Castletownbere R572 Upgrade Appropriate Assessment Screening Report Cork County Council Project Number: 60535188 22 March 2019 Report to Inform Screening for Appropriate Assessment Castletownbere R-572 upgrade Quality information Prepared by Checked by Verified by Approved by Approved verbally Alison Donnelly Nick Dadds James Riley Robert Fennelly Graduate Ecologist Senior Ecologist Technical Director (Ecology) Principal Ecologist Revision History Revision Revision date Details Authorized Name Position 0 22 March 2019 Planning Issue Yes Robert Fennelly Principal Ecologist Distribution List # Hard Copies PDF Required Association / Company Name Report to Inform Screening for Appropriate Assessment Castletownbere R-572 upgrade Prepared for: Cork County Council Prepared by: Alison Donnelly Graduate Ecologist T: +353-(0)1-238-3181 E: [email protected] AECOM Ireland Limited 4th Floor Adelphi Plaza Georges Street Upper Dun Laoghaire Co. Dublin A96 T927 Ireland T: +353 1 238 3100 aecom.com © 2019 AECOM Ireland Limited. All Rights Reserved. This document has been prepared by AECOM Ireland Limited (“AECOM”) for sole use of our client (the “Client”) in accordance with generally accepted consultancy principles, the budget for fees and the terms of reference agreed between AECOM and the Client. Any information provided by third parties and referred to herein has not been checked or verified by AECOM, unless otherwise expressly stated in the document. No third party may rely upon this document without the prior and express written agreement of AECOM. Report to Inform Screening for Appropriate Assessment Castletownbere R-572 upgrade Table of Contents 1. Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Overview of Proposed Development and Site ............................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Legal and Planning Context ................................................................................................................................................. 1 1.2.1 Appropriate Assessment ....................................................................................................................................................... 1 1.3 European Sites .......................................................................................................................................................................... 1 2. Project Description ............................................................................................................................................................. 3 2.1 Summary of the proposed project.................................................................................................................................... 3 2.2 Construction Programme ..................................................................................................................................................... 3 2.3 Lighting ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 3 2.4 Surface Water Management ............................................................................................................................................... 3 2.4.1 Existing ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 3 2.4.2 Proposed ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 3 3. Methodology ........................................................................................................................................................................ 4 3.1 European Guidance ................................................................................................................................................................. 4 3.2 National Guidance .................................................................................................................................................................... 4 3.3 Desktop Study ........................................................................................................................................................................... 4 3.4 Field Surveys .............................................................................................................................................................................. 5 3.5 Steps in Screening .................................................................................................................................................................. 5 3.5.1 Links with European Sites .................................................................................................................................................... 5 3.5.2 Zones of Influence and Proximity to Identify Relevant Sites ................................................................................ 6 3.6 The Precautionary Principle ...............................................................................................................................................10 4. Baseline Description ........................................................................................................................................................ 11 4.1 Overview of Proposed Development Site....................................................................................................................11 4.2 European Sites ........................................................................................................................................................................11 4.3 Habitats ......................................................................................................................................................................................13 4.3.1 Terrestrial Habitats and Invasive Species ...................................................................................................................13 4.3.2 Aquatic Habitats .....................................................................................................................................................................13 4.4 Mobile Species........................................................................................................................................................................14 4.4.1 Qualifying Interest Otter ......................................................................................................................................................14 4.4.2 Qualifying Interest Lesser Horseshoe Bat ..................................................................................................................14 4.4.3 Special Conservation Interest Birds ..............................................................................................................................14 4.4.4 Qualifying Interest Invertebrates .....................................................................................................................................15 5. Screening Assessment .................................................................................................................................................... 16 5.1 Management of European Sites ......................................................................................................................................16 5.2 Summary of Information Required ..................................................................................................................................16 5.3 Assessment of Source-Pathway-Receptor Links ....................................................................................................17 5.3.1 Noise, Vibration, Lighting and Human Presence .....................................................................................................17 5.3.2 Pollution from Surface Water Runoff .............................................................................................................................17 5.3.3 Disturbance/Spread of Invasive Species ....................................................................................................................17 5.3.4 Changes of Yield or Quality of Groundwater Associated with Earthworks during Construction .........18 5.3.5 Summary Findings ................................................................................................................................................................18 5.4 In-combination Effects ........................................................................................................................................................18 5.4.1 Introduction ...............................................................................................................................................................................18 5.4.2 Planning Application Search .............................................................................................................................................18 5.4.3 Plans ............................................................................................................................................................................................20