 431 Section 2: Amendment of ZoChapter 18 Buncrana Area Plan Figure 18.6 NTA Cycle Network within Buncrana

4. Page 434

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   County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 (As Varied) 432 Section 2: Amendment of ZoChapter 18 Buncrana Area Plan Fig 18.7: Potential for Future Active Travel Infrastructure.

5. Page 435

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   County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 (As Varied) 433 Section 2: Amendment of ZoChapter 18 Buncrana Area Plan Fig 18.8: Future Potential Buncrana Active Travel Schemes Transport/Sustainable Mobility Strategy for Buncrana Location/Name Nature of Scheme Key benefits Aghilly Road Scheme – leading to Hillhead Road. Currently included in Specific Improvement Programme. Scheme currently at design stage, Part 8 consent Complete and CPO initiated. Narrow carriageway, widened footpath. General overall network improvements for walking and cycling. Slavery Road Scheme Currently underway as an Active travel scheme (Funded by National Transport Authority.) Footpath extensions and improvements due to gaps in network. Safety and essential network improvement scheme. Westbrook Bridge (Fig 18.7 No.1.) New Pedestrian Bridge connecting to Slavery active travel Scheme. Safety and improvement scheme. A new pedestrian bridge would facilitate improved pedestrian segregation at an existing substandard dangerous junction. Buncrana Inner Relief Road. Included in the county’s Specific Improvement programme. Department of Transport funding achieved for partial redesign of exiting junctions. (Maginn Av/Mc Carter Development of a multi modal corridor for redistributing traffic and provision of walking, cycling and multi modal infrastructure. Mill Bridge (Fig 18.7, No .2.) Proposed pedestrian bridge which is an aspect of wider Buncrana Inner Relief scheme, which is included in the Specific Improvement programme for the town. Current narrow carriageway with restricted footpath width, with 2-way traffic giving way on bridge. It would be proposed that the footpath would be removed to increase carriageway widths on what is a protected structure. In turn it would be proposed to introduce a Pedestrian Bridge along the outside of Mill bridge, which will require land negotiations and procurement. Mill River Link (Fig 18.7, No. 3). Creation of river walk along Mill rover and connecting to the amenity with Amazing Grace Park and onwards to the new pedestrian bridge connection to the Pier. Mill River alongside GAA grounds linking to the R238 and onwards Provision of NW Greenway connectivity from south of the town to the shorefront, Swan Park and future potential Greenway schemes. wider shorefront network and onward network connections for walking and cycling Funded through Repowering Buncrana RRDF Project. Cockhill Road Network improvement to include reduction in carriageway widths, reallocation of road space, removal of onstreet parking and active travel The current carriageway has sufficient widths for the introduction of wide footpaths/Cycleways from the upper main street towards Westbrook bridge. This proposal would require the removal of existing on street parking. Benefits include creation of network connectivity for pedestrian/cycling between Slavery area and town centre, as well

6. Page 436

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   County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 (As Varied) 434 Section 2: Amendment of ZoChapter 18 Buncrana Area Plan infrastructure for walking and cycling. as creating further network improvements for the schools campus link towards Aghilly and the three schools site. Causeway Road Network improvements for Walking and Cycling infrastructure to create greater connected network. 18.6.2 The Inishowen Greenway The Inishowen Greenway (formerly known as the ‘NW Greenway’) project is a major regional North-West and cross border infrastructure project. Providing active travel Infrastructure through the development and delivery of 46.5km of cross-border greenway across a number of individual routes. One route connects Buncrana with Derry City with a spur to Newtowncunningham, incorporating the local villages Bridgend, Burnfoot, Fahan and Lisfannon and extending to 28.7km. The longer-term overall infrastructure ambition is the development of a regional ‘Inishowen Greenway’ through Inishowen with further routes connecting, Buncrana with Carndonagh, Moville, Quigleys Point and Muff. Chapter 8.1 and Table 8.2 of County Development Plan sets this out in more detail. The public consultation conducted during the preparation of the ‘Strategic Strengths and Future Strategic Direction of Buncrana’, identified an extremely enthusiastic local attitude to the delivery of the Greenway to the town and a strong desire for its extension to the Shore-green, to the Town Centre, and onwards spurs to Carndonagh and Malin Head. BC-AT-O-1 CC Deliver the projects listed in Table entitled ‘Transport/Sustainable Mobility Strategy for Buncrana’ Fig 18.8. BC-AT-O-1A CC To prepare a detailed Local Transport Plan for Buncrana during the lifetime of the plan in accordance with the NTAs/TIIs Area Based Transport Assessment manual BC-AT-0-2: To continue to work with Transport Infrastructure Ireland to progress and ultimately carry out and develop the Inishowen Greenway network and to further support future potential extension of the Network in Buncrana and to onward destinations within the Inishowen peninsula to create a Regional Network of Greenway infrastructure.

