This report compares the
impact on Agriculture of the alternative routes being considered for the
improvement of the N22 from Ballyvourney to Ballincollig. When constructed the proposed N22
Ballyvourney - Macroom - Ballincollig scheme will consume agricultural land and
may affect agriculture in the following ways:
· pass through agricultural land;
· cause severance of farms;
· cause disturbance to farming activities;
· reduce the agricultural land area;
· cause access problems to land.
The level and severity of
this impact varies between farms and between proposed routes. This report compares the route options with
regard to agriculture in general rather than the effect on individual farmers.
In assessing impacts, the
following significance criteria have been used:
|
Impact |
Significance Criteria |
|
Severe adverse impact |
Loss of mainly excellent
quality land. A high level of affected
land parcels are used in intensive farming operations such as dairy and other
livestock enterprises. |
|
Major adverse impact |
Loss of mainly good
quality land. Land use is arable or grassland
based with the majority of parcels involved in intensive livestock
enterprises. Some farm buildings will
be impacted upon. |
|
Moderate adverse impact |
Loss of mainly average
quality land. Land use is arable or
grassland based with the majority of parcels involved in less intensive
livestock enterprises. |
|
Minor adverse impact |
Loss of mainly poor
quality land. Land use is mainly
grassland based with the majority of parcels involved in extensive livestock
enterprises. |
|
No impact |
Agriculture is not
affected. Land use is either non
agricultural or the land is not suitable for agriculture. |
|
Minor beneficial impact |
Improvement in land
drainage and accessibility to affected land parcels. |
A description of land quality
types and ratings is presented in Table 1, Appendix
14.
The average farm size in the study area in 1991 (1991 Census of
Agriculture (14.1)) was 24ha to 36ha, although in the district to
the extreme east of the study area, the average farm size rises from 36ha to
63ha. This compares with a national
average of 26ha. At least half of all
the farms in the study area are likely to be fragmented (composed of a number
of parcels of land). In common with the
rest of the country there has been a general decline in the number of farm
holdings in the study area, over the period 1960 - 1980 (1). This would be in the order of 7 to 10% in
the eastern portion of the Study Area and 0 to 7 % in the western portion of
the study area. The study area is
characterised by the predominance of grazing land and a significant proportion
of the farmers would derive over 50% of their income from dairying. It is understood
that the above represents the most recent information available. An agricultural census was due to occur in
2001, but has been postponed due to the precautions taken against the spread of
the foot and mouth disease virus.
Economic size is a measure
of the scale of the farm business and is measured in terms of European Size
Units (ESU). One ESU is equivalent to
1200 ECU of standard gross margin. High
standard gross margin is associated with Tillage and Dairying whereas low
standard gross margin is associated with Beef and Sheep. Within the area of Macroom to Ballincollig
section of the Study Area the average ESU would be 0.6 or above. In the section from Ballyvourney to Macroom,
the average ESU is in the range 0.5 to 0.6.
This compares with a national average of 0.45. Further details on gross margins of farming enterprises is
presented in Appendix 14.
The soil parent materials through
which the routes would pass is in general Sandstone till and Bedrock. The soils
of the Study Area are in general podzols and brown earths. Tillage would comprise an above average
proportion of agriculture compared with other parts of the country.
Agricultural land quality
is described in Appendix 14. The better land would be considered highly
suitable for both tillage and grassland.
The grasslands would be considered high and moderately-high quality
pasture and meadow on deep, well-drained soils. They would likely to be low in
species number dominated by perennial rye grass.
Precipitation would be in
the range of 1200mm to 1400mm per year and the grass growing season is
approximately 300 days long with a grazing season of more than 250 days likely.
There is some excellent
land along all routes but also some poorer land along all proposed routes. As a consequence some land would have a high
agricultural production value while more of the land would be of lesser
agricultural value.
This area generally
contains poorer land well below the average in County Cork. Field size and farm size are also smaller
than the average. The routes being
considered either lie along the N22 or within a distance of 3.5km to the north.
The land is undulating, with extensive scrub on rocky ground. Farming in this area is very mixed with beef
and sheep rearing predominating although there is still some dairying. There is little tillage. The quality of farmland can vary from good
reclaimed land to adjacent scrub. As
farming is more marginal large numbers of farmers are participating in the
Rural Environmental Protection Scheme (REPS). Clearly many farms are supported
by off farm income.
Most farms in this section
from Ballyvourney to Macroom would be mixed.
