Chapter 6: Infrastructure and Environmental Services

Section 6.2           Public Wastewater Collection and Treatment

(Amendment No. 39) Amend Section 6.2 ‘Public Wastewater Collection and Treatment’ (page 127):- deleted text in red, new text in green as follows:

6.2      Public Wastewater Collection and Treatment

Irish Water is responsible for the delivery, integration and implementation of strategic  public wastewater projects and infrastructural improvements in the County. There are currently 25 no. public wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) in the County. The upgrade of Tullow WWTP is at an advanced stage of design with construction proposed to commence in 2021.  The upgrade of Tullow WWTP upgrade is currently at construction stage with anticipated timeframe for completion in Q4 2023.  The anticipated timeframe for completion of the Muinebheag/Leighlinbridge WWTP upgrade is Q1 2024.  Improvement and upgrade works are also proposed for Mortarstown WWTP in Carlow, and Borris WWTP.  At the lower end of the settlement hierarchy, there are constraints in three of the Larger Serviced Villages, and Irish Water has recently announced funding for the provision of a WWTP upgrade at Ballinabrannagh under the “Small Towns and Villages Growth Programme” (STVGP).

Irish Water will commence a Drainage Area Plan (DAP) for Carlow Town in Q1 2022.  The DAP will assess the performance of the wastewater networks in the town.  In parallel with the DAP, a Strategic Network Development Plan is also being progressed by Irish Water for Carlow Town, which will be high-level study that will help inform how undeveloped zoned sites within the town could be serviced. 

Irish Water and Carlow County Council are continually progressing sewer rehabilitation activities, capital maintenance activities and other such works. Irish Water and Carlow County Council will continue to monitor the performance of the networks to ensure that the most urgent works are prioritised as required over the Plan period.

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Section 6.4           Wastewater Treatment – Commercial and Tourism Uses

(Amendment No. 40) Include additional text in green to policy WT P1, Section 6.4 ‘Wastewater Treatment- Commercial and Tourism Uses’ (page 129) as follows:

WT P1: Ensure that the proposed wastewater treatment system for development in unserviced areas complies with the relevant EPA Code of Practice, the Water Framework Directive, the National River Basin Management Plan 2018-2021 (as maybe updated) and the Habitats Directive.  There will be a general presumption that development will be focused into areas that are serviced by public wastewater collection networks where available.

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Section 6.5           Surface Water Drainage / SuDS - Policies

(Amendment No. 41) Insert additional text to policy SW P2 to Section 6.5 ‘Surface Water Drainage/SuDS - Policies’ (page 130), new text in green as follows:

Ensure, as an alternative to underground tanks and piped outfalls to watercourses, that all development proposals incorporate Sustainable Drainage Systems and promote the use of green infrastructure e.g. green roofs, green walls, planting and green spaces for surface water retention purposes, as an integrated part of SuDS and maximise the multi-functional potential of these systems including  benefits for biodiversity and amenity value wherever possible.

 

(Amendment No. 42) Insert additional policies to Section 6.5 ‘Surface Water Drainage-SuDS - Policies’ (page 130), new text in green as follows:

SW P5: Seek to minimise in as far as is practical the discharge of additional surface water to combined (foul and surface water) sewers (in existing combined sewer serviced areas) in order to maximise the capacity of existing collection systems for foul water.

SW P6: Require all new developments to provide a separate foul and surface water drainage system and to incorporate sustainable urban drainage systems where appropriate in new development and the public realm.

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Section 6.6.5       Management of Certain Waste Resources 

(Amendment No. 43) Amend Section 6.6.5  ‘Management of Certain Waste Resources’ Construction and Demolition Waste  (page 132) :- deleted text in red, new text in green as follows:

Construction and Demolition Waste: Reuse and recycling of construction and demolition waste will be supported by the Council. The Council will have regard to and require compliance with the ‘Best Practice Guidelines on the Preparation of Waste Management Plans for Construction and Demolition Projects’ (July 2006), in the management of waste from construction and demolition projects with EPA’s ‘Best Practice Guidelines for the Preparation of Resource Management Plans for Construction & Demolition Projects 2021 in the management of waste from construction and demolition projects, which supersedes previous 2006 Guidelines published by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

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Section 6.8      Information and Communications Technology

(Amendment No. 44) Insert additional text in green to Section 6.8 ‘Information and Communications Technology’ (page 137) as follows:

6.8          Information and Communications Technology

Telecommunications investment is essential for furthering the social and economic development of County Carlow. The importance of advanced communications infrastructure is recognised for an information-based society, and as a key support for business, education and research. The RSES supports the development of a Smart City and Smart Region (RPO 13 and 134) involving a systematic integration of information and communication technologies (ICT) in planning, design, operations and management. Intensive digitisation of telecommunications offers a competitive advantage in attracting economic development and investment and contributing to sustainability goals by facilitating more flexible working arrangements, enabling people to work and communicate remotely. To this end, the need to build new infrastructure to provide increased capacity, improve the quality of coverage and to meet the demand for services is recognised. Carlow County Council acknowledges the importance of telecommunications, particularly broadband telecommunications, in terms of capitalising on investment opportunities and will encourage the further co-ordinated and focused development and extension of telecommunications infrastructure including broadband connectivity in the county, as a means of improving economic competitiveness.

