This Chapter assesses the
impacts on planning policies for the route options. The assessment uses information contained in the Constraints
Report (6.1). This included a review of the following:
· National Roads Needs Study (1998)(6.2)
· The National Development Plan, 2000 - 2006 (6.3)
· National Spatial Strategy – Scope and Delivery (6.4)
· Southern and Eastern NUTS II Region, Development
Strategy 2000 – 2006 (6.5)
· Cork County Development Plan: County at Large 1996 (6.6)
· Cork County Development Plan: South Cork 1996 (6.7)
· Variations to the 1996 County Development Plan 1999
(6.8)
· Macroom Development Plan 1996 (6.9)
In assessing impacts the
following significance criteria have been used:
|
Significance Criteria |
|
|
Severe adverse impact |
Directly contravenes national or regional
planning policies or designations. |
|
Major adverse impact |
Directly contravenes county policies or
designations. |
|
Moderate adverse impact |
Conflicts with county or directly contravenes
local policies or designations. |
|
Minor adverse impact |
Conflicts with local policies or designations. |
|
No impact |
No conflict with policies or designations. |
|
Minor beneficial impact |
In accordance with local / county policies or
designations. |
|
Moderate beneficial impact |
Directly supports county / local policies or
designations. In accordance with
national and regional policies. |
The
following is a review of relevant policies.
The National Road Needs Study (6.2)
provides a basis for national roads policy in Ireland for the period 2000 –
2019.
In order to cater for projected traffic levels in
2019, the National Road Needs Study proposed the following improvements to the
N22 between Ballincollig and Ballyvourney (currently National Primary Route):
·
Ballincollig to
Coachford Junction (R619): Reduced dual carriageway improvement.
·
Coachford Junction
(R619) to Macroom: Wide 2 Lane carriageway improvement
·
Macroom bypass to
Ballyvourney/Ballymakeery bypass: Standard 2 lane carriageway improvement
Since publication of the Road Needs Study, the NRA
and CCC have requested that the need for a dual carriageway all the way from
Ballincollig to Macroom be investigated.
The National Development Plan (6.3)
re-affirms that there will be major improvements on
national primary routes including the N22 (Tralee/Killarney/Cork).
The National Spatial Strategy will be a broad planning
framework for the entire country, identifying development patterns for
different areas, and setting indicative policies for the location of different
types of development in the future. It
is envisaged that the Strategy will guide future infrastructure, industrial,
residential and rural development while providing protection for Ireland's
cultural, natural and environmental heritage, promoting social inclusion and
enhancing quality of life. The Strategy
will also take account of the European Spatial Development Perspective, which
was agreed in 1999 by the 15 EU Ministers responsible for spatial planning.
A report on the scope and delivery of the Strategy
was published in May 2000 (6.4), following consultations with
sectoral, regional and local interests.
The Strategy was expected to be presented to the Government for approval
late in 2001, although it is understood that work on the Strategy is behind
schedule due to the issues associated with foot and mouth disease.
Within the Southern and Eastern Region, the
development objectives include developing Cork, and other urban centres as a
means of alleviating further congestion in Dublin. Other objectives include maintaining a strong economically viable
rural community, maintain and improve the quality of life and distribute
economic growth and its benefits throughout the region. Improved access between Cork and Tralee, via
the N22 corridor, is defined as a Regional priority, and the designation of
N22-N25 route (Tralee – Rosslare) is described as being of strategic economic
importance.
The County Cork Development Plan 1996 is split into
a number of volumes, due to the size and diverse nature of the county. Volume 1 of the Plan, the ‘County at Large’(6.6)
outlines the Council’s general approach to issues common to the county as a
whole, including ‘Regional Development’, ‘Housing and Settlement Policy’,
‘Infrastructure’ and ‘The Environment’.
Each of the proposed routes is wholly within the
South Cork area, which has a specific Regional Development Plan (Volume 2 of
the Cork Development Plan). The Plan
includes specific divisional policies covering the area as a whole, and
discusses local catchment areas in detail.
The Plan is under review, and the next Plan is due
to be published in draft form in December 2001, and placed on display for
public viewing. This will enable the
public and interested bodies to comment on the Plan prior to its publication in
January 2003. (See 11.2.6).
The Plan suggests planning decisions that lead to
fragmentation of farm holdings should be avoided, as census data (since 1971)
indicates that rural districts with above average farm size lost less agricultural
employment.
The Council considers the promotion of tourism a
fundamental part of its development strategy.
