Inspector’s Report HA0053 MA0014 File References 04.HA0053 – M28 Cork to Ringaskiddy Motorway Scheme 04.MA0014 – Cork to Ringaskiddy Motorway Scheme, Protected Road Scheme and Service Area 2017 Development M28 Cork to Ringaskiddy Road Project and Motorway Scheme with Service Area at Ringaskiddy Applicant Cork County Council Type of Applications HA0053 – Strategic Infrastructure Development, S51(2) Roads Act 1993 MA0014 – Local Authority Projects – M28 Motorway Scheme Project Cork to Ringaskiddy; Protected Road Scheme; and Service Area Scheme Dates of Oral Hearing 7th-10th November; 14th to 17th th st November; 28 Nov.to 1 December th th th th 24 July, 25 July, 18 October, 26 th th Date of Site Inspections October, 27 October, 11 November, HA0053 and MA0014 Inspector’s Report Page 1 of 425 13th November, 2017 Inspector Mary Kennelly Appendices Appendix 1 Summary of Observations Appendix 2 Report of Traffic and Transport Consultant appointed by the Board HA0053 and MA0014 Inspector’s Report Page 2 of 425 Contents 1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 9 2 Site Location and Description ............................................................................ 10 3 Proposed Development ..................................................................................... 11 3.1 TEN-T Core Route ...................................................................................... 11 3.2 Declassified N28 ......................................................................................... 14 3.3 Structures and associated roads ................................................................. 14 3.4 Relocation of pylons .................................................................................... 15 3.5 Service Area................................................................................................ 15 4 Planning History ................................................................................................. 15 4.1 PA0003 – Port of Cork ................................................................................ 15 4.2 HA0039 – Dunkettle Interchange Improvement Motorway Scheme ............ 16 4.3 PA0035 – Port of Cork Redevelopment ...................................................... 17 4.4 PM0010 – Revisions to Port of Cork permission PA0035 ........................... 18 4.5 PA0045 – Waste to Energy Facility at Ringaskiddy .................................... 19 5 Policy Context .................................................................................................... 19 5.1 Transport policy ........................................................................................... 19 5.2 National and Regional Planning Policy ....................................................... 22 5.3 Local Planning Policy .................................................................................. 24 6 Submissions and Observations ......................................................................... 27 6.1 Submissions from Prescribed Bodies .......................................................... 27 6.2 Observers on proposed M28 Motorway Scheme, Protected Road Scheme and Service Area .................................................................................................. 36 6.3 Compulsory Purchase Order ....................................................................... 37 6.4 Objections to the Compulsory Purchase Order ........................................... 39 7 Oral Hearing ...................................................................................................... 54 8 Planning Assessment ........................................................................................ 54 HA0053 and MA0014 Inspector’s Report Page 3 of 425 9 Legal and procedural issues .............................................................................. 56 9.1 Environmental Impact Statement ................................................................ 56 9.2 Issues raised by observers during the course of the application and the oral hearing regarding legal and procedural issues ..................................................... 57 9.3 Oral hearing ................................................................................................ 58 9.4 Assessment of legal and procedural issues ................................................ 60 10 Justification and Need for Development and policy context ............................... 69 10.1 Environmental Impact Statement ............................................................. 69 10.2 Issues raised by observers during the course of the application and during the oral hearing regarding need for the development ........................................... 69 10.3 Oral hearing ............................................................................................. 72 10.4 Assessment of Need for the Development ............................................... 74 11 Alternatives Considered ..................................................................................... 95 11.1 Environmental Impact Statement ............................................................. 95 11.2 Issues raised by observers during the course of the application and during the oral hearing regarding alternatives considered ............................................... 96 11.3 Oral hearing ............................................................................................. 98 11.4 Evaluation of alternatives ......................................................................... 99 12 Traffic and Transport ....................................................................................... 106 12.1 Environmental Impact Statement ........................................................... 106 12.2 Issues raised by observers during the course of the application and during the oral hearing regarding traffic and transport ................................................... 106 12.3 Oral hearing ........................................................................................... 113 12.4 Assessment of Traffic and Transport issues .......................................... 115 13 Noise and vibration .......................................................................................... 137 13.1 Environmental Impact Statement ........................................................... 137 13.2 Issues raised by observers during the course of the application and during the oral hearing regarding noise and vibration .................................................... 137 HA0053 and MA0014 Inspector’s Report Page 4 of 425 13.3 Oral hearing ........................................................................................... 142 13.4 Assessment of noise and vibration ........................................................ 143 14 Air and climate ................................................................................................. 163 14.1 Environmental Impact Statement ........................................................... 163 14.2 Issues raised by observers during the course of the application and during the oral hearing regarding air and climate .......................................................... 164 14.3 Oral hearing ........................................................................................... 167 14.4 Assessment of air and climate ............................................................... 168 15 Health and general amenity ............................................................................. 180 15.1 Environmental Impact Statement ........................................................... 180 15.2 Issues raised by observers .................................................................... 181 15.3 Oral hearing ........................................................................................... 182 15.4 Assessment Health and general amenity ............................................... 183 16 Landscape and visual impact........................................................................... 197 16.1 Environmental Impact Statement ........................................................... 197 16.2 Issues raised by observers during the course of the application and during the oral hearing regarding landscape and visual impact ..................................... 199 16.3 Oral hearing ........................................................................................... 202 16.4 Assessment of landscape and visual impact ......................................... 204 17 Flora and Fauna .............................................................................................. 232 17.1 Environmental Impact Statement ........................................................... 232 17.2 Issues Raised during the course of the application and oral hearing ..... 233 17.3 Oral hearing ........................................................................................... 236 17.4 Assessment Flora and Fauna ................................................................ 237 18 Water quality .................................................................................................... 274 18.1 Environmental Impact Statement ........................................................... 274 18.2 Issues raised during the course of the application and oral hearing ...... 274 18.3 Oral hearing ..........................................................................................