Draft Seven Strategic Towns Local Area Plan 2018-2024 . An Clochán Liath (Dungloe) . Ballybofey-Stranorlar . Ballyshannon . Bridgend . Carndonagh . Donegal Town . Killybegs Environmental Report November 2017 Draft Seven Strategic Towns Local Area Plan 2018-2024 Environmental Report TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 NON TECHNICAL SUMMARY .................................................................................................. 1 1.2 STATUTORY CONTEXT ......................................................................................................... 8 1.3 CONSULTATION ................................................................................................................. 8 1.4 CHECKLIST OF CONTENTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT ........................................................... 9 1.5 PLANNING CONTEXT ........................................................................................................... 9 1.6 METHODOLOGY................................................................................................................ 34 2 Consultations ......................................................................................................................... 39 3 Appropriate Assessment (Natura Impact Report) ......................................................... 42 4 Alternative Approaches to the Plan .................................................................................. 44 5 Current State of the Environment ..................................................................................... 46 5.1 BIODIVERSITY, FLORA AND FAUNA ...................................................................................... 48 5.1.1 Natura 2000 Sites ........................................................................................... 48 5.1.2 Natural Heritage Areas ................................................................................... 62 5.2 DESIGNATED SHELLFISH WATERS ....................................................................................... 69 5.3 FRESHWATER PEARL MUSSEL ............................................................................................. 73 5.4 RAMSAR SITES ................................................................................................................ 78 5.5 ECOLOGICAL NETWORKS ................................................................................................... 81 5.6 STATUTORY NATURE RESERVES .......................................................................................... 82 5.7 INVASIVE SPECIES ............................................................................................................ 83 5.8 POPULATION ................................................................................................................... 85 5.8.1 Population Trends .......................................................................................... 85 5.8.2 Population Projections .................................................................................... 87 5.9 HUMAN HEALTH ............................................................................................................... 89 5.10 SOIL AND GEOLOGY.......................................................................................................... 91 5.11 LAND COVER ................................................................................................................... 99 5.12 WATER ......................................................................................................................... 100 5.12.1 River Basin Districts and Water Bodies ......................................................... 100 5.12.2 Water Environment in the Plan area............................................................. 107 5.12.3 Ground Water Status .................................................................................... 108 5.12.4 Surface Water Status .................................................................................... 110 5.13 WASTEWATER ............................................................................................................... 116 5.14 WASTEWATER TREATMENT .............................................................................................. 119 5.15 WASTE WATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS SERVING SINGLE HOUSES ........................................... 122 5.16 DRINKING WATER .......................................................................................................... 126 5.16.1 Public Water Supplies ................................................................................... 126 i Draft Seven Strategic Towns Local Area Plan 2018-2024 Environmental Report 5.16.2 Public Water Supplies – Recommendations .................................................. 129 5.16.3 Private Water Supplies .................................................................................. 131 5.16.4 Private Water Supplies – Recommendations ................................................ 132 5.17 BATHING WATER QUALITY .............................................................................................. 134 5.17.1 Blue Flag Beaches ......................................................................................... 135 5.17.2 Green Coast Awards ..................................................................................... 137 5.18 CLIMATE CHANGE AND AIR QUALITY ................................................................................. 138 5.19 MARINE AND COSTAL MANAGEMENT ................................................................................. 142 5.20 MATERIAL ASSETS .......................................................................................................... 144 5.21 CULTURAL, ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE ............................................. 144 5.22 LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACTS ..................................................................................... 147 5.22.1 Landscape Character Assessment ................................................................ 147 5.22.2 Visual Impact ................................................................................................ 149 5.23 INTER-RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ENVIRONMENTAL TOPICS .................................................... 152 6 Significant Environmental Pressures .............................................................................. 153 6.1 BIODIVERSITY, FLORA AND FAUNA .................................................................................... 155 6.2 POPULATION AND HUMAN HEALTH .................................................................................... 158 6.3 SOIL ............................................................................................................................ 159 6.4 WATER ......................................................................................................................... 159 6.5 CLIMATE CHANGE AND AIR QUALITY ................................................................................. 163 6.6 MARINE AND COASTAL RESOURCE .................................................................................... 163 6.7 MATERIAL ASSETS .......................................................................................................... 164 6.8 CULTURAL, ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE ............................................. 164 6.9 LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACTS ..................................................................................... 164 6.10 INTER-COUNTY AND TRANSBOUNDARY ISSUES.................................................................... 164 6.11 SUMMARY OF MAIN ENVIRONMENTAL PRESSURES IN THE PLAN AREA ...................................... 165 7 Flood Risk ............................................................................................................................. 167 7.1 BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................ 167 7.2 LEGISLATION AND GUIDANCE ........................................................................................... 167 7.3 STRATEGIC AND POLICY FRAMEWORK WITHIN THE LOCAL AREA PLAN .................................... 168 7.4 LIKELY ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF FLOOD RELATED POLICIES AND OBJECTIVES OF THE PLAN 171 8 Likely Evolution of the Environment in the Absence of the Implementation of the Local Area Plan .................................................................................................................... 172 8.1 MONITORING, ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES, INDICATORS AND TARGETS ............................... 173 8.2 ASSESSMENT OF OBJECTIVES, POLICIES AND SETTLEMENT FRAMEWORKS ............................... 177 8.3 CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................. 178 9 Mitigation Measures and Incorporating Environmental Issues into the Draft Plan237 ii Draft Seven Strategic Towns Local Area Plan 2018-2024 Environmental Report LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1.1: Local Area Plan linkages with other Plans ....................................................................... 10 Figure1.2: Vulnerability Mapping within the Town Boundaries and a 15km buffer............................ 38 Figure 3.1: The 4 stages in the Appropriate Assessment ..................................................................