To achieve this, essential road improvements are required in a number of
locations, including the Lee Valley Lake road.
Threats to lands of high scenic amenity /ecological
value should be balanced against the resultant loss of environment or amenity
and the consequent overall impact on diminishing natural resources.
The Council will seek to ensure that rights of way
be maintained and protected, particularly where they have a continuing function
for local access or tourism.
The aim of the South Cork Plan (6.7) is
to stimulate growth in South Cork and to guide it so it supports the
development of coherent communities, and encourages a more even spread of
development between them. Other
policies and aims relevant to the N22 road scheme include:
The South Cork plan highlights the necessity of
attracting and retaining jobs. It
identifies the electronics and pharmaceutical sectors as key regional
employers, with substantial electronics businesses already established in
Macroom. The plan states that road
improvements (proposed and underway) will make access to facilities, such as
educational institutions and research facilities in the south west of Cork
city, easier.
A parcel of land to the south of Macroom by
Coolcour has been identified for a substantial industrial site, taking
advantage of the good access to the N22 at that point. The Plan also states that the proposed
bypass of Macroom will skirt north of the town, although no precise route has
yet been determined.
Static or declining population at the periphery of
South Cork is a threat to rural communities.
Improvements to local roads (such
as the Ballincollig bypass) are considered likely to stimulate some housing
growth in nearby towns.
Housing growth is less likely if existing housing
is suffering from visible decay.
Macroom is considered to require a bypass in order to reduce the
environmental impact of traffic on existing housing stock.
The Council will encourage further housing in the
settlements situated to the west of Macroom (including Clondrohid, Kilnamartyra
and Coolea).
The following infrastructure proposals are listed
within the Plan for the Study Area:
·
Bypass of the N22 of
Macroom between Sliabh Riach (6km west of Ballyvourney) and Ballytrasna,
(situated close to Lissarda) at a cost of IR£21million. The realignment of the
section Sliabh Riach to Ballyvourney was completed in 1996 at a cost of I£11.14
million.
·
Major water scheme,
to meet water quality standards is proposed for Macroom (it is understood that
this project was completed in 1998).
·
Major sewerage scheme
for the villages of Ballyvourney and Ballymakeery, to meet wastewater discharge
requirements.
The Council intends to raise the tourism
performance of the Macroom area.
Improvements to the N22 between Macroom and Killarney are considered to
have the potential to encourage tourism in Macroom, although this may also
encourage the present tendency of tourists to pass through on the way to
Killarney.
The detailed design of the road, including
integration with natural features and vegetation is considered by the Plan to
influence the perceptions of the area on the part of tourists using the road to
the Macroom area.
The scenic resources of the Lee Valley will be
protected by preserving the lakeside routes and shorelines from developments
that could detract from scenic views. The Plan also identified a number of
other scenic routes, the views from which should be preserved or improved.
The Council recognises the importance of the
mineral resources of the Lee Valley and will seek to protect these by
preventing the sterilisation of high value gravel and sand deposits by
developments.
The new development plan is
written in a very different style to the 96 document, where policies were
inferred or described. In 2001 draft
document they are clearly defined and numbered. It would appear that there are some policies or objectives in the
old document which do not have a direct comparison in the new document. The specific areas that will be reviewed
prior to finalising this report are:
· Draft Record of
Protected Structures, which is a new inclusion in the 2001 plan.
· Landscape
Character Areas is a new designation in the 2001 plan.
· The Plan
provides details of a number of industrial areas on the outskirts of Macroom,
the boundaries of which are slightly different to those in 96 plan.
· The Plan also
gives details of a different zoned residential area on the outskirts of
Macroom.
The Macroom Development Plan 1996 (6.9)
sets out local policies and strategies in relation to the future development of
the town. The overall long term strategy of Macroom Urban Council, as set out
in policy 3.1, is to actively encourage the development of the town as a
commercial centre with a good industrial base and as a major tourist centre in
the Mid Cork Area. Other policies relevant to the N22 road scheme include:
·
To encourage more
people to live in Macroom (3.1.2)
·
Encourage residential
development within the Urban area (3.1.8a)
·
Encourage infill
housing wherever possible (3.1.8b)
·
The creation of
employment is a top priority for Macroom U.D.C. (3.1.3)
·
Encourage Cork C.C.
& NRA to press ahead with Macroom bypass (3.1.4) and to proceed with the
planning and land acquisition for the proposed bypass (4.2.3)
·
To promote Macroom as
a major tourist centre in Mid Cork and the Lee Valley (3.1.1.2)
·
It is an objective of
the council that the following buildings structures and facades will be
preserved (4.2.11).
