Section 5 Strategic Environmental Objectives
5.1 Introduction
Strategic Environmental Objectives (SEOs) are methodological measures developed from policies which generally govern environmental protection objectives established at international, Community or Member State level e.g. the environmental protection objectives of various European Directives which have been transposed into Irish law and which are required to be implemented.
The SEOs are set out under a range of topics and are used as standards against which the provisions of the Plan and the alternatives are evaluated in order to help identify which provisions would be likely to result in significant environmental effects and where such effects would be likely to occur, if - in the case of adverse effects - unmitigated.
SEOs are distinct from the objectives of the Plan - although they will often overlap - and they are not given statutory weight by virtue of their use in Strategic Environmental Assessments.
The SEOs are linked to indicators which can facilitate monitoring the environmental effects of the Plan as well as identifying targets which the Plan can help work towards.
SEOs were developed taking into account the requirements of the Planning & Development Regulations 2001-2015, the SEA Guidelines for Planning Authorities 2004 and feedback provided by the environmental authorities.
5.2 Strategic Environmental Objectives
The following are the SEO’s selected for the proposed Amendment, accompanied by selected indicators and targets.
|
Environmental Parameter |
No. |
Objective (EPO) |
Indicators |
Targets |
|
Biodiversity, fauna and flora |
B1 |
Protect, and where appropriate, enhance biodiversity, particularly protected areas and protected species including ecological linkages / corridors. |
B1i: Conservation status of habitats and species as assessed under Article 17 of the Habitats Directive B1ii: Number of significant impacts on relevant habitats and species B1iii: Number of significant impacts on the protection of species listed on Schedule 5 of the Wildlife Act 1976. |
B1i: Maintenance of favourable conservation status for all habitats and species protected under national and international legislation to be unaffected by implementation of the Plan as amended[9]. B1ii: Avoid significant impacts on relevant habitats and species. B1iii: No significant impacts on the protection of species listed on Schedule 5 of the Wildlife Act 1976. |
|
Population and Human Health |
P1 |
Improve people’s quality of life based on high-quality residential, working and recreational environments and on sustainable travel patterns. |
Occurrence (any) of a spatially concentrated deterioration in human health arising from environmental factors resulting from development provided for by the Plan, as identified by the Health Service Executive and Environmental Protection Agency |
No spatial concentrations of health problems arising from environmental factors as a result of implementing the Plan. |
|
Soil |
S1 |
To avoid damage to the hydrogeological and ecological function of the soil resource |
Soil extent and hydraulic connectivity |
To minimise reductions in soil extent and hydraulic connectivity. |
|
Water |
W1 |
To prevent pollution and contamination of ground water |
Groundwater Quality Standards and Threshold Values under Directive 2006/118/EC |
Not to affect the ability of groundwaters to comply with Groundwater Quality Standards and Threshold Values under Directive 2006/118/EC |
|
W2 |
To comply as appropriate with the provisions of the Planning System and Flood Risk Management: Guidelines for Planning Authorities (DEHLG, 2009) |
Number of incompatible developments granted permission on lands which pose - or are likely to pose in the future - a significant flood risk |
Minimise developments granted permission on lands which pose - or are likely to pose in the future - a significant flood risk in compliance with The Planning System and Flood Risk Management Guidelines for Planning Authorities |
|
|
W3 |
To maintain and improve, where possible, the quality and status of surface waters |
Classification of Overall Status (comprised of ecological and chemical status) under the European Communities Environmental Objectives (Surface Waters) Regulations 2009 (SI No. 272 of 2009) |
Not to cause deterioration in the status of any surface water or affect the ability of any surface water to achieve ‘good status’ by 2015 |
|
|
Air and Climatic Factors |
A1 |
To reduce travel related emissions to air and to encourage modal change from car to more sustainable forms of transport |
Percentage of population travelling to work, school or college by non-mechanical means |
An increase in the percentage of the population travelling to work, school or college by public transport where available or non-mechanical means |
|
Material Assets |
M1 |
To serve new development with adequate and appropriate waste water treatment |
Number of new developments granted permission which can be adequately and appropriately served with waste water treatment over the lifetime of the Plan |
All new developments granted permission to be connected to and adequately and appropriately served by waste water treatment over the lifetime of the Plan |
|
M2 |
To serve new development with adequate drinking water that is both wholesome and clean |
Number of non-compliances with the 48 parameters identified in the European Communities (Drinking Water) Regulations (No. 2) 2007 which present a potential danger to human health as a result of implementing the Plan |
No non-compliances with the 48 parameters identified in the European Communities (Drinking Water) Regulations (No. 2) 2007 which present a potential danger to human health as a result of implementing the Plan |
|
|
M3 |
To reduce waste volumes, minimise waste to landfill and increase recycling and reuse |
Total collected and brought household waste Packaging recovered (t) by self-complying packagers |
Minimise increases in and, where possible, reduce household waste generation Maximise increases in packaging recovered (t) by self-complying packagers |
|
|
Cultural Heritage (architectural and archaeological) |
H1 |
To protect archaeological heritage including the zone of Archaeological Heritage and entries to the Record of Monuments and Places and/or their context |
Percentage of entries to the Record of Monuments and Places protected from significant adverse effects arising from new development granted permission under the Plan. |
Protect the zone of Archaeological Heritage and entries to the Record of Monuments and Places from significant adverse effects arising from new development granted permission under the Plan |
|
H2 |
To protect architectural heritage including entries to the Record of Protected Structures and Architectural Conservation Area and their context |
Percentage of entries to the Record of Protected Structures and Architectural Conservation Area and their context protected from significant adverse effects arising from new development granted permission under the Plan |
Protect entries to the Record of Protected Structures and Architectural Conservation Area and their context from significant adverse effects arising from new development granted permission under the Plan. |
|
|
Landscape |
L1 |
Conserve and enhance valued natural and historic landscapes, their character and features within them. |
Number of complaints received from statutory consultees regarding avoidable adverse visual impacts on the landscape resulting from development which is granted permission under the Plan. |
No developments permitted which result in avoidable adverse visual impacts on the landscape from development which is granted permission under the Plan. |