Core Refusal Reason
The proposed floodlighting would disrupt nocturnal wildlife and fragment the Dodder Valley Green Infrastructure Corridor, undermining its ecological integrity and function as a dark refuge for protected species.
Decision Maker's Conclusion
- The introduction of floodlighting would disrupt light-sensitive species, particularly bats protected under the EU Habitats Directive, by compromising the Dodder Valley's role as a dark natural refuge.
- The development would result in the fragmentation of the Green Infrastructure (GI) network, failing to maintain the integrity of the riparian corridor as required by the County Development Plan.
- The proposal fails to achieve a sustainable balance between recreational needs and the protection of the environment, setting an undesirable precedent for similar development within the GI network.
Cited Policies (CDP)
GI2 Objective 1GI3 Objective 2GI6 Objective 6
Decision Document Summary
The proposal involved the installation of six 18-metre high floodlight columns on lands adjacent to the Carmel of the Assumption Convent in Firhouse, Dublin 24. The site is located within the sensitive Dodder Valley Green Infrastructure Corridor. The planning authority refused the application primarily because the artificial lighting would negatively impact protected nocturnal wildlife and cause ecological fragmentation. The development was found to be in direct conflict with County Development ...SOURCE PDFOpen Original
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