- The Castle and Entrance Walls and Gates
- The Castle Tower
- The Former Church of Ireland Church, Castle
Street
- Horgan’s Mill (also known as Bealick Mill)
- Creedon’s Mill
- Electricity Tower at rear of main street
- Irish Foundry and Mill Race at Coolyhane
- The Gazebo in the Castle Grounds, Lackaduff
·
To preserve the known
existing archaeological monuments (i.e. the Recorded
Monuments) within the town (4.2.13).
·
To promote and
actively encourage the protection and enhancement of the natural environment.,
and that the River Sullane scenic landscape and wooded areas be enhanced and
kept free from pollution (3.1.14).
·
To investigate the
possibility of having Macroom declared a designated town under the Urban
Renewal Scheme (4.2.14).
Generally, all routes are also in accordance with
the development, employment and transportation policies and objectives outlined
in Cork Development Plan (1996) and the Macroom Development Plan (1996). All routes also support the policies set out
in the plans to stimulate population and housing growth in Macroom, by
diverting the National Road around the town, thereby reducing the environmental
impact of traffic on the existing housing stock. The diversion of the National Road from the town will in general
support the Macroom Development Plan policies to protect and conserve buildings
of Historical & Architectural Interest and archaeological monuments.
Given that all routes would have a moderate
beneficial impact in terms of compliance with national and regional policies,
the descriptions below concentrate on the differences between the routes at the
county and local level. Where a section
of route has both an adverse and beneficial impact on county and local plans,
the worst case scenario would be considered.
No Impact.
Moderate Adverse Impact. The route passes through an Area of
Scientific Interest and the northern edge of a Scenic Area. This may conflict with Cork C.C.’s policy to
balance development against the resultant loss of environment or amenity. It also crosses Scenic Route A25, conflicting
with Cork County’s policy to protect or improve views from designated scenic
routes.
Moderate Adverse Impact. The route passes through an Area of
Scientific Interest and a Scenic Area.
This may conflict with Cork C.C.’s policy to balance development against
the potential loss of environment or amenity.
Moderate Adverse Impact. The route corridor crosses the Clondrohid
development boundary and splits an area identified in the Cork Development Plan
as specifically zoned for housing development.
This would conflict with Cork C.C.’s policy of encouraging more housing
the villages west of Macroom and also their policy for encouraging infill
development within Clondrohid village. The route would also cross in front of
an area in Clondrohid, from which Cork C.C. has stated that views are to be
maintained, conflicting with a Cork C.C. policy relating to views and
landscape. However, the route provides
a bypass for the town of Macroom, directly supporting both local and county
policies on this issue. This should
also prevent the further deterioration of the housing stock of the town, which
is in accordance with Cork C.C. policies on housing.
Moderate Beneficial Impact. The route provides a bypass for the town of
Macroom, directly supporting both local and county policies on this issue. This should also prevent the further
deterioration of the housing stock of the town, which is in accordance with
Cork C.C. policies on housing. The route
also takes the National route further from the River Sullane and associated
woodland areas, supporting local policies on this issue.
Major Adverse Impact. The route corridor passes through the Lee
Valley area of Recreational and Scenic Importance. This may contravene Cork C.C.’s policy of preserving the Lee
Valley lakeside routes and shorelines from developments that could detract from
scenic views. It also crosses the
Scenic Routes A38 and A39, which may conflict with Cork C.C.’s policy to
protect or improve view from designated scenic routes.
Moderate Adverse Impact. The route corridor passes through an Area of
Scientific Interest (D30), and the southernmost tip of the Lee Valley Area of
Recreational Importance. This may
conflict with Cork C.C.’s policy to balance development against the potential
loss of environment or amenity. The
route also crosses the Scenic route A39 which may conflict with Cork C.C.’s
policy to protect or improve views from designated scenic routes. The end of
the route also crosses the northeast corner of the deep North Vein of gravel
within the Bride Valley, which may conflict with Cork C.C.’s policy to prevent
the sterilisation of mineral resources.
No Impact.
Moderate Adverse Impact. The route passes through an Area of
Scientific Interest and a Scenic Area.
This may conflict with Cork C.C.’s policy to balance development against
the resultant loss of environment or amenity.
It also crosses Scenic Route A25, conflicting with Cork County’s policy
to protect or improve views from designated scenic routes.
