Background 9.1
Kildare is well positioned…..
Insert : as a gateway and destination county for the Midland Peatlands , to contribute more to the tourism sector with the development of Greenways, Blueways, Peatways and the potential of a National Peatlands Park on former industrial cutaways providing an alternative eco-tourism and activity based experience.
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RD O11 |
Support the implementation of the objectives identified in the County Biodiversity Plan 2009-2014 and any relevant local action plan. |
Amendment : Support the implementation of the objectives identified in the County Biodiversity Plan ( insert new dates) and the Local Just Transition Plan 2022
Reason : the County Biodiversity Plan is out of date.
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RD O20 |
Encourage public and private owners to allow / provide public access to forests for recreational and amenity use e.g., walking, biking and equine trails to enhance health and wellbeing. |
Amendment : RD020 Encourage public and private owners to allow / provide public access to forests for recreational and amenity use e.g., walking, biking and equine trails to enhance health and wellbeing with due consideration to sensitive areas for wildlife conservation and subject to compliance with the relevant environmental legislation .
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RD O22 |
Facilitate tourism infrastructure and visitor services including tourism accommodation at appropriate locations in forest estates. |
Amendment : Facilitate tourism infrastructure and visitor services including tourism accommodation at appropriate locations in forest estates with due consideration to sensitive areas for wildlife conservation and subject to compliance with the relevant environmental legislation .
Bogs and Peatlands 9.8
Peatlands form a distinctive aspect of Kildare’s landscape……(
Insert :The cessation of peat extraction by BNM provides tangible opportunities for West Kildare as a gateway county to the Midland Peatlands and the West. The potential of a National Peatlands Park and the development of the Blueway can greatly assist a Just transition for communities in the area and lead to successful economic regeneration and a sustainable local economy. The creation of a successful community-led tourism destination supported by Kildare County Council, Failte Ireland and other stakeholders following the Blueway and encompassing peatland areas to the west as part of a National Peatlands Park has the potential to offer the visitor a unique experience to get “lost in wilderness” in a relaxed environment away from urban life. The Council recognises that the development of a range of outdoor activities based around our natural amenities of bogs, canals and rivers and the discovery of the area’s natural and built heritage would significantly support the future growth of tourism in Kildare and the midlands.
RD P1
REASON: More specific with peatlands – “peatlands rehabilitation and sustainable peatland related tourism”
RD 08
REASON: Include more ….continued roll out of the National Broadband Scheme - and initiatives such as the EU Smart Villages Initiative.
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Bogs and Peatlands RD P7
To also support sustainable tourism and infrastructure for peatland communities.
The reference to the IPCCs is missing with respect to the Peatlands and Climate Action Plan 2030
Objectives
It is an objective of the Council to:
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RD O27 |
Encourage the re-wetting, restoring and/or re-wilding of former cutaway bogs and peatlands with an emphasis on promoting biodiversity, insert healthy rivers , improving water quality and and carbon sequestration. |
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RD O28 |
Work with all relevant stakeholders including Bord na Móna to support the sustainable re-use of circa 30-50% of cutaway boglands for economical purposes.
Comment : what does “economical “ mean in this context? Should it be “economic”? If so what economic activity is envisaged as sustainable? Suggest deleting RD028 as any proposed development will be subject to relevant Environmental Impact Assessment . The 30-50 % use is arbitrary and should be consistent with new benchmark proposals for post industrial sites for the extractive industries of elsewhere in the plan where 80% of post industrial extractive sector will be returned to nature and 20% for continued economic use |
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RD O29 |
Support the development of renewable energy (wind and solar) on a percentage/no more than 50% of former industrial peatlands/cutaway |
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bogs, in appropriate locations, subject to relevant environmental assessments.
Comment: Is this 50% of each bog or 50% of the total peatlands area i.e. over 5000ha? This figure is arbitrary and should be revised down or deleted. It is also inconsistent with the policy for other extractive industries as in mines and quarrying. Alternatively the objective should be qualified by including an objective to conserve the landscape area of continuous boglands such as the Allen-Lullymore Bog group and other areas of continuous bogland. See landscape scale objectives in Ch 13 . Furthermore, wind and solar energy development should be considered actively for areas outside peatlands such as farmland.
Amended RD029: Consider the development of renewable energy (wind and solar) on an area no more than 20% of total peatlands subject to the conservation of landscape scale continuous boglands such as the Allen-Lullymore Bog group . |
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RD O30 |
Support diversification and re-use of buildings previously associated with peat extraction to waste management and resource recovery infrastructure. |
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RD O31 |
Investigate the feasibility of the development of a Peatland National Park in co-operation with Bord Na Mona, NPWS and other relevant stakeholders as per recommendation 9 of the BOGLAND Report from the EPA in 2011 and action A28 of the National Peatland Strategy 2014.
Amendment : Support the development of a Peatland National Park in co-operation with Bord Na Mona, NPWS, Inland Fisheries, local community groups and other relevant stakeholders as per recommendation 9 of the BOGLAND Report from the EPA in 2011 and action A28 of the National Peatland Strategy 2014 and subsequent reports such as the Local Just Transition Plan for West Kildare .
Reason : See RE 0127and for consistency across the Plan |
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Mineral Resources & Extractive Industry
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RD O39 |
Ensure the satisfactory and sensitive re-instatement and/or re-use of disused quarries and extraction facilities, where active extraction use has ceased. Future uses should include amenity, recreation and biodiversity areas and shall be informed by an assessment of the specific site/lands. Proposals for futures uses/infill of these areas should be agreed with the Planning Authority through the development management process. |
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RD O40 |
Require that quarry remediation plans provide for a minimum of 80% of the area to be provided for environmental benefit, biodiversity and re- wilding. Where other after-use strategies are proposed (i.e., concrete batching, etc.) that might require more than the 20% in use for ongoing economic purposes, then other lands (including other disused quarries) may be used to compensate any shortfall, either by condition of use, sterilisation/legal agreement, or rehabilitation and transfer to either the Council or an established wildlife group. The 80% requirement for environmental/biodiversity may be waived at sites closer to urban areas where a significant portion of the site is being provided for sports, recreation, and amenity. |
Comment : RD039 and RD 040 This innovative approach to post- industrial site use is welcomed and should be considered as a guiding objective with the 80% benchmark set for all post- industrial sites for the extractive industries including peatlands .