Meath County Development Plan 2013–2019 Volume 4 Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) & Natura Impact Report 2 BRADY SHIPMAN MARTIN • MEATH COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2013–2019 Contents Amendment Record This report has been issued and amended as follows: Issue Revision Description Date Prepared by Checked by 01 00 Adopted Plan Stage 22/01/2013 JK TB BRADY SHIPMAN MARTIN • MEATH COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2013–2019 3 Table of Contents Section 1 Introduction and Background 5 1.1 Purpose of SEA Statement 5 1.2 Legislative Context 5 1.3 SEA Process 6 Section 2 Integration of Environmental Considerations into the Plan 8 2.1 Purpose of SEA Statement 8 2.2 Scoping 9 2.3 Environmental Baseline Data 10 2.4 Pre-draft ‘Work-in-Progress’ Plan Stage 14 2.5 Environmental Report 14 2.6 Mitigation 16 2.7 Consideration of Alternatives 17 Section 3 Submissions and Observations 18 3.1 Introduction 18 3.2 Public Consultation Pre-draft Stage: 2nd March to 29th April 2011 18 3.3 SEA Scoping Consultations: February 2012 19 3.4 Elected Members Consultation Pre-draft WIP Plan Stage: April 2012 19 3.5 Public Consultation Draft Stage: 25th May to 3rd August 2012 20 3.6 Public Consultation Amendments Stage: 12th October to 8th November 2012 21 Section 4 Consideration of Alternatives 26 4.1 Introduction 26 4.2 Alternatives Plan Scenarios 26 4.2.1 Alternative Plan Scenario 1 27 4.2.2 Alternative Plan Scenario 2 27 4.2.3 Alternative Plan Scenario 3 28 4.3 Assessment of Alternative Plan Scenarios 28 Section 5 Monitoring 30 5.1 Introduction 30 5.2 Monitoring Indicators 30 Section 6 Mapping 34 6.1 Introduction 34 4 BRADY SHIPMAN MARTIN • MEATH COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2013–2019 S EA STATEMENT 1 Introduction and Background 1.1 Purpose of SEA Statement This document is the Strategic Environmental The SEA process thereby assists in and Assessment (SEA) Statement for the Meath improves the quality of the plan making process County Development Plan 2013-2019. by: The main purpose of the SEA Statement is to L Facilitating the identification and appraisal provide information on the decision-making of alternative plan strategies; process and to document how environmental L Raising awareness of the environmental considerations, the views of statutory impacts of the plan’s implementation; and consultees and other submissions received L Encouraging the inclusion of measurable during the consultation phases have been taken targets and indicators to aid monitoring. into account in the adopted Plan, together with the arrangements put in place for monitoring, thereby bringing more transparency to the decision-making process. 1.2 Legislative Context The requirement to carry out Strategic Regulations 2011 and S.I. No. 201 of Environment Assessment stems from the 2011 Planning and Development (Strategic Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment Environmental Assessment) (Amendment) Directive (2001/42/EC). The objective of SEA Regulations 2011, respectively. is to provide for a high level of protection of the environment and to contribute to the Section 13(I) (1) of S.I. 436 of 2004 sets out the integration of environmental considerations requirements of the SEA Statement as follows: into the preparation and adoption of plans and programmes with a view to promoting L how environmental considerations have sustainable development throughout the been integrated into the plan, member states of the EU. L how the following has been taken into account during the preparation of the plan: The Directive has been introduced into Irish • the environmental report; Law through the: • submissions and observations made on the Draft Plan and Environmental L European Communities (Environmental Report; and Assessment of Certain Plans and • consultations with other Member Programmes) Regulations 2004, S.I. No. States (if any). 435 of 2004, European Communities L the reasons for choosing the plan, (Environmental Assessment of Certain as adopted, in the light of the other Plans and Programmes) Regulations 2004, reasonable alternatives dealt with, and and L the measures decided upon to monitor L Planning and Development (Strategic the significant environmental effects of Environmental Assessment) Regulations implementation of the plan. 2004, S.I. 436 of 2004, as amended by S.I. No. 200 of 2011 European Communities The SEA has also been informed by guidance (Environmental Assessment of Certain issued by statutory authorities, namely Plans and Programmes) (Amendment) BRADY SHIPMAN MARTIN • MEATH COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2013–2019 5 S EA STATEMENT L Development of Strategic of Certain Plans and Programmes on Environmental Assessment (SEA) the Environment – Guidelines for Local Methodologies for Plans and Authorities and Planning Authorities Programmes in Ireland – Synthesis (Department of the Environment, Heritage Report (Environmental Protection Agency, and Local Government, 2004), and 2003), L SEA Pack (Updated August 2012) L Implementation of SEA Directive (Environmental Protection Agency, 2012) 92001/42/EC): Assessment of the Effects 1.3 SEA Process The Meath County Development Plan 2013- preparing the Development Plan, SEA and 2019 required Strategic Environmental Appropriate Assessment (AA) should be Assessment, in accordance with the legislation integrated and prepared in an iterative manner. as outlined above. An Environmental Report The Environmental Report (ER) outlines the prepared to accompany the Draft Meath how the SEA process was carried out in County Development Plan was submitted tandem with the preparation of the Meath for consideration together with the Draft County Development Plan 2013–2019 and Plan. The Environmental Report provides its accompanying AA. The SEA process, an understanding of the consequences for which included Strategic Review meetings the environment of carrying out the Plan as and SEA/AA/Development Plan workshops, proposed. ensured that the Plan was informed by environmental considerations from the outset. Submissions on the Draft Plan and The SEA Team were fully involved in the Environmental Report were evaluated at each analysis of development options and were in stage in the process of making the Plan. This a position to make suggestions throughout enabled the proper assessment of the effect the process of the Plan preparation to ensure on the environment of proposed changes that environmental considerations and and amendments. The Elected Members of environmental effects were considered in the Meath County Council are obliged to take the formulation of strategic goals and development Environmental Report into account in making objectives. the Development Plan. Table 1.1 provides a summary of the integrated The legislation and guidelines governing the nature of the Development Plan Review and SEA process state that the processes of SEA process. 6 BRADY SHIPMAN MARTIN • MEATH COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2013–2019 S EA STATEMENT Table 1.1 Meath County Development Plan: Integrated Development Plan and SEA Process BRADY SHIPMAN MARTIN • MEATH COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2013–2019 7 S EA STATEMENT 2 Integration of Environmental Considerations into the Plan 2.1 Purpose of SEA Statement Environmental considerations were integrated diverted away from the most sensitive areas into the Development Plan making process at or that appropriate mitigation measures were all stages. integrated into the Plan as it was prepared. This initially comprised detailing of the As the Plan developed, environmental baseline situation and identification and considerations were directly considered at a mapping of environmental constraints and number of stages in the SEA process as set out sensitivities so as to ensure that the strategy in Table 2.1. for the development of the county was either Table 2.1 Key Stages of SEA Stage Description Screening The screening process is the first stage of the Strategic Environmental Assessment. Screening assesses the requirement to undertake a Strategic Environmental Assessment. Under the Planning and Development Act 2000-2011 full Strategic Environmental Assessment is mandatory for the Meath County Development Plan 2013-2019. Scoping Scoping of the Meath County Development Plan 2013-2019 was carried out in accordance with Article 5 (4) of the SEA Directive (2001/42/EC). The principal purpose of the Scoping Stage is to decide upon the range of issues and level of detail to be included in the Environmental Report. An overview of the relevant environmental issues requiring further analysis is provided for consideration in the Environmental Report and ultimately in the Development Plan itself. In highlighting some of the significant issues at an early stage, the scoping process ensures that the issues are firmly to the forefront when considering each of the policies and objectives of the Plan and reduces the possibility of relevant issues not being addressed. Scoping Consultation Submissions were received from the Department of Arts, Heritage with Environmental and the Gaeltacht, Environmental Protection Agency and Louth Authorities County Council. Scoping Report Submissions received from Environmental Authorities were reviewed and incorporated into the process as appropriate. 8 BRADY SHIPMAN MARTIN • MEATH COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2013–2019 S EA STATEMENT Stage Description Preparation of ER & L A multi-disciplinary team was established to create policy Draft Meath County consistent documents and to examine the effects on the Development Plan 2013- environment of implementing the objectives and policies. 2019 L Objectives created in Development Plan were assessed