ECOLOGICAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT FOR RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AT BALROY HOUSE, CARPENTERSTOWN ROAD, CASTLEKNOCK, DUBLIN 15 November 2019 ON BEHALF OF 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 +353 1 565 4730 Enviroguide Consulting Residential Development Ecological Impact Assessment Balroy House, Castleknock, Dublin 15 DOCUMENT CONTROL SHEET Client Glenveagh Homes Limited Project Title Residential Development at Balroy House, Carpenterstown Rd., Castleknock, Dublin 15 Document Title Ecological Impact Assessment Revision Status Author(s) Reviewed Approved Issue Date Internal Donnacha Woods, Muriel Ennis, 1.0 - 18 April 2019 Draft Project Ecologist Principal Consultant Draft Donnacha Woods, Muriel Ennis, Jim Dowdall, 2.0 for 19 April 2019 Project Ecologist Principal Consultant Director Client For Donnacha Woods, Muriel Ennis, Jim Dowdall, 3.0 25 April 2019 Client Project Ecologist Principal Consultant Director Donnacha Woods, Muriel Ennis, Jim Dowdall, 4.0 Final 25 April 2019 Project Ecologist Principal Consultant Director Muriel Ennis, Jim Dowdall, Jim Dowdall, 08 October 5.0 Final Principal Consultant Director Director 2019 November 2019 Page i Enviroguide Consulting Residential Development Ecological Impact Assessment Balroy House, Castleknock, Dublin 15 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 QUALITY ASSURANCE AND COMPETENCE .................................................................................... 1 2 PLANNING POLICY AND LEGISLATION ..................................................................................... 2 2.1 NATIONAL LEGISLATION ............................................................................................................. 2 2.1.1 Wildlife Act 1976 and amendments..................................................................................... 2 2.1.2 EU Habitats Directive 1992 and EC (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011 ......... 2 2.1.3 Flora (Protection) Order, 1999 ............................................................................................ 2 2.2 INTERNATIONAL LEGISLATION ..................................................................................................... 3 2.2.1 EU Birds Directive ............................................................................................................... 3 2.2.2 EU Habitats Directive .......................................................................................................... 3 2.2.3 Bern and Bonn Convention ................................................................................................. 3 2.2.4 Ramsar Convention ............................................................................................................ 3 3 METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................................................ 4 3.1 SCOPE OF ASSESSMENT ............................................................................................................ 4 3.2 DESK STUDY ............................................................................................................................. 4 3.2.1 Information Resource Research ......................................................................................... 4 3.2.2 Database Searches and Data Requests for Previously Recorded Data ............................ 5 3.3 FIELD SURVEYS ......................................................................................................................... 5 3.3.1 Habitat Surveying, Mapping and Evaluation ....................................................................... 5 3.3.2 Bat Roost Inspection Survey ............................................................................................... 5 3.3.3 Bird Surveys ........................................................................................................................ 6 3.3.4 Mammal Surveys................................................................................................................. 6 3.3.5 Other Fauna ........................................................................................................................ 6 3.4 CONSULTATION ......................................................................................................................... 6 3.5 ASSESSMENT ............................................................................................................................ 6 3.5.1 Value of Ecological Resources ........................................................................................... 7 3.5.2 Impact Assessment Criteria ................................................................................................ 9 3.6 LIMITATIONS ............................................................................................................................ 11 4 BASELINE ECOLOGICAL CONDITIONS ................................................................................... 12 4.1 SITE OVERVIEW ....................................................................................................................... 12 4.2 DESIGNATED SITES ................................................................................................................. 12 4.2.1 Site of International Importance ........................................................................................ 12 4.2.2 Sites of National Importance ............................................................................................. 12 4.3 HABITATS ................................................................................................................................ 17 4.3.1 Improved Agricultural Grassland (GA1) ............................................................................ 17 4.3.2 Amenity Grassland (Improved) (GA2) ............................................................................... 17 4.3.3 Buildings and Artificial Surfaces (BL3) .............................................................................. 17 4.3.4 Flower Beds and Borders (BC4) ....................................................................................... 17 4.3.5 Ornamental / Non-native Shrubs (WS3) ........................................................................... 17 4.3.6 Scrub (WS1) ...................................................................................................................... 18 4.3.7 Hedgerows (WL1) ............................................................................................................. 19 4.3.8 Treelines (WL2) ................................................................................................................. 19 4.3.9 Habitat Evaluation ............................................................................................................. 20 4.4 SPECIES AND SPECIES GROUPS ............................................................................................... 22 4.4.1 Flora .................................................................................................................................. 22 4.4.2 Mammals (excl. bats) ........................................................................................................ 24 4.4.3 Bats ................................................................................................................................... 26 November 2019 Page ii Enviroguide Consulting Residential Development Ecological Impact Assessment Balroy House, Castleknock, Dublin 15 4.4.4 Birds .................................................................................................................................. 28 4.4.5 Fish .................................................................................................................................... 29 4.4.6 Amphibians ........................................................................................................................ 29 4.4.7 Invertebrates ..................................................................................................................... 30 4.4.8 Other species and species groups .................................................................................... 30 4.4.9 Fauna Evaluation .............................................................................................................. 30 5 DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT ............................................................. 32 6 POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT ................................................ 33 6.1 IMPACTS ON DESIGNATED SITES .............................................................................................. 33 6.2 IMPACTS ON HABITATS AND FLORA ........................................................................................... 33 6.3 IMPACTS ON MAMMALS ............................................................................................................ 34 6.4 IMPACTS ON BATS ................................................................................................................... 34 6.5 IMPACTS ON BIRDS .................................................................................................................. 35 6.6 IMPACTS ON OTHER TAXA .......................................................................................................