ECOLOGICAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT FOR STRATEGIC HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AT BRICKFIELD DRIVE, CRUMLIN, DUBLIN 12 April 2021 ON BEHALF OF Durkan (Brickfield Drive) Ltd. Prepared by Enviroguide Consulting Dublin Kerry www.enviroguide.ie 3D Core C, Block 71, The Plaza, 19 Henry Street [email protected] Park West, Dublin 12 Kenmare, Co. Kerry April+353 2021 1 565 4730 Page i Enviroguide Consulting Strategic Housing Development Ecological Impact Assessment Report Brickfield Drive, Crumlin, Dublin 12 DOCUMENT CONTROL SHEET Client Durkan (Brickfield Drive) Ltd. Project Title Strategic Housing Development Document Title Ecological Impact Assessment Report Revision Status Author(s) Reviewed Approved Issue Date Draft for Siobhan Atkinson Jim Dowdall 1.0 internal - - Ecologist Director Review Draft for Siobhan Atkinson Jim Dowdall Jim Dowdall 2.0 21/08/2020 Client Ecologist Director Director Draft for Siobhan Atkinson Liam Gaffney Colin Lennon 3.0 27/08/2020 Client Ecologist Ecologist Technical Director Siobhan Atkinson Jim Dowdall Jim Dowdall 4.0 Final 03/09/2020 Ecologist Director Director Draft for Siobhan Atkinson Jim Dowdall 5.0 internal - - Ecologist Director Review Draft for Siobhan Atkinson Jim Dowdall Jim Dowdall 6.0 26/03/2021 Client Ecologist Director Director Siobhan Atkinson Jim Dowdall Jim Dowdall 7.0 Final 21.04.2021 Ecologist Director Director April 2021 Page i Enviroguide Consulting Strategic Housing Development Ecological Impact Assessment Report Brickfield Drive, Crumlin, Dublin 12 TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ...............................................................................................................................................III LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................................................. IV 1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 QUALITY ASSURANCE AND COMPETENCE ......................................................................................................... 1 2 RELEVANT LEGISLATION .......................................................................................................................... 3 2.1 NATIONAL LEGISLATION............................................................................................................................... 3 2.1.1 Wildlife Act 1976 and amendments .................................................................................................. 3 2.1.2 EU Habitats Directive 1992 and EC (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011 ........................ 3 2.1.3 Flora (Protection) Order, 2015 .......................................................................................................... 4 2.2 INTERNATIONAL LEGISLATION ....................................................................................................................... 4 2.3.1 EU Birds Directive .............................................................................................................................. 4 2.3.2 EU Habitats Directive ........................................................................................................................ 4 2.3.3 Water Framework Directive .............................................................................................................. 4 2.3.4 Bern and Bonn Convention ............................................................................................................... 4 2.3.5 Ramsar Convention ........................................................................................................................... 5 3 METHODOLOGY ...................................................................................................................................... 6 3.1 SCOPE OF ASSESSMENT ............................................................................................................................... 6 3.2 DESK STUDY .............................................................................................................................................. 6 3.3 FIELD SURVEYS ........................................................................................................................................... 7 3.3.1 Bird Surveys ....................................................................................................................................... 7 3.3.2 Bat Surveys........................................................................................................................................ 7 3.3.3 Habitat Surveys ................................................................................................................................. 7 3.3.4 Invasive Species Surveys ................................................................................................................... 7 3.4 CONSULTATION ......................................................................................................................................... 7 3.5 ASSESSMENT ............................................................................................................................................. 7 3.6 LIMITATIONS ............................................................................................................................................. 8 4 BASELINE ECOLOGICAL CONDITIONS ....................................................................................................... 9 4.1 SITE OVERVIEW ......................................................................................................................................... 9 4.1.1 Surface Water ................................................................................................................................... 9 4.1.2 Geology and Hydrogeology ............................................................................................................... 9 4.2 DESIGNATED SITES ................................................................................................................................... 10 4.3 HABITATS ............................................................................................................................................... 15 4.4 SPECIES AND SPECIES GROUPS ..................................................................................................................... 19 4.4.1 Flora ................................................................................................................................................ 19 4.4.2 Mammals (excl. bats) ...................................................................................................................... 23 4.4.3 Bats ................................................................................................................................................. 25 4.4.4 Birds ................................................................................................................................................ 27 4.4.5 Fish .................................................................................................................................................. 28 4.4.6 Amphibians ..................................................................................................................................... 30 4.4.7 Invertebrates ................................................................................................................................... 30 4.4.8 Other species and species groups ................................................................................................... 31 4.4.9 Designated sites, habitat and species evaluation ........................................................................... 31 5 DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT .................................................................................. 34 April 2021 Page ii Enviroguide Consulting Strategic Housing Development Ecological Impact Assessment Report Brickfield Drive, Crumlin, Dublin 12 5.1 LOCATION ............................................................................................................................................... 34 5.2 DESCRIPTION OF DEVELOPMENT ................................................................................................................. 34 5.3 LANDSCAPE SPECIFICATIONS ....................................................................................................................... 37 5.3.1 Existing trees ................................................................................................................................... 37 6 POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT ...................................................................... 41 6.1 IMPACTS ON WATERBODIES ........................................................................................................................ 41 6.1.1 Surface water .................................................................................................................................. 41 6.1.2 Foul water from Ringsend WwTP ................................................................................................... 41 6.2 IMPACTS ON HABITATS AND FLORA............................................................................................................... 41 6.3 IMPACTS ON FAUNA .................................................................................................................................