The farm enterprises affected by the routes will be engaged in a mixture
of sheep, beef farming and the rearing of sucklers. Some farms will concentrate on the production of milk and there
are also some specialised suckler farmers in the area. Some farmers would sell
all animals born before they are 1 year old, while other farmers would rear to
beef some or all progeny born on the farm.
In contrast to the area to
the west of Macroom, this section contains above average quality land more
typical of County Cork. The routes
examined in this section run west to east, extending up to 8km to the north and
2km to the south of the existing N22.
The topography of the land varies enormously within this area. Height above sea level varies between 20m
and 200m. North of the existing N22
there is the flooded valley of the River Lee, forming the Carrigadrohid and
Inishcarra Reservoirs which bisects this area. The reservoir was created when the valley through which the River
Lee flows was flooded in 1954 by the Electricity Supply Board for the Lee
Hydroelectric Scheme. South of the
existing N22 there is the river valley of the River Bride and running along the
north of the existing N22 there is a steep escarpment.
Almost all land farmed is
under continuous grassland pastures however tillage is increasingly present
from west to east. There are some areas
with very high water tables along all proposed routes, most of which is good
summer grazing land but which would be of restricted use during late-autumn or
in early-spring as some of this land could become wet or water logged and be
susceptible to trampling by farm animals making the ground rutted and muddy.
Field sizes are reasonably
large in most areas along each of the routes.
The lands would generally have been well managed and intensively farmed
down through the years and fields are generally divided by good quality and
regularly managed hedgerows, water courses and also some earthen banks.
Farm sizes in this section
are also above the national average which is more typical of County Cork than
those to the west of Macroom.
Most farms in this section
from Macroom to Ballincollig are likely to be large and profitable. The farm enterprises affected by the routes
will be engaged in a mixture of dairying, beef farming and the rearing of
sucklers. Some farms will concentrate
on the production of milk. There is
also extensive tillage. Some of this
tillage land produces maize and other fodder crops which is typical of
intensive farming. There is also some cereal production and horticultural
crops.
Details of land quality
and also land-take within each section are presented in Appendix 14.
Minor Adverse Impact. This
section commences beside the Owengarve River.
The route runs through a valley and the height of the land varies
between 130m OD and 200m OD. The land
is a mixture of grassland, rock and rocky land covered with scrub. The grassland is reclaimed land. The higher slopes of the valley would not be
suitable for agriculture and would receive a rating of zero for land
quality. The reclaimed grassland would
be moderately productive and would receive a rating of 3. Overall this section receives a rating of
1.7.
Minor Adverse Impact. The route
passes to the north of the village of Ballyvourney and runs through the Sullane
River valley. The land is a mixture of
grassland, rock and rocky land covered with scrub and land under deciduous
trees. Most of the land is not used for
productive agriculture. Overall this
section receives a rating of 1.0.
Minor Adverse Impact. To the
east of Node 3 the land quality improves. The route runs along the
Dangansallagh River valley. The height
of the land varies from 140m OD on the valley floor to over 200m on the sides
of the surrounding hills. Much of the
land is grassland which has often been reclaimed. However there are also
extensive areas of scrub on rocky land particularly in the valley between
Knockanure and Cappagh East. The rating
of the land varies from 1 on the extensive scrub to 3 on the better of the grassland. Overall the quality of the land receives a
rating of 2.2. The grassland is used
for the rearing of beef, sucklers and sheep.
Moderate Adverse
Impact. The route runs through the Dangansallagh River valley. The height of the land varies from 150m to
120m OD. East of Node 4 there are
extensive areas of scrub on rocky land.
As the route approaches Clondrohid the land quality improves such that
to the immediate west of Clondrohid there is mainly reclaimed grassland with
less scrub and rocky land. To the east of Clondrohid the land quality improves
again with larger field sizes passing through deciduous woodland prior to Node
6. The rating of the land varies from 1 on the extensive scrub to 3 on the
better of the grassland. Overall the
quality of the land receives a rating of 2.6.
The grassland is used for the rearing of beef, sucklers and sheep.
Moderate Adverse
Impact. This section of the Green Route passes to the north of
Macroom. The land is grassland, some of
which has parkland characteristics such as expansive field sizes and mature
single trees. Approaching the River
Laney there is more grassland and also tillage which is mainly under maize. Agriculture is mixed although beef
rearing predominates. The amount of
tillage decreases on the eastern side of the River Laney. Farming is still mixed with beef and
sucklers predominating.
The land quality on this
section receives a rating of 3.3
Major Adverse Impact. East of
Node 9 the Green Route passes through land of above average quality, which is
grassland used for beef and dairying.
