European Sites wholly or partially within the 4km NCN Proposed Corridor
Consideration of potential impacts
Mitigation approach for Corridor
European sites if needed. Therefore, while noise and visual disturbance impacts, and air quality impacts, (if construction was required) could arise if the final route ran within 200m of a European site, for the majority of the corridor these impacts are avoidable through either routing decisions or decisions regarding how the relevant sections of cycle route will be created (e.g. utilising existing infrastructure
assessment (and potentially noise and air quality mitigation) will be required to ensure there is no construction-related disturbance that could significantly affect SPA birds or significant air pollution impacts on sensitive habitats. The northern-most part of the 4km corridor at the northern end of the route lies within 2km of Lough Swilly SPA. There will therefore need to be consideration of any potential for loss of functionally- linked habitat for SPA birds once the actual cycle route is determined. This will only be required if new construction is required within natural habitats and loss of habitat is greater than trivial; this is relevant because very little land is required for a cycle route. In such a situation wintering bird surveys to determine use of the habitats by SPA birds may be required and, if necessary, appropriate mitigation provided to ensure no adverse effect on the integrity of the European site before the works are consented. The approach to delivering the crossing of the River Finn should be as follows: 1. Where feasible the crossing will be made using the existing road bridge between Lifford and Strabane; 2. Where engineering works to the road bridge would be required to render it suitable, any permanent works must remain out of the water column, unless it can be demonstrated this would not affect site integrity, and must not hinder potential for otter passage along the riverbanks. If any temporary ‘in river’ works were to be necessary, studies (including but not limited to underwater noise and hydrodynamic studies), and potentially mitigation, would be required to ensure the works could be delivered without an adverse effect on the SAC habitats or salmon population; 3. If a new bridge crossing the River Finn SAC is required, the following general requirements must be followed in designing and assessing the structure: a. Any abutments must be located outside the SAC boundary and/or must involve no loss of qualifying SAC habitat; b. Any abutments must be located outside the river channel and must be set sufficiently far back from the bank top to ensure passage of otter along the banks is not prevented; c. The soffit of the bridge should be sufficiently high that significant shading impacts on the water column and in river vegetation will not arise. Research suggests this would
Corridor Number and Name
European Sites wholly or partially within the 4km NCN Proposed Corridor
Consideration of potential impacts
Mitigation approach for Corridor
rather than creating new infrastructure in the most constrained sections, or using standard mitigation methods). The northern-most part of the 4km corridor within which the final cycle route will be located lies within 2km of Lough Swilly SPA. Since this site is designated for mobile species that may make use of habitat outside the SPA boundary there is potential for any new cycle route construction to affect
require a soffit height: deck width ratio of 0.7 or above. d. A noise impact assessment of bridge construction regarding salmon and otter will be required, and potentially mitigation (such as seasonal restrictions on working, alternative construction methods or noise control techniques) to ensure no significant effect on the population of either species. e. Water quality protection measures will be required. f. Lighting should be avoided in areas that are currently unlit unless it can be demonstrated that there would be no adverse effect on site integrity. If detailed design work indicates that a new crossing of the River Finn is required but it is not possible to deliver such a crossing over the SAC without an adverse effect on site integrity, the alternative solution of crossing downstream of the SAC must be taken forward, or the Corridor otherwise revised (such as to cease at Lifford) to demonstrate no adverse effect on site integrity.
Corridor Number and Name
European Sites wholly or partially within the 4km NCN Proposed Corridor
Consideration of potential impacts
Mitigation approach for Corridor
functionally- linked land for SPA birds outside the SPA boundary. There is a single location, between Lifford and Strabane, where the entire 4km corridor crosses the River Finn SAC for c. 100m. The River Finn SAC is designated for oligotrophic waters, wet heaths with Erica tetralix, blanket bogs, transition mires and quaking bogs and its populations of salmon and otter.
Corridor Number and Name
European Sites wholly or partially within the 4km NCN Proposed Corridor
Consideration of potential impacts
Mitigation approach for Corridor
Unless it stops at Lifford, there is no way the connection to Strabane can be accomplished without crossing the River Finn SAC due to the length of the SAC, other than by making a c. 15km detour north to cross the river downstream of the SAC at Whitehouse.
5
Letterkenny to Sligo
Durnesh Lough SAC, Lough Eske and Ardnamona Wood SAC, Lough Melvin SAC, Dunmuckrum Turloughs SAC, Lough Gill SAC, Lough Swilly SAC, River Finn SAC, Cummeen Strand/Drumcliff Bay (Sligo Bay) SAC, Ben Bulben, Gleniff And Glenade Complex SAC, Croaghonagh Bog SAC, Ballintra SAC, Streedagh Point
For the most part the 4km corridor allows for the route to be moved well away from European sites if necessary. Therefore, while noise and
The final route alignment should avoid any new construction within 200m of any European sites as a first preference. Where European sites are to be traversed existing roads and bridges should be used to carry the cycle route where possible and there should be no new lighting introduced in areas that are currently unlit unless it can be demonstrated that there would be no adverse effect on site integrity. If any new construction within 200m is needed to create the cycle route a noise and air quality assessment (and potentially noise and air quality mitigation) will be required to ensure there is no construction-related disturbance that could significantly affect SPA birds or significant air pollution impacts on sensitive habitats. Parts of the 4km corridor lies within 2km of Sligo/Leitrim Uplands SPA, Donegal Bay SPA, Drumcliff Bay SPA, Lough