SEA OF EDENDERRY LOCAL AREA PLAN 2017-2023 ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT EDENDERRY LOCAL AREA PLAN 2017-2023 Strategic Environmental Assessment Environmental Report CLIENT Offaly County Council DATE September 2017 BRADY SHIPMAN MARTIN | P a g e SEA OF EDENDERRY LOCAL AREA PLAN 2017-2023 ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT Contents Amendment Record This report has been issued and amended as follows: Issue Revision Description Date Prepared Checked by by 01 00 RP-ER-01 18-04-2017 LO’G TB BRADY SHIPMAN MARTIN i | P a g e SEA OF EDENDERRY LOCAL AREA PLAN 2017-2023 ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT Contents 1.0 Non-Technical Summary ...................................................................................................... 8 1.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 8 1.2 Steps in the SEA Process ...................................................................................................... 8 1.3 Content of Environmental Report ....................................................................................... 9 1.4 Policy Context .................................................................................................................... 11 1.5 Screening for Appropriate Assessment ............................................................................. 11 1.6 Strategic Environmental Objectives, Targets and Indicators ........................................... 11 1.7 Alternative Plan Scenarios ................................................................................................. 12 1.8 Evaluation of Edenderry LAP (Policies and Objectives) .................................................... 13 1.9 Mitigation Measures.......................................................................................................... 14 1.10 Local Area Plan Monitoring ............................................................................................... 15 1.11 Sources ............................................................................................................................... 15 2.0 Introduction & Background ............................................................................................... 16 2.1 Introduction to Environmental Report ............................................................................. 16 2.2 Strategic Environmental Assessment ................................................................................ 16 2.3 The Edenderry Local Area Plan 2017-2023 ....................................................................... 17 2.4 Relationships with other relevant Plans and Programmes .............................................. 18 2.5 Implications for the Edenderry LAP .................................................................................. 19 3.0 Methodology ...................................................................................................................... 20 3.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 20 3.2 SEA Screening ..................................................................................................................... 21 3.3 Scoping ............................................................................................................................... 21 3.4 Environmental Report ....................................................................................................... 22 3.5 SEA Statement ................................................................................................................... 25 3.6 Appropriate Assessment (AA) ........................................................................................... 25 3.7 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) ........................................................................... 25 4.0 Review of Relevant Policies, Plans and Programmes ....................................................... 26 4.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 26 4.2 European and National Legislation & Policy ..................................................................... 26 BRADY SHIPMAN MARTIN 2 | P a g e SEA OF EDENDERRY LOCAL AREA PLAN 2017-2023 ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT 5 Baseline Environment of Edenderry LAP ........................................................................... 39 5.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 39 5.2 Biodiversity and Flora & Fauna ......................................................................................... 39 5.3 Population & Human Health ............................................................................................. 44 5.4 Soil and Geology ................................................................................................................ 46 5.5 Water .................................................................................................................................. 48 5.9 Landscape ........................................................................................................................... 60 5.10 Interactions ........................................................................................................................ 62 6 Strategic Environmental Objectives .................................................................................. 64 6.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 64 7 Description of Alternatives ............................................................................................... 66 7.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 66 7.2 Legislative Context ............................................................................................................. 66 7.3 Methodology for the Selection of Alternatives ................................................................ 66 7.4 Description of Proposed Alternatives ............................................................................... 67 7.5 Evaluation of Alternatives ................................................................................................. 70 7.6 Outcome of Alternatives Assessment ............................................................................... 70 8 Strategic Environmental Assessment of Edenderry LAP .................................................. 73 8.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 73 9 Mitigation Measures ........................................................................................................ 108 9.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 108 9.2 Mitigation Measures........................................................................................................ 108 10 Monitoring Programme ................................................................................................... 116 10.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 116 10.2 Monitoring Indicators ...................................................................................................... 116 10.3 Sources ............................................................................................................................. 116 11 CONCLUSION .................................................................................................................... 123 BRADY SHIPMAN MARTIN 3 | P a g e SEA OF EDENDERRY LOCAL AREA PLAN 2017-2023 ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT GLOSSARY Appropriate An assessment of the effects of a plan or project on the Natura 2000 Assessment network. The Natura 2000 network comprises Special Protection Areas under the Birds Directive, Special Areas of Conservation under the Habitats Directive and Ramsar sites designated under the Ramsar Convention (collectively referred to as European sites). Baseline environment: A description of the present state of the environment of the P/P area. Birds Directive: Council Directive of 2nd April 1979 on the conservation of wild birds (79/409/EEC). Cumulative effects: Effects on the environment that result from incremental changes caused by the strategic action together with other past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions. These effects can result from individually minor but collectively significant actions taking place over time or space. Data: Includes environmental data, proxy data, and any other relevant statistical data. Designated authority An organisation that must be consulted in accordance with the SEA Regulations. For Ireland these are the Environmental Protection Agency (Designated (EPA), the Department of the Environment, Community and Local environmental Government (DoECLG) and the Department of Agriculture, Food & the authority): Marine (DoAFM). Environmental The preparation of an environmental report, the carrying out of Assessment: consultations, the taking into account of the environmental report and the results of the consultations in decision-making and the provision of