Newlands Cross Upgrade EIS - European Investment Bank

South Dublin County Council N7 Newlands Cross Upgrade
Environmental Impact Statement
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Introduction
This Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is a statement of the potential effects on the
environment which may result from the proposed grade separated interchange at the N7
Newlands Cross Junction in Clondalkin, County Dublin. This EIS has been prepared on behalf
of South Dublin County Council by Arup Consulting Engineers (hereafter referred to as Arup)
with specialist input from sub-consultants.
Arup Consulting Engineers
The location of the proposed upgrade of the N7 Newlands Cross Junction is indicated in
Figure 1.1.
The proposed upgrading of the N7 Mainline / Belgard / Fonthill Road (R113) at grade
junction to a grade separated junction will result in the creation of an overpass. The N7
Mainline will be raised up over its existing level. The Belgard / Fonthill Road (R113) would
remain at the level at which they are currently. This would result in the N7 Mainline creating a
bridge over the Belgard / Fonthill Road (R113). The proposed interchange upgrade would take
approximately two years to construct and would involve constructing embankments for the N7
Mainline to travel over the Belgard / Fonthill Road (R113). At its highest the N7 Mainline
would be approximately 9 m over the Belgard / Fonthill Road (R113). A plan of the proposed
interchange upgrade is illustrated in Figure 1.2 and artistic impressions of the proposed
scheme are illustrated in Figures 1.3 and 1.4.
1.2 Purpose of this Report
1.3 Scope
This Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) has been prepared as part of the statutory
development consent procedure for the proposed plan to upgrade the N7 Newlands Cross
Junction to a grade separated interchange in accordance with the Roads Act 1993 1 (Section
50) and its subsequent amendments 23 (including the EC Environmental Impact Assessment
(Amendment) Regulations 1999 4 ), and highlights the proposed mitigation measures, where
applicable.
The EIS is a statement of the likely effects of the proposed development on the environment
and identifies a suite of potential mitigation measures.
1.4 Planning Approval Process
This EIS has been prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Roads Act 1993 (as
amended).
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of Ireland outlines the process of preparation
and the content required for an EIS in two guidance documents:
• EPA Guidelines on the Information to be contained in Environmental Impact Statements,
March 2002 5 ;
• EPA Advice Notes on Current Practice (in the preparation of Environmental Impact
Statements) September 2003 6 .
Due cognisance was also paid to the UK Highways Agency Environmental Assessment
Design Manual for Roads and Bridges 7 .
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