Strategic Flood Risk Assessment - Material Alterations to Thomastown Draft LAP

1. Introduction

Material Alterations to the Draft Thomastown Local Area Plan (LAP) 2019 have been proposed by the Elected Members of Kilkenny County Council. These alterations have arisen following a review of the Chief Executive’s Report on submissions received during the public display period of the LAP by the Elected Members of the Council.

The Draft Thomastown Local Area Plan (LAP) 2019 was placed on public display from the 8^th November to 20^th December 2018.  A Strategic Flood Risk Assessment was also placed on display with the LAP.  This document assesses the Proposed Material Alterations to the Draft, for any change to the SFRA of the Draft Plan (and should be read in conjunction with the SFRA of the Draft). 

1. Assessment of Proposed Material Alterations

Zoning changes

A total of 2 zoning changes are proposed as Material Alterations (see Zoning Map of the Material Alterations) as follows:

Only one of these three sites are located in either Flood Zone A or B, as identified in the SFRA of the Draft LAP. 

1. Change 8.2 Ha lands zoned “Open Space” on Station Road to “Agriculture” zoning

This site was assessed as part of site 7 under the SFRA of the Draft Plan, and the proposed zoning of this site for Open Space satisfied the Justification test.  Uses permissible under both the Open Space and the Agriculture zoning fall, for the most part, within the less vulnerable class, therefore although a Justification Test is required, as the site already satisfied the criteria for the Test, there is no need to carry out an additional Test.

As set out in Section 3.1.2 of the SFRA of the Draft Plan, for the most part, the uses permissible under the Agriculture zoning fall into either the ‘Less Vulnerable development’ category or the ‘Water Compatible development’ categories of Table 3.1 (of the Guidelines[1]). Residential uses, which are ‘Highly vulnerable developments’ are permissible within the Agriculture zoning, however, there is a provision in the Plan to state as follows:

No highly vulnerable uses (as set out in the Flood Risk Management Guidelines) other than extensions to existing structures and uses, will be permitted within Flood Zone A or B. Less vulnerable uses will also not be allowed within Flood Zone A other than extensions to existing structures and uses as set out in the Flood Risk Management guidelines.

Therefore Justification Tests at this plan-making stage are not required for Agriculture zoning. 

Text changes

The Proposed Material Alterations to the text have been assessed for any impact on flood risk, and there are no resulting changes to the SFRA as a result of the text changes. 

1. Conclusion

Therefore no changes are necessary to the SFRA as a result of the Proposed Material Alterations.  The maps of the SFRA will be updated in the final SFRA to be issued with any adopted Plan.