Inspector’s Report ABP301908-18 / ABP302039-18. Development Greater Dublin Drainage Project incorporating a Regional Biosolids Storage Facility. Location Dublin City and Dublin County. Applicant Irish Water Planning Authorities Fingal County Council and Dublin City Council. Prescribed Bodies 10 prescribed bodies - Listed in Appendix Observers to Planning Application 152 observations - Listed in Appendix Objectors to CPO 14 objectors - Listed in Appendix Types of Applications Application under the provisions of S37 of the Planning and Development Act and Compulsory Purchase of Lands under the Housing Act 1966.. ABP301908-18 / ABP302039-18 Inspector’s Report Page 1 of 399 Dates of Site Inspections 8th August 2018, 3rd September 2018, 7th September 2018, 6th March 2019, 9th March 2019, 15th March 2019, 24th March 2019 . Inspector Mairead Kenny. ABP301908-18 / ABP302039-18 Inspector’s Report Page 2 of 399 Contents 1.0 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 6 2.0 Site Location and Description .............................................................................. 8 3.0 Proposed Development ..................................................................................... 12 Overview ..................................................................................................... 12 Regional Biosolids Storage Facility ............................................................. 13 Orbital pipeline route - Blanchardstown to N2 (Ch 0,000-CH 5,500) ........... 15 Orbital Pipeline Route - N2 to M1 (Ch 5,500 to 12,600) .............................. 16 Orbital / Outfall pipelines - M1 to Marine Diffuser (Ch 12,700 / Ch 5,935) .. 17 Abbotstown Pumping Station ...................................................................... 18 Wastewater Treatment Plant and Sludge Hub Centre ................................ 19 4.0 Written Submissions .......................................................................................... 20 Local Authorities .......................................................................................... 20 Prescribed bodies ....................................................................................... 23 Observers’ Written Submissions ................................................................. 27 5.0 Oral Hearing ...................................................................................................... 32 Overview ..................................................................................................... 32 Main Irish Water submissions ..................................................................... 32 Local authorities and prescribed bodies ...................................................... 33 Observers’ submissions .............................................................................. 34 6.0 Planning History ................................................................................................. 35 7.0 Relevant legislative and Policy Context ............................................................. 39 Selected Legal Provisions ........................................................................... 39 Project 2040 and related ............................................................................. 41 Irish Water Publications .............................................................................. 43 ABP301908-18 / ABP302039-18 Inspector’s Report Page 3 of 399 Regional Policy ........................................................................................... 43 Development Plans ..................................................................................... 45 Natural Heritage Designations .................................................................... 50 8.0 Planning Assessment ........................................................................................ 51 Introduction ................................................................................................. 51 Planning Policy ............................................................................................ 51 Need and Alternatives ................................................................................. 60 Marine Water Quality .................................................................................. 71 Air and Odour .............................................................................................. 94 Cultural heritage, Landscape and Visual impacts and Tourism................. 115 Roads, traffic and infrastructure ................................................................ 128 Flood risk................................................................................................... 142 Community Benefits Scheme, Contributions and other matters ................ 148 Conclusion ............................................................................................. 152 9.0 Environmental Impact Assessment .................................................................. 154 Introduction ............................................................................................... 154 Compliance with Legislation ...................................................................... 155 Public participation .................................................................................... 157 Description of the Proposed Project .......................................................... 158 Alternatives ............................................................................................... 159 Conclusion on EIAR Compliance with Legislation ..................................... 160 Likely Significant Effects on the Environment ........................................... 161 Vulnerability of projects to major accidents and/or natural disasters ......... 226 Reasoned Conclusion on the Significant Effects ....................................... 231 10.0 Appropriate Assessment ........................................................................... 234 ABP301908-18 / ABP302039-18 Inspector’s Report Page 4 of 399 Introduction ............................................................................................ 234 STAGE 1 - Screening ............................................................................ 237 Conservation Objectives - Table. ........................................................... 238 STAGE 2 – Appropriate Assessment ..................................................... 252 11.0 Compulsory Purchase Order ..................................................................... 289 Overview ................................................................................................ 289 Purpose of CPO ..................................................................................... 290 Application Submission .......................................................................... 290 Format of CPO and Schedule ................................................................ 291 Objections and responses ..................................................................... 292 Amendments .......................................................................................... 305 Oral Hearing .......................................................................................... 305 Assessment ........................................................................................... 310 12.0 Recommendation ...................................................................................... 322 13.0 Appendix ................................................................................................... 342 List of prescribed bodies and observers ................................................ 342 Planning Application - Written Submissions ........................................... 349 Planning Application – Oral Hearing ...................................................... 370 CPO – Written Submissions .................................................................. 397 CPO - Oral Hearing Statements............................................................. 397 ABP301908-18 / ABP302039-18 Inspector’s Report Page 5 of 399 1.0 Introduction This report considers the planning application and compulsory purchase application related to the application for consent to develop the Greater Dublin Drainage (GDD) Project and Regional Biosolids Storage Facility (RBSF) comprising: • A 500,000 PE wastewater treatment plant (WwTP) and Sludge Hub Centre (SHC) • A 13.7km orbital sewer from Blanchardstown to the WwTP • An Odour Control Unit (OCU) at the interface between the rising main and the gravity sewer elements at Dubber • A North Fringe Sewer (NFS) diversion to the proposed WwTP • Abbotstown pumping station (APS) in grounds of National Sports Campus (NSC) • A 11.3km outfall sewer including land and marine sections terminating at point 1km north-east of Ireland’s Eye • Ancillary infrastructure including access roads and landscaping • A Regional Biosolids Storage Facility at an 11.4 hectare site at Newtown, Dublin 11. • A proposal for UV treatment introduced at the oral hearing. Apart from the RBSF the project is generally described as the GDD project. Drawing 32102902-2000 provides an overview. The majority of the development falls under the jurisdiction of Fingal County Council. The site access road to the WwTP site and the NFS fall within the area of jurisdiction of Dublin City Council. An application for expansion and upgrade of the Ringsend