7. Page 437

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   County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 (As Varied) 435 Section 2: Amendment of ZoChapter 18 Buncrana Area Plan BC-AT-P-1: CC To require that development proposals: a. provide for suitable connectivity and permeability (for walking, wheeling, cycling and/or vehicular as appropriate) between adjoining land parcels; and b. have due regard to the ‘indicative walking routes’ identified on the Buncrana Land-Use Zoning Map and to the active transport/sustainable mobility projects identified on Fig 18.8 titled ‘Transport/Sustainable Mobility Strategy for Buncrana’, and reserve corridors for the required routes and/or construct sections of the required routes, in consultation with the Council’s Roads Department Proposals that fail to provide for adequate connectivity and permeability or fail to have due regard to the indicative access routes identified on map 18.7 shall not be permitted. 18.7 Housing 18.7.1. Population and Housing Targets The housing targets and consequent zoning provisions of the Core Strategy targets the delivery of units for Buncrana over the life of the Plan. 18.7.2 Background and Core Strategy Requirements There has been a severe shortage of new housing completions in the Buncrana area over the last decade particularly on zoned residential lands39. There is also a considerable local social housing waiting list. The CDP Core Strategy has set an ambitious gross target of 681 units and an associated zoned land requirement of 19.46ha for Buncrana over the plan period 2024-2030. In line with the Development Plan Guidelines, the Authority has calculated the potential yield from brownfield sites as being of the order of 176 units. As also required in the Guidelines, this estimated brownfield yield must be deducted from the gross greenfield housing target. The nett required housing target is therefore 505 units (681 minus 176) resulting in an adjusted greenfield/nett housing land requirement of 14.42 hectares as set out in the table below. Table 18.2: Summary of Core Strategy Target Allocation for Buncrana Adjusted for Brownfield Capacity Gross Housing Target 681 Units Minus Potential yield from brownfield sites. 176 units Adjusted /Nett Housing Target 505 Units Housing Land Allocation (greenfield) @ 35 Units per ha. 14.42 Ha Overall, there is a need to facilitate an adequate supply, range and mix of high-quality housing at compact, serviced, sustainable, accessible, and socially inclusive locations in Buncrana. The approach has therefore been to identify new residential land use zonings to achieve this objective. In this regard, these residential zonings exceed the Core Strategy zoning requirement in order both to allow sufficient flexibility to allow residential sites to come forward and to retain pre-existing residential zonings on a phased basis in accordance with the Development Plan Guidelines. The site areas are set out in the table below. 39 There were no housing completions on zoned residential lands during the period 2018-2024.

8. Page 438

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   County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 (As Varied) 436 Section 2: Amendment of ZoChapter 18 Buncrana Area Plan Table 18.3: Greenfield Residential Zonings and Associated Site Area Site Ref Zoned as ‘New Residential Phase 1’ or ‘Opportunity Site’ (with Residential Potential) Site Area (ha) NR 1.1 New Residential Phase 1 2.84 NR 1.2 New Residential Phase 1 4.60 NR 1.3 New Residential Phase 1 0.92 NR 1.4 New Residential Phase 1 1.86 NR 1.5 New Residential Phase 1 1.03 NR 1.6 New Residential Phase 1 2.92 NR 1.7 New Residential Phase 1 1.56 NR 1.8 (formerly Site NR 2.16) New Residential Phase 1 6.04 NR 1.9 New Residential Phase 1 1.33 NR 1.10 New Residential Phase 1 0.59 NR 1.11 New Residential Phase 1 2.23 NR 1.11 Portion subject to Draft Ministerial Direction) New Residential Phase 1 1.19 (This site is the subject of Draft Ministerial Direction to part rezone the site i.e. the subject land reverts to not zoned from New Residential (Phase 1) - for more information refer to www.donegaldevplan.ie or consult.donegal.ie) NR 1.12 New Residential Phase 1 3.88 NR 1.13 New Residential Phase 1 1.47 NR 1.14 New Residential Phase 1 1.03 NR 1.15 New Residential Phase 1 1.86 NR 1.16 New Residential Phase 1 0.31 NR 1.17 New Residential Phase 1 0.48 NR 1.18 New Residential Phase 1 1.86 NR 1.19 New Residential Phase 1 0.60 NR 1.20 New Residential Phase 1 0.46 NR 1.21 New residential Phase 1 7.39 NR 1.22 New Residential Phase 1 0.79 NR 1.23 New Residential Phase 1 1.22 NR 1.24 New Residential Phase 1 0.25 NR 1.25 New Residential Phase 1 0.39 NR 1.26 New Residential Phase 1 0.63 NR 1.27 New Residential Phase 1 1.69 NR 1.28 New Residential Phase 1 1.96 NR 1.29 New Residential Phase 1 0.52 (Sites NR 1.12, 1.23, 1.24, 1.25, 1.27 and 1.28 are the subject of Draft Ministerial Direction to rezone so as to not to allow for New Residential Phase 1 - for more information refer to www.donegaldevplan.ie or consult.donegal.ie) Sub-total (Not including any lands whose removal is subject to the Draft Ministerial Direction) 42.69

