COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF DEVELOPMENT PLAN MEETING

Tuesday, March 01, 2022

MOTION NO. 14

MOTION: Councillor F. Timmons

This motion relates to CSO10 SLO1 in the Draft Plan and submissions by all named individuals commencing with SD-C195-68 Peter Meighan on page 211 of the CE Report with recommendation commencing on page 216 Amend proposed SLO referenced on page 215 from To ensure the protection and augmentation of the identified alluvial woodlands within the zoning RU, and in recognising their value as green infrastructure and the potential linkages to Lugg Woods and Slade Valley and other amenity areas, provide for sensitive passive amenity uses which have regard to their Annex 1 status. To To ensure the adequate protection and augmentation of the identified alluvial woodlands within the zoning RU, and in recognising their value as green infrastructure and the potential linkages to Lugg Woods and Slade Valley and other amenity areas, provide for sensitive passive amenity uses which have regard to their Annex 1 status and in valuing their Priority Annex 1 status, propose the site as a Natura 2000 site, or candidate NHA and a Wildlife Reserve.

REPORT:

The motion seeks to amend the wording of CS10 SLO1 as recommended in the CE Report on submissions to the Draft Plan (p216) by including additional wording in regard to the alluvial woodlands and proposed RU zoning to read:  

‘To ensure the protection and augmentation of the identified alluvial woodlands within the zoning RU, and in recognising their value as green infrastructure and the potential linkages to Lugg Woods and Slade Valley and other amenity areas, provide for sensitive passive amenity uses which have regard to their Annex 1 status. 

To read: 

‘To ensure the adequate protection and augmentation of the identified alluvial woodlands within the zoning RU, and in recognising their value as green infrastructure and the potential linkages to Lugg Woods and Slade Valley and other amenity areas, provide for sensitive passive amenity uses which have regard to their Annex 1 status and in valuing their Priority Annex 1 status, propose the site as a Natura 2000 site, or candidate NHA and a Wildlife Reserve.’ 

It should be noted from the outset, it is considered that the motion may mean the terms ‘proposed Natural Heritage Area (pNHA)’ rather than ‘candidate’ and a ‘Nature Reserve’ rather than ‘Wildlife Reserve’ both of which are designations under the Wildlife Acts. 

A Nature Reserve by definition is an area of importance to wildlife, which is protected under Ministerial order.  

NHA’s are designated by the NPWS to conserve and protect species and habitats of national importance in Ireland and are established under the Wildlife Acts. Until such time as they are formally designated NHAs are indicated as proposed NHAs (pNHA). Proposed NHAs have no protection under the Wildlife Acts and are protected through policy in Development Plans until such time as they are formally designated. Within Ireland there remain a large number of pNHAs awaiting formal designation by the NPWS including some in South Dublin.  

Natura 2000 is a European network of core breeding and resting sites for rare and threatened species, and some rare natural habitat types which are protected in their own right. The aim of the network is to ensure the long-term survival of Europe's most valuable and threatened species and habitats, listed under both the Birds Directive and the Habitats Directive. In this regard, the National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS) is responsible for the proposed designation of conservation sites in Ireland, Special Areas of Conservation (Habitats Directive) and Special Protection Areas (Birds Directive) subject to relevant criteria being achieved. The proposed designation is then subject to European Commission and associated scientific analysis and if considered sufficient to meet criteria the Member State must designate it.  

Notwithstanding the above, the County supports a range of plant, animal and bird species and their habitats which are not formally protected under European or Irish legislation. Such areas have an important natural heritage or ecological value in the County, such as the alluvial woodlands at Rathcoole.  It is noted that habitats and species listed in Annex 1 and Annex 2 of the Habitats Directive are also known to occur at locations outside of protected sites. In this regard, there are specific policies and objectives within the Draft Plan that protect and preserve areas of habitats and biodiversity importance located outside of specific designated areas including: 

Policy NCBH5: Protection of Habitats and Species Outside of Designated Areas: Protect and promote the conservation of biodiversity outside of designated areas and ensure that species and habitats that are protected under the Wildlife Acts 1976 to 2018, the Birds Directive 1979 and the Habitats Directive 1992, the Flora (Protection) Order 2015, and wildlife corridors are adequately protected. 

Policy NCBH2: Biodiversity: Protect, conserve, and enhance the County’s biodiversity and ecological connectivity having regard to national and EU legislation and Strategies. 

Habitats and Species that are not nationally designated may still be important at a county level by contributing to Green Infrastructure within the wider ecological network. This is encapsulated by Article 10 of the Habitats Directive which encourages the management of features of the landscape which are of major importance for wild plant (flora) and animals (fauna), and which are essential for the migration and dispersal of species.  

Under NCBH2 Objective 3 of the Draft Plan, the objective seeks to: 

‘Protect and conserve the natural heritage of the County, and to conserve and manage EU and nationally designated sites and non-designated locally important areas which act as ‘stepping stones’ for the purposes of green infrastructure and Article 10 of the Habitats Directive’. 

It is considered appropriate to explicitly identify the alluvial woodlands at Rathcoole in the Draft Plan under ‘Strategic Corridor 5: Camac River Corridor – Objectives associated with the Core Areas / Stepping Stones with an associated objective to read: 

‘To preserve and enhance the status of identified Alluvial Woodlands at Rathcoole within the zoning RU as an environmentally sensitive area for biodiversity and ecosystems services of importance.’ 

This objective has also been recommended in response to a separate Motion 73891 in Green Infrastructure. 

While the intent of this motion is noted, it is considered the recognition of the alluvial woodlands at Rathcoole within the Green Infrastructure Strategic Corridor 5: Camac River Corridor – ‘Objectives associated with the Core Areas / Stepping Stones’ with an associated objective, together with the policies and objectives highlighted above, recognises the significant ecological value of this area, and comprehensively provides for the protection and enhancement of the same. This objective provides the same level of protection as identification as a pNHA which would also rely on relevant objectives within the Development Plan for protection. 

It is therefore recommended that the motion be adopted but with amendments to CS10 SLO1 to read: 

‘To ensure the adequate protection and augmentation of the identified Alluvial Woodlands at Rathcoole within the zoning RU, and in recognising their value as green infrastructure and the potential linkages to Lugg Woods and Slade Valley and other amenity areas, provide for sensitive passive amenity uses which have regard to their Annex 1 status.’ 

And 

The area of identified Alluvial Woodlands at Rathcoole within the zoning RU be inserted under ‘Strategic Corridor 5: Camac River Corridor – Objectives associated with the Core Areas / Stepping Stones’ with a specific associated objective to read: 

‘To preserve and protect the Alluvial Woodlands at Rathcoole within the zoning RU as an environmentally sensitive area for biodiversity and ecosystems services of importance having full regard to their Annex 1 status.’ 

 

CE Recommendation:    It is recommended that the motion be adopted with amendments to read:  

‘To ensure the adequate protection and augmentation of the identified Alluvial Rathcoole Woodlands within the zoning RU, and in recognising their value as green infrastructure and the potential linkages to Lugg Woods and Slade Valley and other amenity areas, provide for sensitive passive amenity uses which have regard to their Annex 1 status.’ 

And 

To explicitly include ‘Rathcoole Alluvial Woodlands within RU zoning’ within Strategic Corridor 5: Camac River Corridor with a specific associated objective to read: 

‘To preserve and protect the Alluvial Woodlands at Rathcoole within the zoning RU as an environmentally sensitive area for biodiversity and ecosystems services of importance having full regard to their Annex 1 status.’