Environmental Reports

Three environmental assessments inform and support the Draft County Development Plan:

• Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)
• Appropriate Assessment (AA)
• Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA)

See below for more details.

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)

The SEA explains how the Draft Plan’s policies and objectives have been assessed against environmental objectives. It also indicates how alternative development scenarios were considered and how decisions were made to select a preferred scenario. 

Any proposed amendments that will be subject to the final round of public consultation will also be assessed against environmental objectives, informing the Chief Executive’s recommendations and the final decision-making by the elected members of Sligo County Council.

Upon adoption of the Plan, a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Statement will be published, showing how environmental considerations were integrated into the Plan.

Click here to view or download the SEA Environmental Report and the SEA Non-Technical Summary for the Sligo CDP.

Appropriate Assessment (AA)

An assessment under Article 6 of the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) is commonly referred to as an Appropriate Assessment (AA) or a Habitats Directive Assessment (HDA) of a plan or project. This relates to the likely significant environmental effects on Natura 2000 sites, resulting from the implementation of the plan.

A Natura Impact Report (NIR) has been prepared in conjunction with the Draft CDP. Any amendments that might be proposed following public consultation on the Draft Plan must also be assessed for potential impacts on Natura 2000 sites.

Click here to view or download the Natura Impact Report in support of the Appropriate Assessment for the Sligo CDP.

Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA)

Planning authorities must ensure that, in areas of high flood risk, particularly floodplains, development is not permitted and land is not zoned, except where there is no suitable alternative.

A Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) has been prepared as part of the CDP.  The SFRA provides a description of the risk of flooding at a local scale for towns and villages in County Sligo.

The impact of flood risk assessment on decisions regarding location of future development is recognised as being of significant importance to the growth of the county.

The recommendations arising from the SFRA have been incorporated into town and village plans, and are complemented by the policies and objectives set out in Chapter 32 Flood risk and coastal protection (Volume 3 of the Draft CDP).

Click below to view or download the Strategic Flood Risk Assessment for the Sligo CDP:

• SFRA Main Report

• Appendix I (Mapping)

• Appendix II (Summary of the requirements of the Flood Guidelines for land uses in Flood Zones)