There are belts of deciduous trees amongst good grassland where the
Green Route crosses the Glashagarriff River valley.
The land quality on the
eastern side of the Glashagarriff River is of average quality only. The land is under grass and maize. North of Coachford the route passes through
a conifer plantation after which, between Clonteadmore and Dereen, the Green
Route swings to the south east. This land is mainly grassland used for dairying
and raising sucklers, with some tillage also. This pattern of agriculture on
excellent land continues to the point where the Green Route crosses the River
Lee. On the southern bank of the River
Lee the Green Route again passes over excellent quality land, which is mainly
tillage, used for cereals and market gardening with some grass and also a golf
course.
From Srelane Crossroads to
Node 14 the land quality is above average with the land used for a mixture of
tillage and grassland.
Overall land quality of
this section of the Green route receives a rating of 4.25, which means that it
traverses some of the best land considered.
Major Adverse Impact. A mixture
of grassland and tillage. There is an increasing amount of non-agricultural
use. The land quality rating is 4.
Minor Adverse Impact. This
section commences beside the Owengarve River.
The route runs through a valley, the height which varies between 130m OD
and 200m OD. The land is a mixture of grassland (reclaimed land), rock and
rocky land covered with scrub. The
higher slopes of the valley would not be suitable for agriculture and would
receive a rating of zero for land quality.
The reclaimed grassland would be moderately productive and would receive
a rating of 3. Overall the land quality
of this section receives a rating of 1.7.
Minor Adverse Impact. The route
passes to the north of the village of Ballyvourney, running through the Sullane
River valley. The land is a mixture of
grassland, rock and rocky land covered with scrub and land under deciduous
trees. Most of the land is not used for
productive agriculture. Overall this
section receives a rating of 1.0.
Minor Adverse Impact. To the
east of Node 3 the land quality improves. The height of the land varies from
140m OD on the valley floor to over 200m on the sides of the surrounding
hills. Much of the land is grassland
(often reclaimed), used for the rearing of beef, sucklers and sheep. To the east of Ballymakeery the land quality
deteriorates as the Yellow Route crosses an area of scrub as it approaches Node
3a. The general land quality of this section is 1.9.
Minor Adverse Impact. From Node
3a the Yellow route continues through scrub land. After crossing the existing
N22 the land quality improves slightly so that around Coolnacaheragh land
quality is fair. However, between Coolavokig and Lissacresig land quality
becomes poorer again with extensive scrub.
East of Lissacresig land quality improves more consistently through to
Node 5 where the land quality rating rises to 3.
Overall the land quality
between nodes 3a and 5 receives a rating of 1.4. Agriculture is based on
grassland, which is used for the rearing of beef, sucklers and sheep.
Moderate Adverse
Impact. From Node 5 the Yellow Route crosses a strip of grassland
followed by a strip of tillage and passes to the north of Macroom. The route then passes through further
grassland up to Node 6. Some of this
grassland has parkland characteristics such as expansive field sizes and mature
single trees. Overall the land quality
rating on this section is 3.0.
Moderate Adverse
Impact. This section of the route commences to the north of Macroom and
runs along the Sullane River. Land-use
is a mixture of urban uses with grassland and tillage on the non-urban
sections. Overall the land quality
rating on this section is 3.0.
Moderate Adverse
Impact. This section of the route runs on to the east of Macroom running
along the Sullane River. Landuse is a
mixture urban uses with grassland and tillage on the non-urban sections. Overall the land quality rating on this
section is 3.0.
Moderate Adverse
Impact. From Node 7a to Node 8 the Yellow route runs along the existing
N22 and similarly to the existing N22, it crosses the River Lee at the western
end of the Carrigadrohid Reservoir. The
quality of the land on this section of the route is average. While there is none of the poorer land
described to the west of Macroom none of the land is exceptional. To the south of Node 7 the land is a mixture
of urban and industrial uses with grassland located on the lower reaches of a
shallow valley. As the route runs along the Carrigadrohid Reservoir the land is
mainly under grass with some tillage. Farming on this section of the route
would be mixed with the land mainly being used to rear beef but with some
sucklers and dairying.
The overall quality of the
land on this section is 2.7.
Moderate Adverse
Impact. From Node 8 the Yellow Route moves away from the reservoir. The quality of the land is average to
good. The land is mainly under grass
but there is some tillage including maize.
From Ballymichael to Stage
Crossroads the Yellow Route passes along the southern slopes of a shallow
valley. Because of the valley the land
is undulating and the grassland has an extensive presence of deciduous trees.