Moderate Adverse Impact. The route also passes through an area of
Scientific Interest (D25) and the northern edge of a Scenic Area, which may
conflict with Cork C.C.’s policy to balance development against the resultant
loss of environment or amenity. It also
runs alongside Scenic Route A26, which may conflict with Cork C.C.’s policy to
protect or improve view from designated scenic routes.
Moderate Adverse Impact. The route passes through the northern edge
of an Area of Scientific Interest (D48) and a Scenic Area (to the west of
Macroom). This may conflict with Cork
C.C.’s policy to balance development against the resultant loss of environment
or amenity. It also crosses and runs
alongside Scenic Route A26, which may conflict with Cork C.C.’s policy to
protect or improve view from designated scenic routes.
Moderate Adverse Impact. The route corridor crosses a Scenic Area to
the west of Macroom, which may conflict with Cork C.C.’s policy to balance
development with the resultant loss of amenity. However, the route also
provides a bypass for the town of Macroom, directly supporting both local and
county policies on this issue. This
should also prevent the further deterioration of the housing stock of the town,
which is in accordance with Cork C.C. policies on housing.
Moderate Beneficial Impact. The route provides a bypass for the town of
Macroom, directly supporting both local and county policies on this issue. This should also prevent the further
deterioration of the housing stock of the town, which is in accordance with
Cork C.C. policies on housing.
Moderate Adverse Impact. The route crosses an area of Scientific
Importance (D47), and the scenic route A38, conflicting with Cork C.C.’s
policies to balance development with resultant loss of amenity, and to preserve
or improve views from designated scenic routes.
Major Adverse Impact. The route crosses an Area of Scientific
Importance (D47), which conflicts with Cork C.C.’s policies to balance development
with the resultant loss of amenity. It
also crosses and runs alongside the Carrigadrohid reservoir contravening Cork
C.C.’s policy of preserving the Lee Valley lakeside routes and shorelines from
development.
No Impact.
Moderate Adverse Impact. The end of the route passes through an area
rich in productive gravel deposits, the deep North Vein within the Bride
Valley. The sterilisation of these
deposits by road construction would conflict with Cork C.C.’s policy of
protection of mineral resources.
Moderate Adverse Impact. The route passes through an area rich in
productive gravel deposits. The
sterilisation of these deposits by road construction would conflict with Cork
C.C.’s policy of protection of mineral resources. However, the majority of this
section of the route skirts the southern edge of the deep North Vein,
minimising any impact on mineral resources.
The route also crosses an Area of Scientific Interest (D30), which
conflicts with Cork C.C.’s policy of balancing development with the potential
loss of amenity.
Moderate Adverse Impact. The route crosses the Area of Scientific
Interest D30, which may conflict with Cork C.C.’s policy of balancing
development with the potential loss of amenity.
No Impact.
Major Adverse Impact. The route corridor skirts the edge of a
wooded picnic area and the scenic route A38 conflicting with Cork C.C. policies
to balance development with the resultant loss of amenity, and to preserve or
improve views from designated scenic routes. It also crosses the Carrigadrohid
reservoir contravening Cork C.C.’s policy of preserving the Lee Valley lakeside
routes and shorelines from development.
Major Adverse Impact. The route corridor crosses and runs
alongside the Scenic Route A39 which may conflict with Cork County’s policy to
protect or improve views from designated scenic routes. It also runs alongside
the edge of the Lee Valley reservoirs and crosses the Lee Valley Area of
Recreation and Landscape Importance it at its southernmost tip, contravening
Cork C.C.’s policy of preserving the Lee Valley lakeside routes and shorelines
from development and conflicting with Cork C.C. policies to balance development
with the potential loss of amenity.
Major Adverse Impact. The route crosses the Area of Scientific
Interest (D47), which may conflict with Cork C.C.’s policy to balance
development against the resultant loss of environment or amenity. The route also crosses the Scenic route A38,
which may conflict with Cork C.C.’s policy to protect or improve views from
designated scenic routes. It also
crosses the Carrigadrohid reservoir contravening Cork C.C.’s policy of
preserving the Lee Valley lakeside routes and shorelines from development.
No Impact.
Moderate Adverse Impact. The end of the route passes through an area
rich in productive gravel deposits, the shallow Southern Vein within the Bride
Valley. The sterilisation of these
deposits by road construction would conflict with Cork C.C.’s policy of
protection of mineral resources.
However, as this is an area of shallow gravel deposits only, it is
possible that these could be worked out prior to the construction of the road.
