ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT OF THE NORTH TIPPERARY COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2010-2016 STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT For: North Tipperary County Council Civic Offices Limerick Road Nenagh County Tipperary By: CAAS 2nd Floor, The Courtyard 25 Great Strand Street Dublin 1 AUGUST 2010 Includes Ordnance Survey Ireland data reproduced under OSi Licence Number AR 0001606 North Tipperary County Council. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Ordnance Survey Ireland and Government of Ireland copyright. © Ordnance Survey Ireland Environmental Report of the North Tipperary County Development Plan 2010-2016 SEA 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 the 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.....................................................................................................5 Section 3 North Tipperary’s Baseline Environment ................................................7 3.1 Introduction .....................................................................................................................7 3.2 Biodiversity and Flora and Fauna........................................................................................8 3.3 Population and Human Health..........................................................................................23 3.4 Soil................................................................................................................................27 3.5 Water ............................................................................................................................34 3.6 Air and Climatic Factors...................................................................................................48 3.7 Material Assets ...............................................................................................................53 3.8 Cultural Heritage ............................................................................................................62 3.9 Landscape .....................................................................................................................69 3.10 Overlay Mapping of Environmental Sensitivities .................................................................74 Section 4 Strategic Environmental Objectives......................................................78 4.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................78 4.2 Biodiversity, Flora and Fauna...........................................................................................78 4.3 Population and Human Health..........................................................................................80 4.4 Soil................................................................................................................................81 4.5 Water ............................................................................................................................82 4.6 Air and Climatic Factors...................................................................................................84 4.7 Material Assets ...............................................................................................................85 4.8 Cultural Heritage ............................................................................................................86 4.9 Landscape .....................................................................................................................88 Section 5 Context for a County Development Plan for North Tipperary...............89 5.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................89 5.2 Structure and Content.....................................................................................................89 CAAS for North Tipperary County Council i Environmental Report of the North Tipperary County Development Plan 2010-2016 SEA 5.3 Vision Statement ............................................................................................................89 5.4 Alternatives....................................................................................................................89 5.5 Interactions with Relevant Planning Policy ........................................................................90 5.6 Environmental Protection Objectives.................................................................................91 Section 6 Description of Alternative Plan Scenarios.............................................92 6.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................92 6.2 Identification and Description of Alternative Scenarios .......................................................92 Section 7 Evaluation of Alternative Plan Scenarios ..............................................94 7.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................94 7.2 Methodology ..................................................................................................................94 7.3 Evaluation of Alternative Scenarios...................................................................................96 Section 8 Evaluation of Plan Provisions..............................................................103 8.1 Methodology ................................................................................................................ 103 8.2 Chapter 3: Population and Settlement ............................................................................ 105 8.3 Chapter 4: The Environment.......................................................................................... 107 8.4 Chapter 5: Housing....................................................................................................... 116 8.5 Chapter 6: Economy ..................................................................................................... 123 8.6 Chapter 7: Infrastructure and Services ........................................................................... 130 8.7 Chapter 8: Built and Natural Heritage ............................................................................. 137 8.8 Chapter 9: Monitoring and Implementation..................................................................... 142 8.9 Volume II: Settlement Plans .......................................................................................... 143 Section 9 Mitigation Measures ............................................................................144 9.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 144 9.2 Mitigation through Consideration of Alternatives.............................................................. 144 9.3 Mitigation Measures ...................................................................................................... 144 Section 10 Monitoring Measures...........................................................................146 10.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 146 10.2 Indicators and Targets .................................................................................................. 146 10.3 Sources ......................................................................................................................