ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT OF THE BRAY ENVIRONS LOCAL AREA PLAN 2009-2015 STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT For: Wicklow County Council Station Road Wicklow Town County Wicklow By: CAAS (Environmental Services) 4th Floor, 7 Red Cow Lane Smithfield Dublin 7 MAY 2009 Includes Ordnance Survey Ireland data reproduced under OSi Licence Number 2008/10 CCMA/ Wicklow County Council. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Ordnance Survey Ireland and Government of Ireland copyright. © Ordnance Survey Ireland Environmental Report of the Bray Environs Local Area Plan 2009-2015 Strategic Environmental Assessment Table of Contents List of Figures ..............................................................................................................iii List of Tables ...............................................................................................................iv List of Abbreviations.....................................................................................................v Glossary .......................................................................................................................vi Section 1 SEA Introduction and Background..........................................................1 1.1 Introduction and Terms of Reference .................................................................................1 1.2 SEA Definition ..................................................................................................................1 1.3 Legislative Context............................................................................................................1 1.4 Implications for Wicklow County Council and the Elected Members .......................................1 Section 2 SEA Methodology.....................................................................................2 2.1 Introduction .....................................................................................................................2 2.2 Scoping ...........................................................................................................................3 2.3 Environmental Baseline Data and Other Strategic Actions.....................................................4 2.4 Alternatives......................................................................................................................4 2.5 The SEA Environmental Report ..........................................................................................4 2.6 The SEA Statement...........................................................................................................5 2.7 Legislative Conformance....................................................................................................5 2.8 Difficulties Encountered.....................................................................................................6 Section 3 The Baseline Environment at Bray Environs ...........................................7 3.1 Introduction .....................................................................................................................7 3.2 Biodiversity and Flora and Fauna......................................................................................10 3.3 Population and Human Health..........................................................................................22 3.4 Soil................................................................................................................................25 3.5 Water ............................................................................................................................31 3.6 Air and Climatic Factors...................................................................................................43 3.7 Material Assets ...............................................................................................................47 3.8 Cultural Heritage ............................................................................................................52 3.9 Landscape .....................................................................................................................58 Section 4 Strategic Environmental Objectives......................................................62 4.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................62 4.2 Biodiversity, Flora and Fauna...........................................................................................62 4.3 Population and Human Health..........................................................................................64 4.4 Soil................................................................................................................................65 4.5 Water ............................................................................................................................65 4.6 Air and Climatic Factors...................................................................................................67 4.7 Material Assets ...............................................................................................................67 4.8 Cultural Heritage ............................................................................................................68 4.9 Landscape .....................................................................................................................69 Section 5 Context for a Local Area Plan for Bray Environs ...................................71 5.1 The Local Area Plan ........................................................................................................71 5.2 Interactions with Relevant Planning Policy ........................................................................72 5.3 Environmental Protection Objectives.................................................................................76 CAAS for Wicklow County Council i Environmental Report of the Bray Environs Local Area Plan 2009-2015 Strategic Environmental Assessment Section 6 Description of Alternative Plan Scenarios.............................................77 6.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................77 6.2 Identification and Description of Alternative Scenarios .......................................................77 Section 7 Evaluation of Alternatives .....................................................................92 7.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................92 7.2 Methodology ..................................................................................................................92 7.3 Evaluation of Alternative Locations which could be subject to an LAP ..................................94 7.4 Evaluation of Alternatives for Fassaroe .............................................................................99 7.5 Evaluation of Alternatives for Kilruddery ......................................................................... 106 Section 8 Evaluation of Plan Policies and Objectives .........................................112 8.1 Methodology ................................................................................................................112 8.2 Residential Development ...............................................................................................114 8.3 Employment and Enterprise........................................................................................... 115 8.4 Retail........................................................................................................................... 115 8.5 Social and Community Infrastructure.............................................................................. 116 8.6 Traffic and Transportation .............................................................................................117 8.7 Public Services Infrastructure......................................................................................... 118 8.8 Built and Cultural Heritage............................................................................................. 119 8.9 Landscape and Natural & Visual Amenity ........................................................................ 120 8.10 Phasing and Implementation ......................................................................................... 121 Section 9 Mitigation Measures ............................................................................122 9.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................122 9.2 SEA Recommendation ...................................................................................................122 9.3 Mitigation Measures ......................................................................................................122 Section 10 Monitoring Measures...........................................................................126 10.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................126 10.2 Indicators and Targets .................................................................................................. 126 10.3 Sources .......................................................................................................................126 10.4 Reporting.....................................................................................................................126