Landslides and Planning Process - Geological Survey of Ireland

Landslides and Planning
Process
An Overview

Landslides Working Group-
recommendations
• Landslides Working Group
• Increase in awareness of landslide hazard
in Ireland
• Pressure for development in upland areas
• Climate Change
• Landscape susceptibility mapping
• Landslide hazard and the planning
process.

The Planning System
• 88 planning authorities
• Main features of relevance
– making development plans
– the need for planning permission
– Exempted development
– Planning enforcement
– appeals against planning decisions
• Dept role – provide legislative framework and policy
guidance-

Planning Framework
• Planning Acts 2000- 2006
• Hierarchy of Strategic / Spatial Plans
– National Spatial Strategy (NSS) - 2002- 2020
– Regional Planning Guidelines (RPGs) – 2004-2010
– Development Plans - made every 6 years
– Local Area Plans
• mandatory for pop 2000+
• Discretionary e.g. specific areas in need of
regeneration or under development pressure
– Planning Applications

Enviromental Assessment
• Applies to plans and projects
• Plan level- Strategic Environmental Assessments ( SEA Directive
2001/42/ EC)
– RPGs- Development Plans- Local Area Plan -from 2004
• Project level Environmental Impact Assessment ( EIA Directive
85/337/EEC as amended by 97/11/EC and 2003/35/EC)
– Planning Applications
• Key to better integration of geo hazards into the planning process

Regional Planning Guidelines
(RPGs)
• The overall objective of the RPGs is to provide a long-term strategic
planning framework for the development of the region which is
consistent with the National Spatial Strategy (NSS)
• They guide and inform development plans and local area plans of
the local authorities within the region
• A review of the RPGs is required every 6 years and must be
completed not later than 6 years from the adoption of the first round
of RPGs in 2004.
• Land instability and coastal erosion have been identified in
existing regional plans e.g. SERPGs
• Review of RPGs is subject to SEA for the first time
• Potential for future RPGs to highlight issue of land instability

Development Plan /LAP
• As provided for in the 2000 Act a Development plans may include –
objectives for “ regulating, restricting or controlling development in
areas at risk of flooding ( whether inland or coastal) erosion and
other natural hazards
– Traditionally objectives are rarely included to deal with landslide
hazard apart from coastal areas.
– Possibly due to relatively low occurrence of landslides to date
in populated areas or areas under development pressure.
– Also due to absence of information to facilitate mapping of
areas vulnerable to landslide hazard
– However increasing development pressure in upland area from -
e.g. wind energy - one off housing – recreation activities and
introduction of SEA for Plans - is changing the focus.

Development Plan/ LAP
• Since 2004 all DP / LAP subject to SEA
• It involves a systematic evaluation of likely significant environmental
effects of objectives in a plan ( can include potential for landslides )
• Making a development plan is a democratic proces and involves
significant public consultation
• Its adoption is a reserved function of elected members
• Objectives on landslide risk will need to be justified on basis of
– Robust and clear information to identify and map areas at risk
– Sound guidance for avoidance and /or mitigation measures for
development in areas at risk
• Project on landslide susceptibility mapping and risk assessment is
critical to better integration of landslides into the planning process .

Development Management
• Potential for landslides is also a consideration at individual
application stage – particularly where EIA applies
• Issue of ground stability is increasingly becoming a key
consideration for applications for development projects in upland
areas e.g. wind energy - infrastructure projects
• DEHLG Wind Energy Guidelines 2006 highlight importance of
ground conditions and geology for wind energy applications
• Appendix 4 outlines Best Practise for wind energy developments in
peatland areas
• Highlights importance of thorough ground investigation including
geotechnical investigation when locating turbine bases
• Susceptibility mapping project will be a key input to assessment of
development in upland areas

Conclusions
• Landslides hazard has been integrated into planning process
particularly through the environmental assessment process at
project level
• For the future
– Issue of Landslide hazard needs to be addressed at all stages
in planning process most critically at DP stage to ensure that
new development does not give rise to landslide risk
– Needs to be supported by robust information on the location of
areas vulnerable to landslide hazard and on appropriate
mitigation measures to avoid the creation of risk
– national guidance on landslides will await the outcome of
current work on landslide susceptibility mapping –
– Draft Flood Risk Guidelines -