Moderate Adverse Impact. The route crosses the Area of Scientific
Interest D30, which may conflict with Cork C.C.’s policy to balance development
with the resultant loss of amenity. The
route also passes through an area of gravel deposits (the shallow southern
vein), the sterilisation of which would conflict with Cork C.C.’s policy of
protection of mineral resources. However,
it is understood that the Knockanemore Quarry is likely to be worked out in the
near future, and thus should not be affected.
Moderate Adverse Impact. The route also crosses a Scenic area to the west
of Macroom, conflicting with Cork C.C.’s policy to balance development with the
potential loss of amenity.
Major Adverse Impact. The route corridor passes through the Lee
Valley area of Recreational and Scenic Importance. This may contravene Cork C.C.’s policy of preserving the Lee
Valley lakeside routes and shorelines from developments that could detract from
scenic views. It also crosses Scenic
Route A38, which may conflict with Cork C.C.’s policy to protect or improve
view from designated scenic routes.
No Impact.
Moderate Adverse Impact. The route passes through an area rich in
productive gravel deposits, split between the deep North Vein, and shallower
Southern Vein Bride Valley gravel deposits.
The sterilisation of these deposits by road construction would conflict
with Cork C.C.’s policy of protection of mineral resources.
Typically, where required
and if viable to do so, local materials, resources and services would be
utilized in the construction of a major road scheme such as the
Ballyvourney-Macroom-Ballincollig Road Project. For instance, local gravel or sand deposits may be imported
during the construction process where localized shortfalls in the cut/fill
balance occur.
Extraction and utilization
of these locally sourced gravels and sands presents two minor benefits. Firstly, to local business and
employment. Secondly, by using locally
sourced materials in its construction as and where required, the
Ballyvourney-Macroom-Ballincollig Road Project would effectively assist in the
protection of mineral/gravel deposits from sterilization by the construction of
the scheme or other developments.
Measures to ensure the viability of other policies
would be developed during the detailed design stage.
All of the routes are in
accordance with the National Roads Needs Study, the National Development Plan
and the Southern and Eastern NUTS II Region Development Strategy and would
therefore have a moderate beneficial impact.
Generally all routes are
also in accordance with policies and objectives relating to development,
employment and transport set out in the County Cork Development Plan and
Macroom Development Plan and would therefore also have a minor beneficial
impact.
The impact of the routes
on planning policies has been considered separately for the western
(Ballyvourney –Macroom) and eastern (Macroom – Ballincollig) sections.
For the Ballyvourney to
Macroom section, the preferred routes are the Yellow and the Green/Link1/Yellow
routes as they avoid crossing the Clondrohid development boundary to the west
of Macroom. The Green route (between
nodes 1 and 6) is the least preferred because of this reason.
All route options between
Macroom and Ballincollig cross one or other of the Lee Valley reservoirs
contravening Cork CC policies on preserving these shorelines and lakeside
routes free from development. In addition to crossing the reservoirs, the
Yellow, Red and Link 3 routes run alongside them for a number of kilometres,
such that a longer stretch of road would be visible from the opposite
shoreline. Both the Yellow and Blue
routes cross notable areas of productive mineral deposits some of which may be
likely to be sterilised if the road followed these routes, conflicting with Cork
CC policies to protect mineral resources in the county. The Yellow and the Yellow/Link6/Blue routes
would potentially have the most impact on mineral resources, as both these
routes would cross the deep northern vein of gravel, whereas the Blue route
would traverse the significantly shallower southern vein. The preferred route between Macroom and
Ballincollig is therefore the Green route.
The routes, in order of
preference for the section between Macroom and Ballincollig, are as follows:
· Green route
· Green/Link3/Red
· Red
· Blue & Yellow/Link4/Blue
· Yellow & Yellow/Link6/Blue
6.1 McCarthy, Hyder &
Tobin. 2001. Ballyvourney – Macroom – Ballincollig Road Project. Constraints Study Report
6.2 National Roads Needs
Study (1998),
6.3 National Development
Plan, 2000 - 2006,
6.4 National Spatial
Strategy –Scope and Delivery (May 2000)
6.5 Southern and Eastern
NUTS II Region, Development Strategy 2000 – 2006
6.6 Cork County
Development Plan: County at Large 1996.
6.7 Cork County
Development Plan: South Cork 1996.
6.8 Variations to the 1996
County Development Plan. Cork County Council 1999
6.9 Macroom Development
Plan. Macroom Urban District Council 1996
6.10 Members Draft Version
of Cork County Council Development Plan 2001