ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT OF THE DRAFT 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 NOVEMBER 2008 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 Draft 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.....................................................................................................7 Section 3 The Baseline Environment at Bray Environs ...........................................8 3.1 Introduction .....................................................................................................................8 3.2 Biodiversity and Flora and Fauna......................................................................................11 3.3 Population and Human Health..........................................................................................23 3.4 Soil................................................................................................................................26 3.5 Water ............................................................................................................................32 3.6 Air and Climatic Factors...................................................................................................44 3.7 Material Assets ...............................................................................................................48 3.8 Cultural Heritage ............................................................................................................53 3.9 Landscape .....................................................................................................................59 Section 4 Strategic Environmental Objectives......................................................63 4.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................63 4.2 Biodiversity, Flora and Fauna...........................................................................................63 4.3 Population and Human Health..........................................................................................65 4.4 Soil................................................................................................................................66 4.5 Water ............................................................................................................................66 4.6 Air and Climatic Factors...................................................................................................68 4.7 Material Assets ...............................................................................................................68 4.8 Cultural Heritage ............................................................................................................69 4.9 Landscape .....................................................................................................................70 CAAS for Wicklow County Council i Environmental Report of the Draft Bray Environs Local Area Plan 2009-2015 Strategic Environmental Assessment Section 5 Context for a Local Area Plan for Bray Environs ...................................72 5.1 The Local Area Plan ........................................................................................................72 5.2 Interactions with Relevant Planning Policy ........................................................................73 5.3 Environmental Protection Objectives.................................................................................77 Section 6 Description of Alternative Plan Scenarios.............................................78 6.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................78 6.2 Identification and Description of Alternative Scenarios .......................................................78 Section 7 Evaluation of Alternatives .....................................................................93 7.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................93 7.2 Methodology ..................................................................................................................93 7.3 Evaluation of Alternative Locations which could be subject to an LAP ..................................95 7.4 Evaluation of Alternatives for Fassaroe ........................................................................... 100 7.5 Evaluation of Alternatives for Kilruddery ......................................................................... 105 Section 8 Evaluation of Draft Plan Policies and Objectives ................................110 8.1 Methodology ................................................................................................................110 8.2 Residential Development ...............................................................................................112 8.3 Employment and Enterprise........................................................................................... 112 8.4 Retail........................................................................................................................... 113 8.5 Social and Community Infrastructure.............................................................................. 113 8.6 Traffic and Transportation .............................................................................................114 8.7 Public Services Infrastructure......................................................................................... 115 8.8 Built and Cultural Heritage............................................................................................. 115 8.9 Landscape and Natural & Visual Amenity ........................................................................ 116 Section 9 Mitigation Measures ............................................................................117 9.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................117 9.2 SEA Recommendation ...................................................................................................117 9.3 Mitigation Measures ......................................................................................................117 Section 10 Monitoring Measures...........................................................................121 10.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................121 10.2 Indicators and Targets .................................................................................................. 121 10.3 Sources .......................................................................................................................121 10.4 Reporting.....................................................................................................................121 10.5 Responsibility ...............................................................................................................121