13.2.1 Mentions the importance of landscape views and prospect and provides for designations like Landscape Conservation Areas(LCA) and Areas of Special Amenity(ASA) to receive high priority in CDP – these should feed more into Wind Farm Appendix 2 map!!
LR O6 Usefull for Peatland Park aims and objectives as is LR O11 and LR O12
Actions
LR A1 Recognises that the 2004 landscape assessment is outdated and inadequate and commits to updating it within the next 2 years. But this is problematic as the Wind farm sensitivity Map in Appendix 2 is based on that older outdated assessment!!
LR T1 Hugely important!! and specifically mentions Peatlands Park in the context of achieving 30% EU biodiversity strategy
LR P2 Important statement here in the context of the many positive outcomes of getting the Peatlands Park over the line.
13.6 Scenic Routes and Protected Views This section is obviously of relevance in protecting canal and bogland routes. Area Nos 7,8, 16, 18 and 34 all of relevance to Peatlands Park . Table 13.7 includes these and Canal Views of relevance
13.6.1 Countryside Recreation Mentions many of the activities which the Peatlands park would provide in abundance
13.6.2 Acknowledges the role of recovering peatlands for nature based carbon storage, biodiversity, rewilding and amenity value etc.
13.6.4 Greeways, Blueways, Peatways and Trails The value of the Western Boglands highlighted here under all those headings
Objectives
LR O38, LR O40, LRO41 and LRO42 all critical to Peatlands Park full establishment and Objectives as are LR O62 and LR O65
Concerns
13.3 Landscape Character Assessment : this may be problematic as it is based on outdated data from 2004
13.3.1 Landscape Sensitivity The highest “Sensitivity Classes” ie 3-5 lack adequate setbacks or buffer zones in relation to windfarm zonings as out lined in Table 13.2. Peatland areas outside of these Sensitivity Classes are also vulnerable to such inappropriate developments
13.3.2 Impact of Development on Landscape This is highly problematic as the buffer zones as laid out here for Class 3-5 landscapes are grossly inadequate eg. less than 300m!! in Table 13.4 when it should be 5km at least in the case of windfarm development as is the case in other countries
LR O2 Again buffer zones here are inadequate in relation to windfarm development being only 500m in this case!!
LR O13 Problematic as it doesn’t recognise the immense Biodiversity of many of these cutover peatlands
Actions
LR A1 Recognises that the 2004 landscape assessment is outdated and inadequate and commits to updating it within the next 2 years. But this is problematic as the Wind farm sensitivity Map in Appendix 2 is based on the older outdated assessment!!