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Section 6.9.1       Water Quality 

(Amendment No. 45) Amend Section 6.9.1  ‘Water Quality’ (page 140):- deleted text in red, new text in green as follows:

6.9.1       Water Quality

Water quality is a key issue that affects everybody, and its protection is the responsibility of all sections of society.  Ensuring that our local natural water bodies are clean and well protected is critically important to our health and wellbeing. A healthy catchment provides high quality drinking water and supports local livelihoods such as agriculture, food production, tourism and water based recreational activities (walking, swimming, angling and water sports). It also sustains and supports water-dependent ecosystems water dependent habitats and species (plants, animals, fish and insects) that depend on clean, healthy waters to survive.

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Section 6.10.3     The Planning System and Flood Risk Management Guidelines

(Amendment No. 46) Insert additional text to Section 6.10.3 ‘The Planning System and Flood Risk Management Guidelines’ (page 145), new text in green as follows:

Flood zones are geographical areas within which the likelihood of flooding is in a particular range and they are a key tool in flood risk management within the planning process as well as in flood warning and emergency planning.

There are three types or levels of flood zones defined for the purposes of these Guidelines:

Flood Zone A – where the probability of flooding from rivers and the sea is highest (greater than 1% or 1 in 100 for river flooding or 0.5% or 1 in 200 for coastal flooding);

Flood Zone B – where the probability of flooding from rivers and the sea is moderate (between 0.1% or 1 in 1000 and 1% or 1 in 100 for river flooding and between 0.1% or 1 in 1000 year and 0.5% or 1 in 200 for coastal flooding);

and

Flood Zone C – where the probability of flooding from rivers and the sea is low (less than 0.1% or 1 in 1000 for both river and coastal flooding). Flood Zone C covers all areas of the plan which are not in zones A or B.

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Section 6.10.5     Flood Risk Management – Objectives

(Amendment No. 47) Insert additional text to Objective FR O2, Section 6.10.5 ‘Flood Risk Management – Objectives’ (page 145), new text in green as follows:

FR O2: Facilitate the provision of new, or the augmentation of existing flood defences and protective measures, where necessary including natural flood management measures where deemed appropriate and to support the implementation of proposed flood schemes while also seeking to ensure zoning or development proposals support and do not impede or prevent the progression of these schemes subject to compliance with the requirements of the EU Habitats Directive, the protection of natural and built heritage and visual amenities.

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Section 6.13         Light Pollution

(Amendment No. 48) Insert additional new policy LP P3, Section 6.13 ‘Light Pollution’ (page 147), new text in green as follows:

Seek to ensure that the use of energy efficient (LED) lighting, both in relation to planning applications and local authority projects, minimises any significant adverse effects on biodiversity with the use of appropriate lighting in sensitive areas.

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Section 6.14         Major Accident Directive

(Amendment No. 49) Amend Section 6.14  ‘Major Accident Directive’ (page 147):- deleted text in red, new text in green as follows:

The EU Directive (96/82 EC) on the control of major accidents hazards, commonly referred to as the SEVESO II Directive, was adopted in 1999. The Directive aims to prevent major accident hazards involving dangerous substances and chemicals and the limitation of their consequences for people and the environment. At present, there are no ‘Seveso’ sites (identified within the ‘COMAH Regulations as ‘locations where significant quantities of dangerous substances are stored’) within County Carlow. The Directive is implemented in Ireland through the Chemicals Act (Control of Major Accident Hazards involving Dangerous Substances) Regulations 2015 (COMAH Regulations).  The Directive aims to prevent accident hazards from dangerous substances and to limit the consequence of such accidents through the following measures:

• The siting of new Major Accident Hazard sites.
• Modification of existing Major Accident Hazard sites.
• Development in the vicinity of a Major Accident Hazard site which by virtue of its type or siting is likely to increase the risk or consequence of a major accident.
• Site specific emergency planning by the local authority and site operator.

A Major Accident Hazard Site (SEVESO Site) is a site where the occupier has notified the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) that they meet a specified threshold for quantities of hazardous substance as outlined in the above-mentioned Regulations i.e. sites defined by COMAH Regulations as ‘locations where significant quantities of dangerous substances are stored’.   The HSA provides advice to Planning Authorities, where appropriate, in respect of planning applications for development within a certain distance of the perimeter of these sites. The Council is required to seek technical advice from the HSA in relation to any planning application directly pertaining to a SEVESO site or within “consultation distance” of these establishments.  At present there are no SEVESO sites within County Carlow.

The HSA approach to Land-use Planning is set out in the document ‘Policy & Approach of the Health and Safety Authority to COMAH Risk-based Land-use Planning’, which is available to download at https://www.hsa.ie/eng/Your_Industry/Chemicals/Legislation_Enforcement/COMAH/Land_Use_Planning/

 

(Amendment No. 50) Amend Section 6.14.1  ‘Major Accident Directive-Policies’ (page 147) and include additional text in green as follows:

MA P2: Consult with and have regard to the technical advice of the Health and Safety Authority in relation to proposed land uses in proximity to any future SEVESO site(s). 

Have regard to the provisions of the Major Accident Directive (EC Directive 2012/18/EU), including any regulations under any enactment giving effect to that Directive, and to the technical advice of the Health and Safety Authority (HSA), in relation to any identified SEVESO sites in the county during the lifetime of this Plan and to the control of development with respect to:

• The siting of Major Accident Hazard sites.
• The modification of an existing Major Accident Hazard site.
• Specified development in the vicinity of a Major Accident Hazard site.

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