This policy has been superseded by:
PPS11-Planning and Waste Management 204KB
insofar as it applies to applications for waste water treatment works.

The need for new infrastructure including extensions to existing facilities will be balanced against the objective to conserve the environment and protect amenity.

In the consideration of proposals for new inhstructural provision which requires the express grant of planning permission, including major extensions to existing facilities, the need for the facility will be balanced against the objective of conserving the environment and protecting amenity.

Developments such as new roads, sewage treatment works, water sources or electricity generation can all be of vital importance not only to industry and commerce but to the quality of life of society as a whole. Due to their scale and nature many such projects can have a significant impact on the environment and on the amenity of local communities. An Environmental Statement will normally be required for such major infrastructural schemes. Where requirements for new infrastructure is known at an early stage land will normally be reserved for such a purpose in the relevant development plan.

In dealing with specific proposals the Department will wish to be satisfied that there is an overriding regional or local requirement for the development and that a thorough exploration of alternative sites has been carried out. Normally the Department will wish to see the development sited so as to minimise the environmental effects, for example, the alignment and landscaping of a new road should be designed to achieve the maximum possible degree of integration into the landscape.

The following criteria will be of importance to the consideration of such applications:

• need for the facility;
• impact on the environment - in particular the visual and ecological impacts;
• impact on existing communities;
• impact on the natural or man-made heritage;
• existence of alternative sites or routes: and
• provision to mitigate adverse effects

In the case of extensions to existing facilities it is recognised that the possibilities of alternative sitings may be reduced due to the costs of relocating existing infrastructure. Where appropriate, zonings in development plans will reflect the need to separate incompatible land uses. The potential adverse impact of existing infrastructure upon neighbouring land uses will be a material consideration in the determination of planning applications for the development of that land. In particular, planning applications involving land within 300 metres of sewage treatment works will not be approved where there would be a loss of amenity from smell nuisance.

Applications will be approved or refused depending on the circumstances prevailing at particular locations. Relevant considerations will include the nature and capacity of the treatment works, local topography, prevailing wind direction, screening and disposition of existing development, the nature of the proposed development, the precise position of actual smell sources within the boundaries of the works and advice on relevant environmental health matters.