The better quality land on this section of the route is to the south. The land is predominantly grassland but
there is some tillage, which is mainly maize.
The predominant enterprises
are beef and dairy farms. The overall
land quality on this section is 3.8.
Moderate Adverse
Impact. This section of the route runs along the existing N22 from Stage
Crossroads. From Stage Crossroads to
Farnanes there is an escarpment to the north.
South of this escarpment the land is average to good, and is generally
under grass with some tillage. Again the predominant enterprises are beef and
dairy farms. Around Farnanes there is much deciduous woodland indicating less
productive agriculture.
Between Farnanes and
Currahaly Cross Roads the land is average. The land is mainly grassland but to
the south of the existing N22 there are large fields under tillage mainly
maize. Approaching Currahaly Cross Roads the Yellow Route moves south away from
the existing N22.
Approaching Node 12 the
land quality is above average. Land use
is a mixture of tillage and grassland.
This section of the Yellow Route from Node 11 to 12 receives a rating of
3.3
Major Adverse Impact. From Node
12 there is more tillage used for a variety of crops including maize, cereals,
swedes and horticultural crops. The
Yellow Route passes to the south of an extensive quarry to the south of Srelane
Crossroads. Overall the land quality
from Node 12 to Node 15 is 3.8.
Major Adverse Impact. A mixture
of grassland and tillage. There is an
increasing amount of non-agricultural use.
The land quality rating is 4.0.
Moderate Adverse
Impact. Land use along this section of the Red route is a mixture of
grassland & tillage. Overall the
land quality rating on this section is 3.
Moderate Adverse
Impact. The Red Route heads east, running between the high ground at
Ummera and Knockarrranaun to the north and Coolacareen to the south. Between Node 7b and the River Lee Reservoir
the land is undulating. The land in
this area is average to below average and is mainly under grass. Where the route passes through the narrower
stretches of the valley there is extensive deciduous woodland. The main farm enterprises are dairying and
some beef.
The stretch of the Red
route east of the crossing of the River Lee traverses above average land that
is under grass. The land quality falls
to below average between Bawnatemple and Mahallagh. In addition to beef and dairying there are suckler farms in this
area. Approaching Node 13 the route
runs along the valley of the River Kame and the land quality rises to above
average.
Overall land quality of
this section of the red route receives a rating of 2.8.
Major Adverse Impact. West of
Node 13 the red route runs along the reservoir. The land quality here is above
average and under grass as far as Aglish.
Between Aglish and south of Ballineadig the land quality is
excellent. This is reflected in the
preponderance of tillage to the south of Ballineadig. From the south of Ballineadig the Red Route runs just to the
north of the existing N22 passing through above average quality land which is
used for grassland, recreation and tillage.
At Srelane Crossroads
there is an extensive quarry. From here to Node 14 the land quality is above
average with the land being used for a mixture of tillage and grassland.
Overall the land quality
of this section of the Red route receives a rating of 4.1, which means that
this section of the route traverses some of the best land considered.
Moderate Adverse Impact. Initially
from Node 7b the Blue Route runs along the R618. The land in this area is a
mixture of industrial use, scrub and grassland. The Blue Route then travels south east across an area surrounded
on three sides by the Carrigadrohid Reservoir. The land in this area is mainly
grassland used for the rearing of beef and sheep. There is also some tillage under maize.
The route then crosses the
Reservoir and continues in a south easterly direction. On the southern bank of
the Reservoir there is grassland of average quality but the quality declines as
scrub becomes present west of the Curragh. Land quality improves again
approaching Curragh and the grassland gives way to a mixture of tillage and
grassland. Overall the land quality
receives a rating of 2.9.
Moderate Adverse
Impact. From Node 10 the route passes through an area of deciduous trees
and scrub. This is followed by an area
under a mixture of grassland and tillage. The tillage is mainly maize. Overall the land quality receives a rating
of 3.0.
Moderate Adverse
Impact. From Node 11 the route passes to the north of Crookstown. The land is used for tillage and grass and
is above average quality to Cloughduv.
The main farming enterprises are beef and dairying.
West of Cloughduv the land
quality is above average mainly under grassland. Between Coolmucky and Aherla
Beg the land quality becomes poorer. Land is used for beef, dairying and
sucklers. East of Aherla land quality
improves to above average. Land use is grassland with a significant proportion
of tillage. Approaching Node 12a the
Blue Route crosses the River Bride. Overall the land quality receives a rating
of 3.0.