9. Page 439

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   County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 (As Varied) 437 Section 2: Amendment of ZoChapter 18 Buncrana Area Plan Opp 2 Opportunity Site (50% Weighting) 2.26 Opp 3 Opportunity Site (50% Weighting) 0.59 Sub-total (As per weighted site area) 2.84 Total Greenfield Lands Zoned as ‘New Residential Phase 1’ or ‘Opportunity Site’ (With Residential Potential) 45.53 (This total does not include sites subject to Draft Ministerial Direction) Footnotes to accompany Table 18.1: Greenfield Residential Zonings and Associated Site Area 1. Site ref. NR 1.18 is part brownfield/part greenfield; area of brownfield excluded from identified site area. 2. Site refs. NR 1.16 and NR 1.26 omitted from the table as they are brownfield. Opp Site 4, SCS1A, SCS1B, TC1, TC2, TC3, TC4 and TC5 are brownfield Sites located within the Urban Core/Established Development Zonings and therefore are also not included in the above table . However, the housing yield from said sites has been accounted for in the potential yield from brownfield sites (176 units) detailed in Table 18.2 above. 3. Relevant site-specific policies allow for other potential uses on site Opp 2 (refer Policy BC-OPP-P- 2) and Opp 3 (refer Policy BC-OPP-3) and thus a 50% weighting has been applied. 4. The totals at the bottom of the table do not include any lands/sites whose removal is currently the subject of the Draft Ministerial Direction on the CDP 2024-2030 Please refer to Buncrana Area Plan Appendix A for Infrastructural Assessment prepared having regard to the provisions of the National Planning Framework and the Development Plan Guidelines) In addition to the identification of residential zonings, a range of site-specific housing policies were also formulated in order to: respond to local challenges and opportunities, ensure high quality properly serviced, well connected, residential development, provide important transport link and safeguard environmental amenities (See housing policies below and site-specific policies for Opp. Site 2 and 3). Approach taken in Review of Buncrana LAP as mandated (Development Plan Guidelines 2022): 1. Apply Core Strategy requirements – 14.4ha; 2. Due regard to adopting a sequential approach and prioritizing centrally located serviced lands; 3. Infrastructural assessment and scoring on all sites existing and proposed; 4. Avoid de-zoning serviced lands; 5. Adopt phasing approach where a surplus exists and where there is a sound planning rationale for doing so.

10. Page 440

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    County Donegal Development Plan 2024-2030 (As Varied) 438 Section 2: Amendment of ZoChapter 18 Buncrana Area Plan BC-H-P-1 (1.) a. Require that proposals for the development of Sites NR1.1, NR 1.2, 1.13, 1.19 and 1.23 are accompanied by a site-specific flood risk assessment, unless otherwise agreed with the Planning Authority; b. Require that proposed layouts for the development of all NR sites provide sufficiently for separate modes for walking and cycling including active travel permeability throughout and onwards beyond the sites; c. Require that layout proposals for the development of site NR1.4, NR 1.5, Nr 1.6, and 1.7 provide for vehicular, pedestrian and cycle connectivity to the public roads located within the vicinity of said sites with suitable provision of safe active travel along the entire northern and southern site frontages of NR 1.6, 1.7 and 1.27. (2.) Require that any proposed layout for the development of site NR1.6 and NR 1.7 incorporates: active travel (pedestrians and cycling) facilities westwards towards the town centre along the Hillhead Road, and eastwards to the existing footpath network; and the realignment of the public road to ensure safe site vehicular access and egress. (3.) Require that any proposed layout for the development of site NR1.15, 1.16 and 1.17: a. preserves the proposed Buncrana Inner Relief Road Corridor; b. provides for vehicular access to the site NR 1.15 from the Cockhill Road; and c. incorporates active travel facilities in all directions including to the future Inner Relief Road. (4.) Require that proposals for the development of site NR 1.18 and NR 2.16: a. preserves the proposed Buncrana Inner Relief Road and Outer Relief Road corridors; and b. provides for active travel (pedestrian and cycling) access from the site to: the established neighbourhood services in Cockhill to the north of the site; and the proposed Inishowen Greenway to the east. (5.) a. Require that developers of site NR1.13 shall engage with the Roads service of the Council in the relation to the provision of pedestrian footpaths and the realignment/reconfiguration of the junction with the Westbrook Road, including the achievement of the necessary vision lines. b. Design to provide for future pedestrian and cyclist permeability through lands to the south-west of the site connecting onto the Westbrook Road. c. Surface water management details shall be required to ensure that the risk of pluvial flooding is not increased as a result of the development. 18.8 Opportunity Sites The Opportunity Sites identified hereunder present a wide range of development opportunities by reason of their strategic location, scale, nature and/or current use. The text and associated policies below provide guidance as to the types of development that the Planning Authority would deem appropriate on each site. Ned’s Point (Opp Site 1): This scenic coastal site comprises a battery and ordnance ground with stone revetments, ditches and a low tower dating from 1812, a small pier, a deep-sea diving centre and RNLI lifeboat station and slipway within a small clearing in a wooded area on the shores of Lough Swilly. Part of the site is a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and a proposed Natural Heritage Area (pNHA). The Fort is historically and architecturally important (NIAH)

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