The Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015

• (a) for asbestos–cement products, with an annual production of more than 20,000 tonnes of finished products;

• (b) for friction material, with an annual production of more than 50 tonnes of finished products; and

• (c) for other uses of asbestos, utilisation of more than 200 tonnes per year.

• (6) Integrated chemical installations, that is to say, installations for the manufacture on an industrial scale of substances using chemical conversion processes, in which several units are juxtaposed and are functionally linked to one another and which are—

• (a) for the production of base organic chemicals;

• (b) for the production of basic inorganic chemicals;

• (c) for the production of phosphorous–, nitrogen– or potassium–based fertilisers (simple or compound fertilisers);

• (d) for the production of basic plant health products and of biocides;

• (e) for the production of basic pharmaceutical products using a chemical or biological process;

• (f) for the production of explosives.

• (7)

• (a) Construction of lines for long–distance railway traffic and of airports with a basic runway length of 2,100 metres or more;

• (b) Construction of motorways and express roads;

• (c) Construction of a new road of four or more lanes, or realignment and/or widening of an existing road of two lanes or less so as to provide four or more lanes, where such new road, or realigned and/or widened section of road would be 10 kilometres or more in a continuous length.

• (8)

• (a) Inland waterways and ports for inland–waterway traffic which permit the passage of vessels of over 1,350 tonnes;

• (b) Trading ports, piers for loading and unloading connected to land and outside ports (excluding ferry piers) which can take vessels of over 1,350 tonnes.

• (9) Waste disposal installations for the incineration, chemical treatment (as defined in Annex I to Directive 2008/98/EC), of the European Parliament and of the Council on waste and repealing certain directives , under heading D9) or landfill of hazardous waste (as defined in regulation 6 of the Hazardous Waste Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005).

• (10) Waste disposal installations for the incineration or chemical treatment (as defined in Annex I to Directive 2008/98/EC under heading D9) of non-hazardous waste with a capacity exceeding 100 tonnes per day.

• (11) Groundwater abstraction or artificial groundwater recharge schemes where the annual volume of water abstracted or recharged is equivalent to or exceeds 10 million cubic metres.

• (12)

• (a) Works for the transfer of water resources, other than piped drinking water, between river basins where the transfer aims at preventing possible shortages of water and where the amount of water transferred exceeds 100 million cubic metres per year;

• (b) In all other cases, works for the transfer of water resources, other than piped drinking water, between river basins where the multi-annual average flow of the basin of abstraction exceeds 2,000 million cubic metres per year and where the amount of water transferred exceeds 5% of this flow.

• (13) Waste water treatment plants with a capacity exceeding 150,000 population equivalent as defined in Article 2 point (6) of Directive 91/271/EEC .

• (14) Extraction of petroleum and natural gas for commercial purposes where the amount extracted exceeds 500 tonnes per day in the case of petroleum and 500,000 cubic metres per day in the case of gas.

• (15) Dams and other installations designed for the holding back or permanent storage of water, where a new or additional amount of water held back or stored exceeds 10 million cubic metres.

• (16) Pipelines with a diameter of more than 800 millimetres and a length of more than 40 kilometres:

• — for the transport of gas, oil or chemicals, or

• — for the transport of carbon dioxide streams for the purposes of geological storage, including associated booster stations.

• (17) Installations for the intensive rearing of poultry or pigs with more than—

• (a) 85,000 places for broilers or 60,000 places for hens;

• (b) 3,000 places for production pigs (over 30 kg); or

• (c) 900 places for sows.

• (18) Industrial plants for—

• (a) the production of pulp from timber or similar fibrous materials;

• (b) the production of paper and board with a production capacity exceeding 200 tonnes per day.

• (19) Quarries and open–cast mining where the surface of the site exceeds 25 hectares, or peat extraction where the surface of the site exceeds 150 hectares.

• (20) Construction of overhead electrical power lines with a voltage of 220 kV or more and a length of more than 15 kilometres.

• (21) Installations for storage of petroleum, petrochemical or chemical products with a capacity of 200,000 tonnes or more.

• (22) Any change to or extension of development listed in this Schedule where such a change or extension itself meets the thresholds, if any, or description of development set out in this Schedule.

• (23) Storage sites pursuant to Directive 2009/31/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2009 on the geological storage of carbon dioxide .

• (24) Installations for the capture of carbon dioxide streams for the purposesof geological storage pursuant to Directive 2009/31/EC from installations covered by this Schedule, or where the total yearly capture of carbon dioxide is 1.5 megatonnes or more.

1. Characteristics of development

The characteristics of development must be considered having regard, in particular, to—

• (a) the size of the development;

• (b) the cumulation with other development;

• (c) the use of natural resources;

• (d) the production of waste;

• (e) pollution and nuisances;

• (f) the risk of accidents, having regard in particular to substances or technologies used.

2. Location of development

The environmental sensitivity of geographical areas likely to be affected by development must be considered, having regard, in particular, to—

• (a) the existing land use;

• (b) the relative abundance, quality and regenerative capacity of natural resources in the area;

• (c) the absorption capacity of the natural environment, paying particular attention to the following areas—

• (i) wetlands;

• (ii) coastal zones;

• (iii) mountain and forest areas;

• (iv) nature reserves and parks;

• (v) areas classified or protected under EEA states' legislation; areas designated by EEA states pursuant to Council Directive 2009/147/EC on the conservation of wild birds and Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora ;

• (vi) areas in which the environmental quality standards laid down in Community legislation have already been exceeded;

• (vii) densely populated areas;

• (viii) landscapes of historical, cultural or archaeological significance.

3. Characteristics of the potential impact

The potential significant effects of development must be considered in relation to criteria set out under paragraphs 1 and 2 above, and having regard in particular to—

• (a) the extent of the impact (geographical area and size of the affected population);

• (b) the transfrontier nature of the impact;

• (c) the magnitude and complexity of the impact;

• (d) the probability of the impact;

• (e) the duration, frequency and reversibility of the impact.

For the words “the Department” substitute “ the council or, as the case may be, the Department ”.

Editorial notes

[^c22386151]: S.I. 2008/301

[^c22386161]: 1972 c.68 The enabling powers of section 2(2) were extended by virtue of the amendment of section 1(2) by section 1 of the European Economic Area Act 1993 (c.51)

[^c22386171]: O.J. No.L 26. 28.1.2012, p.1

[^c22386331]: S.R. 1999. No. 73

[^c22386341]: S.R. 2006 No. 276

[^c22386351]: S.R. 2008 No. 17

[^c22386361]: S.R. 2008 No. 372

[^c22386461]: S.R. 1993 No. 49 as amended by S.R. 1998 No. 238

[^key-4edfb142053d7d782e4807e5e23f891b]: Regulations revoked in part (16.5.2017) by The Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2017 (S.R. 2017/83), regs. 1, 48(1) (with regs. 47, 48(2)-(4)) (as amended by S.I. 2018/1235, reg. 5)

[^key-3d1410f5a2a1610e6225b8cd7a7c576e]: Rule amendment to earlier revoking in part SR 2017/83, reg. 48 (27.3.2019) by The Planning (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2019 (S.R. 2019/24), reg. 3

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