Moderate Adverse
Impact. From Node 12a the Blue Route passes through grassland and
tillage. Tillage is a mixture of crops such as maize but there are also
horticultural crops such as brussel sprouts.
Overall the land quality receives a rating of 3.2.
Minor Adverse Impact. East of
Node 4 there are extensive areas of scrub on rocky land. However from Curra to Glananarig the land
quality improves so that by Node 5 the land quality rating rises to 3. The
rating of the land varies from 1 on the extensive scrub to 3 on the better of
the grassland. The grassland is used
for the rearing of beef, sucklers and sheep.
Overall the land quality receives a rating of 1.9.
Major Adverse Impact. The land
is above average quality used for beef and dairying. There is a small amount of tillage. Just before the route crosses the River Lee there is a belt of
deciduous woodland.
On the southern bank of
the River Lee the land is excellent and is used for rearing beef cattle and
sucklers. Overall the land quality
receives a rating of 4.1.
Moderate Adverse
Impact. The section between Nodes 8 and 10 passes through grassland,
tillage and forestry. Overall the land
quality receives a rating of 3.0.
Moderate Adverse
Impact. The section passes through a field of grass and another of
tillage. The link receives an overall
rating of 3.5.
The impact of a road
scheme on land holdings can exert varying levels of impact and severance on
farm businesses depending on:
· The extent/area of land taken. Small land-take on a large farm would have
minimal impact whereas on a smaller farm, the effect would be proportionally
much greater.
· The location of land taken. If the loss of land is along a boundary
there would be no severance, as the holding remains in one parcel, whereas
splitting a farm into a number of holdings, particularly a dairy business,
would have a much greater effect, even if the land-take was the same.
· Quality of land taken. Land-take on a farm of lower quality land, with low yields, may
have a greater impact on that farm than on an equivalent sized holding with
better land quality.
The following describes
the various types of impacts and potential mitigation measures:
This is the main criterion
available to determine agricultural impact.
In general, this impact cannot be mitigated by physical works.
Consequently mitigation is by compensation through the acquisition process.
This impact is dependent
not only on the final alignment of the route but also on the degree to which
the existing minor road network is maintained.
Routes that are distant from existing roads tend to cause slightly less
of this type of severance. Reconnecting
the severed pieces of land to the public road network can mitigate this
impact. Providing an accommodation road
running parallel to the new road to the nearest public road would in general
achieve this. If access to the public road network cannot be provided then the
land severed from the public road network will be required to be purchased.
Routes passing through
areas in which smaller holdings predominate sever a larger number of farm
enterprises than those passing through areas where larger holdings
predominate. In addition to this, the
viability of smaller holdings are more likely to be compromised through
severance as the size of the resulting severed parcels tend to be smaller. However, smaller farm enterprises tend to be
those that are least viable irrespective of severance. Larger farms tend to have the highest levels
of investment and higher levels of production.
As a result of the new road
construction portions of land may be severed from a particular holding.
The degree of impact is
dependent on the type of agriculture for which the land is used and its
proximity to farm buildings.
· Dairy
farms - Dairy cattle require daily
access from the paddocks in which they graze to a milking parlour. Some dairy farms do not milk all year round
but those supplying the winter milk market do and the impact here is most
acute.
· Suckler/Beef
farms - Daily movement of stock is
not required as in the case of a dairy farm.
However stock are frequently moved.
Fields close to the farm buildings are of particular use as they may be
used for stock needing particular care.
· Sheep
farms - As with Beef farms daily movement of stock is not
required as in the case of a dairy farm.
However stock are frequently moved.
Fields close to the farm buildings are of particular use as they may be
used for stock needing particular care. It should be noted though, that outside
of the lambing season sheep require less care than cattle.
· Tillage
farms - Severance is less severe
than the categories listed above.
Possible mitigation
measures would include:
· Provision of accommodation roads running along the
new road where parcels of severed land are on the same side of the new road.
· Provision of an underpass where parcels of severed
land are on opposite sides of the new road.
Underpasses are most easily provided where the vertical alignment of the
new road is on an embankment. If the
road is not on an embankment it may still be possible to provide an underpass
but this depends on whether drainage to the underpass can be provided. Amongst other factors the usefulness of an
underpass depends on size. This can
range from those suitable for the movement of stock only up to those allowing
the movement of large farm machinery.
· Provision of an overpass where parcels of severed
land are on opposite sides of the new road is normally only considered when an
underpass cannot be provided and the result of severance is particularly
severe.
