Proposed Variation to the County Donegal Development Plan 2018-2024 in respect of the TEN-T Priority Route Improvement Project, Donegal (Variation No. 1)

Donegal County Council, as planning authority, ("the Council") has prepared a Proposed Variation to the County Donegal Development Plan 2018-2024 in respect of the TEN-T Priority Route Improvement Project, Donegal (TEN-T PRIPD)in accordance with Section 13 of the Planning and Development Act 2000(as amended).

Background to the Proposed Variation

• The TEN-T PRIPD is a proposed major strategic roads project and consists of and prioritises three Sections of the TEN-T road network for improvement namely:
  • Section 1: N15/N13 Ballybofey/Stranorlar Urban Region.
  • Section 2: N56/N13 Letterkenny to Manorcunningham.
  • Section 3: N14 Manorcunningham to Lifford/Strabane/A5 Link.
• The Council is progressing the TEN-T PRIPD in accordance with Transport Infrastructure Ireland Guidelines. Phase 1 (Scheme Feasibility) and Phase 2 (Option Selection) have been completed, inclusive of the identification of a preferred route corridor for each section.
• The Proposed Variation provides the necessary spatial and policy planning framework to facilitate the project through the statutory approval process.

What is the Proposed Variation?

The variation specifically:

1. Identifies and protects the new preferred route corridors by inserting new maps and amending policies and objectives and also removes the corresponding historic route corridors.
2. Provides Strategic Support for the TEN-T PRIPD by inserting new, and amending existing, text, policies and objectives.
3. Makes the plan compatible with the project byamending existing, and inserting new, policies, objectives and zoning objectives.

Proposed Variation   

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Introduction /Explanatory document to the Proposed Variation

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Interactive Map of the TEN-T PRIPD Preferred Route Corridors  

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Mapping Booklet showing the TEN-T PRIPD Preferred Corridors 

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Reports Associated with the Proposed Variation

The Council has also prepared the following associated reports:

• An Environmental Report: Prepared as part of Strategic Environmental Assessment this Report identifies, describes and evaluates the likely significant effects on the Environment of implementing the Proposed Variation. 

  

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• A Natura Impact Report: Prepared as part of Appropriate Assessment this report identifies and classifies the implications of the Proposed Variation on relevant European Sites (e.g. Natura 2000 Sites such as Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas). 

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• A Strategic Flood Risk Assessment Report of the Proposed Variation. 

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How Can I Get Involved?

The Proposed Variation and the abovementioned documents may be inspected by clicking on the above links from Friday the 5^th of March to Friday the 9^th of April 2021 inclusive by. 

• Clicking on the above links to the documents.

• By appointment only (due to Covid 19 restrictions), at County House County House, Lifford, Co. Donegal, F93 Y622.  Please contact the Central Planning Unit at 074 9153900 or email tentcdpvariation@donegalcoco.ie to make an appointment.

   

In addition hard copies of the abovementioned documents are also available by post upon request without charge.  Please contact the Central Planning Unit at 074 9153900 or email tentcdpvariation@donegalcoco.ie to request said documents.

Written submissions or observations with respect to the Proposed Variation, Environmental Report, Natura Impact Report and Strategic Flood Risk Assessment Report referenced at Point 2 above may be made to the Planning Authority in the following ways:

• By email to: tentcdpvariation@donegalcoco.ie
  

• By post addressed to: TEN-T CDP Variation, Central Planning Unit, Donegal County Council, County House, Lifford, Co. Donegal, F93 Y622.

so as to reach the Council on or before Friday the 9^th of April 2021.

Written submissions or observations made to the Planning Authority within the above period and during the previously advertised public consultation period (i.e. prior to the 5^th of March) will be taken into consideration before the making of the variation.

Please note that submissions or observations received (as above) will be published on the Council’s website in accordance with S.13(3A) of the above Act (as inserted by Section 19 and paragraph 7 of Schedule 4 of the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2018) but subject to paragraph (b) of that Sub Section.

See written submissions or observations received during the public consultation process to date

What are the Next Steps?

• After the Public Consultation finishes a Chief Executive’s report will be prepared which: lists the persons/bodies that made submissions or observations, summarizes the submissions and gives the recommendation of Chief Executive in relation to the submissions. This report will then be submitted to the Elected Members of the Council for consideration.

• The Elected Members may decide to either, make the variation, modify the variation or refuse to make the variation.

• If the Elected Members decide to make any modifications to the variation which are material alterations there will be an additional public consultation period, a further Chief Executive’s Report will be prepared and the Members will then decide whether to make the variation with or without the modification. 

An Indicative Timeline for the adoption of the Proposed Variation is shown below.  

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Liam Ward,

Director of Community Development and Planning Services,

County House,

Lifford,

County Donegal.

F93Y622