Environmental Report of the Proposed Variation to the County Donegal Development Plan 2018-2024 in respect of the TEN-T Priority Route Improvement Project, Donegal (Variation No.1) Community, Development & Planning Services January 2021 Environmental Report of the Proposed Variation to the County Donegal Development Plan 2018-2024 in respect of the TEN-T Priority Route Improvement Project, Donegal TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 1 1.1 BACKGROUND .......................................................................................................... 1 1.2 STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ...................................................................... 1 1.3 PLANNING CONTEXT .................................................................................................. 3 1.4 SCREENING AND SCOPING FOR SEA ............................................................................... 3 1.5 APPROPRIATE ASSESSMENT ......................................................................................... 7 1.6 CHECKLIST OF CONTENTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT ...................................................... 8 2 Contents and Main Objectives of the Proposed Variation and Relationship with Other Relevant Plans .......................................................................................................... 10 2.1 TEN-T PRIORITY ROUTE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, DONEGAL .............................................. 10 2.2 PROPOSED VARIATION TO THE COUNTY DONEGAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2018-2024, IN RESPECT OF THE TEN-T PRIPD ....................................................................................................................... 11 2.2.1 Geographical Scope .................................................................................. 14 2.2.2 Temporal Scope ....................................................................................... 14 2.3 RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER RELEVANT PLANS................................................................. 15 2.3.1 Ireland 2040 Our Plan National Planning Framework .................................. 15 2.3.2 Project Ireland National Development Plan 2018-2027 ................................ 16 2.3.3 Northern and Western Regional Assembly Spatial and Economic Strategy 2020- 2032 (NWRA RSES) ............................................................................................................... 16 2.3.4 Seven Strategic Towns Local Area Plan 2018-2024 ..................................... 16 2.3.5 Draft Letterkenny Plan and Local Transport Plan (pre-draft stage) ............... 18 3 Relevant Aspects of the Current State of the Environment and Likely Evolution Thereof Without Implementation of the Proposed Variation ............................................ 19 3.1 BIODIVERSITY, FLORA AND FAUNA ................................................................................ 19 3.1.1 Protected Habitats and Species ................................................................. 20 3.1.2 Designated Sites ...................................................................................... 21 3.1.3 Designated Shellfish Waters ...................................................................... 25 3.1.4 Freshwater Pearl Mussel ........................................................................... 26 3.1.5 Ecological Networks .................................................................................. 26 3.1.6 Invasive Species ....................................................................................... 27 3.2 POPULATION AND HUMAN HEALTH ................................................................................ 28 3.2.1 Population Trends .................................................................................... 29 3.2.2 Human Health .......................................................................................... 30 3.3 SOIL AND GEOLOGY .................................................................................................. 31 3.3.1 Land Cover .............................................................................................. 32 i Environmental Report of the Proposed Variation to the County Donegal Development Plan 2018-2024 in respect of the TEN-T Priority Route Improvement Project, Donegal 3.4 WATER .................................................................................................................. 33 3.4.1 River Basin District Sub-Catchments .......................................................... 33 3.4.2 Groundwater Status .................................................................................. 34 3.4.3 Surface Water Status ................................................................................ 35 3.4.4 Drinking Water and Wastewater ................................................................ 36 3.4.5 Wastewater Treatment ............................................................................. 36 3.4.6 Wastewater Treatment Systems Serving Single Houses .............................. 37 3.4.7 Drinking Water ......................................................................................... 37 3.4.8 Bathing Water Quality ............................................................................... 38 3.5 CLIMATE CHANGE AND AIR QUALITY ............................................................................. 39 3.6 CLIMATE CHANGE, MARINE AND COASTAL MANAGEMENT .................................................... 41 3.7 NOISE ................................................................................................................... 41 3.8 MATERIAL ASSETS .................................................................................................... 44 3.9 CULTURAL, ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE ............................................ 44 3.10 LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL ............................................................................................ 48 3.11 EVOLUTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT WITHOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROPOSED VARIATION TO THE CDP, IN RESPECT OF THE TEN-T PRIPD ..................................................................................... 52 3.11.1 TEN-T PRIPD Does Not Proceed ................................................................ 52 3.11.2 TEN-T PRIPD Proceeds with Historical Route Corridors ............................... 53 4 Environmental Characteristics of the Areas Likely to be Significantly Affected by the Proposed Variation ............................................................................................................. 56 5 Existing Environmental Problems of Relevance to the Proposed Variation ........... 64 6 Environmental Protection Objectives of Relevance to the Proposed Variation ..... 66 6.1 RELATIONSHIP OF THE PROPOSED VARIATION WITH ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION OBJECTIVES IN OTHER PLANS, PROGRAMMES AND POLICIES ........................................................................................ 66 6.1.1 Spatial Planning ....................................................................................... 66 6.1.2 Biodiversity .............................................................................................. 67 6.1.3 Population and Human Health ................................................................... 67 6.1.4 Soils ........................................................................................................ 67 6.1.5 Water ...................................................................................................... 68 6.1.6 Coast and Marine Resource ....................................................................... 68 6.1.7 Air/Climatic Factors .................................................................................. 68 6.1.8 Material Assets ......................................................................................... 69 6.1.9 Cultural Heritage ...................................................................................... 70 6.1.10 Landscape ............................................................................................... 70 7 Assessment of Likely Significant Effects on the Environment of Implementing the Proposed Variation ............................................................................................................. 71 7.1 ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY ...................................................................................... 71 ii Environmental Report of the Proposed Variation to the County Donegal Development Plan 2018-2024 in respect of the TEN-T Priority Route Improvement Project, Donegal 7.1.1 Level of Assessment ................................................................................. 71 7.1.2 Assessment Criteria .................................................................................. 72 7.1.3 Strategic Environmental Objectives ............................................................ 72 7.2 ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES TO THE PROPOSED VARIATION TO THE DONEGAL CDP ................... 74 7.3 ASSESSMENT OF THE PROPOSED VARIATION.................................................................... 74 7.4 SUMMARY OF ASSESSMENT ....................................................................................... 128 7.5 IN-COMBINATION AND CUMULATIVE IMPACTS ................................................................ 128 8 Measures Envisaged to Prevent, Reduce and as Fully as Possible Offset