Given the cost of such
accommodation works it is normal to try to combine such facilities for several
farms. However this reduces the level
of mitigation as shared facilities increase the possibility of the spread of
disease. Disinfection facilities can be provided to reduce this risk.
The number of farm
buildings potentially impacted on is a more useful indicator of the potential
severance that each route will cause.
Physical works do not
normally mitigate this impact.
Consequently mitigation is by compensation through the acquisition
process.
Physical works do not
normally mitigate this impact.
Consequently mitigation is by compensation through the acquisition process.
Animal handling facilities may however be provided in addition to accommodation
roads and bridges.
The loss of water supply
to land due to the scheme could be mitigated through physical works, such as
piping water or construction of new wells.
Where physical works cannot achieve suitable mitigation for the loss of
water supply, the matter could be dealt with during the acquisition process.
In order to aid comparison
the routes to the west of Macroom are considered separately to those to the
east of Macroom.
The landtake and the
average land quality for the routes to the west of Macroom are presented in
Table 14.1.
Table
14.1: Route option comparison west of Macroom.
|
Route Section |
Length |
Land Take |
Average Land Quality |
|
Green Ballyvourney to Macroom |
16.8km |
83.7ha |
2.3 |
|
Green / Link 1 / Yellow |
17.2km |
85.9ha |
2.2 |
|
Yellow Ballyvourney to
Macroom |
17.1km |
83.6ha |
1.8 |
*Single-carriageway is taken as being 50m between boundary
fences
The Yellow route would
impact on the lowest quality land and would also require the least
landtake. However, it should be noted
that this route has the potential to impact most on agricultural buildings,
which have predominantly been constructed directly adjacent to the existing N22
for convenience of access
The Green and
Green/Link/Yellow Routes impact on similar quality land, although the Green
Route affects slightly better land. The Green Route also requires less land
than the Green/Link/Yellow Route and is therefore the least preferred route.
Although the Yellow Route
requires less land and affects more farmers and farm buildings than the Green
or Green/Link/Yellow routes it is still deemed to have the least impact, as the
quality of the land affected is poor, and is therefore the preferred route,
west of Macroom.
The order of preference is
as follows:
Yellow
(most preferred)
Green/Link/Yellow
Green
For all the routes under consideration
the better quality land affected is just to the west of Ballincollig with
sections Nodes 9 to 14 and Nodes 14 to 16 (Green) and Nodes 13 to 14 (Red)
passing through the best of the land examined.
The better quality land for the Blue route and the yellow route is also
to the west of Ballincollig but not of quite as high a quality as the Red or
Green route sections.
Table 14.2: Route option
comparison east of Macroom
|
Route Section |
Length |
Land Take* |
Average Land Quality |
|
Green |
24.0km |
121.2ha |
4.0 |
|
Red |
24.3km |
118.1ha |
3.4 |
|
Green/Link 3/Red |
23.5km |
119.6ha |
3.9 |
|
Blue |
26.0km |
154.3ha |
3.0 |
|
Yellow |
26.9km |
159.0ha |
3.3 |
|
Yellow / Link4 / Blue |
25.9km |
160.2ha |
3.0 |
|
Yellow / Link6 / Blue |
27.1km |
160.7ha |
3.3 |
*Single-carriageway and Wide single-carriageway is taken
as being 50m between boundary fences.
Dual-carriageway is taken as being 60m
between boundary fences
East of Macroom, the Green
route affects significantly better quality land than the other options. This is the determining factor in choice of
this option as least preferred in terms of agriculture, as it would have the
greatest impact. The Green/Link/Red
route has the next greatest impact on agriculture, as the average land quality
is only marginally lower at 3.9.
The Red Route,
Yellow/Link6/Blue Route and the Yellow Route impact on land of similar overall
quality. However the Yellow and the Yellow/Link6/Blue routes require more land,
as these routes would be longer and are therefore ranked as having the joint
third highest impact, with the Red Route having the fourth-highest impact on
agriculture.
The Yellow/Link 4/Blue
Route and the Blue Route are judged to have the least impact on agriculture
east of Macroom, and are hence the preferred routes in terms of agriculture.
The order of preference
for the section to the east of Macroom is as follows:
Blue
& Yellow/Link 4/Blue (most preferred)
Red
Yellow
& Yellow/Link6/Blue
Green
/ Link3/ Red
Green
Route (least preferred)
14.1
Central Statistics
Office. Irish Agriculture in Transition – A census of atlas of agriculture in
the Republic of Ireland