The Barrigone Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and Barrigone proposed Natural Heritage Area (pNHA) is adjacent to the site’s north, east, northwest, and southeast boundaries. Following the completion of the infilling works, the natural colonisation of plant species will occur from the seed bank within the redistributed topsoil. Therefore, It is anticipated that a species-rich calcareous grassland and scrub mosaic would develop, resulting in higher ecological value than the habitats present before restoration
MKO prepared the EIAR to document the current state of the environment in the vicinity of the proposed development site and quantify the likely significant effects of the proposed development on the environment. MKO and the project teams detailed understanding of the ecological aspects of the proposed development site and the surrounding area allowed us to support the quarry operator in overcoming the ecological challenges at the site. The assessments concluded that the proposed development would have a significant positive impact on biodiversity anticipated at the local scale geographic scale due to the proposed infilling and restoration works.
