COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SDZ, LAPS AND PLANNING PROJECTS

Friday, January 26, 2018

MOTION NO. 138

MOTION: Councillor E. O'Brien

Section 2.3.1 to be amended at page 37 by the addition at the end of paragraph 3 of the following sentence “Any development carried out along the Grand Canal will incorporate appropriate public lighting and CCTV in the interests of public safety and avoidance of anti- social behaviour”

REPORT:

One of the key principles of the Draft Planning Scheme is to

To maximise appropriate access to and use of the Grand Canal, Griffeen Valley Park and other biodiversity assets in an ecologically sensitive way, thereby offering unique selling points to the SDZ Planning Scheme;

Section 2.11.2 Biodiversity and Natural Heritage Features refers to the Grand Canal and states that

Appropriate access to the northern towpath shall be carefully designed based on site specific characterises and sensitivities (including lighting design, new planting of hawthorn and blackthorn species) and shall be set out in the LPS. (See also Sections 2.10)

In addition, All external lighting should be downlighting and should be time limited where possible. Lighting should be avoided in sensitive wildlife areas and light pollution, in general, should be avoided. Any additional nocturnal illumination of the canal corridor resulting from the development of the Planning Scheme should be kept to a minimum. Further lighting along the northern bank shall be restricted and shall be based on the sensitivities of bat species using the northern bank.

 

The Draft Planning Scheme has carefully considered the environmental impacts of additional lighting on the Grand Canal, a proposed Natural Heritage Area (pNHA). Through the SEA process and the Ecology studies carried out, the northern towpath of the Grand Canal has been identified as the area of greatest sensitivity.

As such, in order to protect the continuity and character of the pNHA, the Draft Planning Scheme requires all buildings to be set back 50m from the pNHA boundary, and all other development to be set back 30m of the pNHA boundary. Access to the Grand Canal from the northern side will be carefully designed to achieve a balance between minimizing environmental impacts and mitigating against antisocial behavior. This will include for the provision of CCTV where appropriate.

It is considered that the intent of this motion is covered under the Draft Planning Scheme and the motion should therefore not be adopted.

Recommendation

It is recommended that this motion is not adopted.

 

Strategic Environmental Assessment of Chief Executive’s Recommendation

No interaction with Strategic Environmental Objectives.

Strategic Environmental Assessment of Motion

As stated above, the ecological importance of the Grand Canal as a wildlife corridor was identified as a key consideration and adopting this motion would give rise to adverse effects on a number of Biodiversity SEOs.

Appropriate Assessment Screening of Chief Executive’s Recommendation

No likely significant effects on European sites within the SDZ’s zone of influence are predicted.