ResidentialInstitutionRetail WarehouseShopShop- NeighbourhoodSpecial <strong>Area</strong>s ofConservation(SAC’s)Special Protection<strong>Area</strong>s (SPA’s)A building or part of a building used for the boarding, care and maintenance ofpersons and includes use for penal or corrective purposes.A building or part of a building selling heavy bulky goods such as vehicles,caravans, boats, building materials, carpets, furniture, gardening products orDIY products.A building or part of a building where the primary purpose is the carrying on ofany retail trade or retail business and includes the use of a building as a postoffice, sale of tickets or a travel agency, the sale of sandwiches or other coldfood for consumption off the premises, hairdressing, the display of goods forsale, the hiring out of domestic or personal goods or articles, laundrettes or drycleaners, the reception of goods to be washed, cleaned or repaired, off licencesand other similar uses appropriate to a shopping area. It does not include use asa funeral home, a garage, a petrol station, a hotel, a restaurant, a public house oruse as a takeaway.A neighbourhood shop is one which primarily serves a local community anddoes not generally attract business from outside that community.SACs are being established under the EU Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC for theprotection of natural habitats and wild flora/fauna of European significance.They include SPAs and selected NHAs and will normally form part of theNatura 2000 network, based on strict scientific criteria. All candidate SACsmust be designated by 2004 by each member state.Once an SAC is adopted, the member state is obliged to designate it andestablish necessary measures to avoid deterioration of habitat or disturbance ofspecies. Any project which impacts on a SAC or SPA needs a fullEnvironmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and may only be allowed if there is noalternative solution and there are imperative reasons of overriding publicinterest.SPAs are established under the EU Wild Birds Directives (79/409/EEC,85/441/EEC and 91/244/EEC), now implemented under national law by theEuropean Communities (Natural Habitats) Regulations 1997. These directivesoblige member states to adopt a range of measures to conserve wild birdhabitats, especially listed rare or vulnerable species and migratory species.Within an SPA, Ireland is required to take appropriate steps to preventpollution, deterioration of habitat and disturbance to the birds. SPAs will alsoform an integral part of a larger European Entity rare or vulnerable species.The planning authority has a legal obligation to take the SPA designation intoaccount when considering development which might cause them or causedisturbance to birds.Storage DepotA structure or an open area used for the storage of materials such as agriculturalsupplies, building materials, coal, timber and other bulky goods.108
TakeawayTransport DepotWarehouseA building or part of a building the sole or partial purpose of which is the sale ofhot food for consumption off the premises.A building or land used in association with the transport business and includesthe parking, servicing and repair of vehicles.A building or part of a building where business, principally of a wholesalenature, is transacted and goods are stored or displayed but only incidentally tothe transaction of that business.109