Draft Regional Spatial & Economic Strategy Natura Impact Report for the Southern Region Programme mark (Used for endorsement) Programme with explicit government text Tionscadal Éireann Rialtas na Tionscadal Éireann Project Ireland hÉireann Project Ireland Government 2040 of Ireland 2040 Tionscadal Éireann Rialtas na Tionscadal Éireann Project Ireland hÉireann Project Ireland Government 2040 of Ireland 2040 Tionscadal Éireann Rialtas na Tionscadal Éireann Project Ireland hÉireann Project Ireland Government 2040 of Ireland 2040 Tionscadal Éireann Rialtas na Tionscadal Éireann Project Ireland hÉireann Project Ireland Government 2040 of Ireland 2040 Southern Region RSES ‐ NIR TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 SCOPE OF THE NIR .......................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 APPROACH TO NATURA IMPACT REPORT PREPARATION ........................................................................ 2 1.3 LEGISLATIVE CONTEXT FOR APPROPRIATE ASSESSMENT ......................................................................... 2 2 ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................... 4 2.1 GUIDANCE DOCUMENTS ON AA ........................................................................................................ 4 2.2 GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND CASE LAW ................................................................................................. 5 2.3 PURPOSE OF THE AA PROCESS ......................................................................................................... 5 2.4 STAGES OF APPROPRIATE ASSESSMENT .............................................................................................. 5 2.5 INFORMATION SOURCES CONSULTED ................................................................................................. 7 2.6 IMPACT PREDICTION ....................................................................................................................... 8 2.7 CONSULTATION .............................................................................................................................. 8 3 SOUTHERN REGION RSES .................................................................................................. 10 3.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................ 10 3.2 STRATEGIC VISION FOR THE SOUTHERN REGION ................................................................................. 10 3.3 KEY ASPECTS OF THE DRAFT SR RSES .............................................................................................. 10 4 OVERVIEW OF THE RECEIVING ENVIRONMENT ................................................................. 13 4.1 IDENTIFICATION OF EUROPEAN SITES ............................................................................................... 13 4.2 CONSERVATION OBJECTIVES ........................................................................................................... 15 4.3 CONSERVATION STATUS OF EU PROTECTED HABITATS AND SPECIES ...................................................... 18 4.4 EXISTING THREATS AND PRESSURES TO EU PROTECTED HABITATS / SPECIES ........................................... 19 5 STAGE 1 SCREENING FOR AA ............................................................................................. 21 5.1 POTENTIAL FOR LIKELY SIGNIFICANT EFFECTS ..................................................................................... 21 5.2 SCREENING FOR APPROPRIATE ASSESSMENT CONCLUSION................................................................... 21 6 STAGE 2 APPROPRIATE ASSESSMENT OF THE DRAFT RSES ................................................ 22 6.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................ 22 6.2 ASPECTS OF THE RSES TO BE ASSESSED ............................................................................................ 22 6.3 APPROACH TO ASSESSMENT ........................................................................................................... 23 6.4 IMPACT PREDICTION ..................................................................................................................... 23 7 ASSESSMENT OF EFFECTS OF DRAFT RSES ......................................................................... 30 7.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................ 30 MDR1402Rp0012F01 i Southern Region RSES ‐ NIR 7.2 INTRODUCTION (CHAPTER 1 OF RSES) ............................................................................................. 43 7.3 STRATEGIC VISION (CHAPTER 2 OF RSES) ......................................................................................... 44 7.4 PEOPLE & PLACES (CHAPTER 3 OF RSES) ......................................................................................... 47 7.5 A STRONG ECONOMY – INNOVATIVE & SMART (CHAPTER 4 OF RSES) ................................................ 78 7.6 ENVIRONMENT – CREATING A CLEAN ENVIRONMENT FOR A HEALTHY SOCIETY (CHAPTER 5 OF RSES) ........ 88 7.7 CONNECTIVITY (CHAPTER 6 OF RSES) .............................................................................................. 95 7.8 QUALITY OF LIFE (CHAPTER 7 OF RSES) ......................................................................................... 120 7.9 WATER & ENERGY UTILITIES (CHAPTER 8 OF RSES) ......................................................................... 124 7.10 IMPLEMENTATION, MONITORING AND EVALUATION (CHAPTER 9 OF RSES) ......................................... 130 7.11 CORK MASP ............................................................................................................................. 131 7.12 LIMERICK SHANNON MASP ......................................................................................................... 146 7.13 WATERFORD MASP ................................................................................................................... 158 7.14 ASSESSMENT OF IN COMBINATION EFFECTS WITH OTHER PLANS OR PROJECTS ..................................... 171 8 MITIGATION MEASURES / RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................ 186 8.1 OVERALL MITIGATION STRATEGY .................................................................................................. 186 9 NEXT STEPS ..................................................................................................................... 199 10 REFERENCES.................................................................................................................... 200 APPENDICES Appendix A Consultation Submissions Appendix B Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) Southern Region Appendix C Special Protection Areas (SPAs) Southern Region Appendix D Screening for Appropriate Assessment Appendix E EU Condition Assessment Appendix F Generic Threats and Pressures Considered Relevant to the RSES LIST OF FIGURES Figure 3‐1 ‐ Regional Assemblies and the Southern Region ................................................................. 10 Figure 4‐1 – AA within the Planning Hierarchy of the RSES .................................................................. 14 Figure 4‐2 – European Sites in the Southern Region ............................................................................ 16 Figure 4‐3 – European Sites and Hydrological Connectivity ................................................................. 17 Figure 7‐1 – European Sites and Ecological Resources in the Southern Region ................................... 46 Figure 8‐1 – Hierarchy of Preferred Mitigation Options ..................................................................... 186 MDR1402Rp0012F01 ii Southern Region RSES ‐ NIR LIST OF TABLES Table 3‐1 – Southern Region’s Regional Strategic Outcomes ............................................................... 11 Table 4‐1 – European Sites within the Zone of Influence of the RSES .................................................. 15 Table 6‐1 – Elements of RSES assessed in NIR ...................................................................................... 22 Table 6‐2 – Potential Ecological Effects Associated with the Policy Objectives Outlined in the RSES . 25 Table 7‐1 – Protective Policy Relevant to European Sites and / or Natura 2000 Network .................. 30 Table 7‐2 – In‐Combination Impacts with Other Plans and Strategies ............................................... 172 Table 8‐1 – Protective Policy Relevant to European Sites and / or Natura 2000 Network ................ 187 MDR1402Rp0012F01 iii Southern Region RSES ‐ NIR 1 INTRODUCTION The Southern Regional Assembly (SRA) is currently preparing the Southern Regional, Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES). The main statutory purpose of the RSES is to support the implementation of Project Ireland 2040 – the National Planning Framework (hereafter referred to as the NPF), and the economic policies and objectives of the Government by providing a long‐term strategic planning and economic framework for the development of the region. The Southern Region RSES is a strategic plan which identifies regional assets, opportunities and pressures and will provide