Description of local environment

Air quality

The surrounding area primarily consists of agricultural land use, managed woodland and small areas of residential areas. Local air quality is likely influenced by vehicular traffic from the busy A9 carriageway.

There are approximately 50 residential properties within 200m of the works, with the closest located in the village of Aberuthven on Park Terrace Road located approx. 30m northwest of the scheme.

Aberuthven Park and Football Field is located approx. 20m northwest of the works at its closest point.

Aberuthven Primary school is located approx. 100m northwest of the works.

The Annual Average Daily Flow (AADF) in 2023 for the main A9 carriageway outside the scheme extents accounted for 26,952 vehicles, with an average of 11.1% Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGV). (automatic count point 80347).

This scheme does not fall within an Air Quality Management Areas (AQMA).

No sites registered on Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory (SPRI) have been identified within 1km of the scheme.

Cultural heritage

A desktop study using PastMap has identified two designated features of cultural or historical significance within 200m of the works location. The details of these are as follows:

  • Craiginver Aberuthven (Ref- LB5823) Category C Listed Building located approx. 100m north of the works.
  • Smiddy Haugh Inn and two adjoining houses Aberuthven (Ref- LB5822) Category C Listed Building located approx. 130m northwest of the works.
  • Rosewell Cottage Aberuthven (Ref, LB5821) Category C Listed Building located approx. 240m northwest of the works.

No non-designated features of cultural heritage have been identified within 100m of the works.

All works will be located within the existing carriageway boundary and will not impact any areas of land that have not previously been subjected to engineering activity. The works will be like for like in nature and will have no change to current visual setting of the listed buildings.

It has been determined that the proposed scheme does not carry the potential to cause direct or indirect impact to cultural heritage. As such, impact has been assessed as being ‘no change’ and cultural heritage has therefore been scoped out of further assessment.

Landscape and visual effects

Due to the ‘cut’ of the carriageway and the trees and vegetation lining the verges, none of the nearby residential properties have view of the works.

The surrounding landscape has been classified as rectilinear fields and farms and urban areas using the HLA Map.

A desktop study using PastMap online interactive map and NatureScot’s Sitelink resource has not identified any areas designated for their landscape quality within, or within 1km of the scheme extents.

NatureScot’s Landscape Character Type mapping resource has indicated the landscape character present within the scheme extents to be that of ‘Broad Valley Lowlands’. Scotland’s Land Capability for agriculture map lists the area surrounding the scheme extents as 3.1 on the land capability for agriculture class scale.

Scotland’s Ancient Woodland Inventory (AWI) has not identified any areas of Ancient Woodland within 500m of the works. No Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) have been identified adjacent to, or within 500m of the scheme extents.

Views of and from the carriageway will be temporarily affected during construction due to the presence of works, TM and plant. As the works are minor and operating on a like-for-like basis, no permanent changes to landscape features are predicted.

The works will be restricted to the existing carriageway boundary and will not impact upon the surrounding landscape. As such, impact to local landscape has been assessed as being ‘no change’ and has been scoped out of requiring further assessment.

Biodiversity

The immediate area surrounding the scheme extents contains areas of low-lying vegetation (such as grasslands) and small areas of managed woodland and scrub lining the carriageway.

Scotland’s Ancient Woodland Inventory (AWI) has not identified any areas of Ancient Woodland within 500m of the works. No Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) have been identified adjacent to or within 500m of the scheme extents.

A desktop study using NatureScot’s Sitelink resource has not identified any designated sites within 2km of the works.

Amey’s Environment Team’s Northeast Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS) Map has identified a record of Giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) located at NGR - NN 97767 15104 approx. 10m northwest of the works on the northbound verge of the A9 carriageway.

A search on Transport Scotland’s Asset Management Performance System (AMPS) has highlighted that the target species common ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris) and INNS rosebay willowherb (Chamerion angustifolium) can be found along the A9 verge within the scheme extents.

A field survey was scoped out by competent ecologists due to the nature of the works (resurfacing) and due to the fact that all works will be restricted to the existing carriageway boundary.

Geology and soils

The National Soil Map of Scotland has identified the local soil type as brown soils.

A desktop study using NatureScot Sitelink has not identified any Geological Conservation Review Sites (GCRS) or Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)’s designated for their geological features within 2km of the scheme extents.

A desktop study using the British Geological Survey Map has identified the local geology types as the following:

Bedrock Geology:

Sheriffmuir Sandstone Member - Sandstone. Sedimentary bedrock formed between 419.2 and 393.3 million years ago during the Devonian period.

Superficial Deposits:

Till, Devensian - Diamicton. Sedimentary superficial deposit formed between 116 and 11.8 thousand years ago during the Quaternary period.

As the works will be restricted to the existing carriageway boundary and previously engineered layers, it has been determined that the project does not carry the potential to cause direct or indirect impact to geology or soils. As such, no significant impacts are anticipated, and geology and soils has been scoped out of requiring further assessment.

Material assets and waste

The proposed scheme requires a Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP).

Table 1: Key materials required for activities

Activity

Material Required

Origin/ Content

Site construction

· TS2010 surface course;

· AC32 base;

· AC20 binder;

· Bitumen;

· Road paint;

· Road studs;

A proportion of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) is used in asphalt production. Typical RAP values for base and binder are 10% -15% with up to 10% in surface course.

TS2010 surface course allows a wider array of aggregate sources to be considered when compared to typical stone mastic asphalt (SMA). As a result, the use of TS2010 will reduce the usage of imported aggregates and increase the use of a wider range of sustainable aggregate sources.

Table 2: Key Waste arising from activities

Activity

Waste Arising

Disposal/ Regulation

Site construction

· Road planings;

· Studs; and

· Road kerbs.

On-site investigations of the carriageway (including coring and testing) have been undertaken and did not discover the presence of coal tar within any of the cores. Therefore road planings generated as a result of the required works, will be fully recycled in accordance with the criteria stipulated within SEPA document ‘Guidance on the Production of Fully Recoverable Asphalt Road Planings’.

Noise and vibration

The surrounding area primarily consists of agricultural land use, managed woodland and small areas of residential areas.

The AADF in 2023 for the main A9 carriageway just outside the scheme extents (site no. 80347), accounted for 26,952 vehicles, with an average of 11.1% HGV.

Baseline noise conditions at this location are likely influenced primarily by traffic travelling along the A9. Noise Map Scotland notes the Modelled night-time noise levels (Lngt) within the scheme extents range between 60-65dB.

There are approximately 80 residential properties within 300m of the works, with the closest properties located within the village of Aberuthven on Park Terrace Road located approx. 30m northwest.

Aberuthven Primary school is located approx. 100m northwest of the works.

Grand Eagles Luxury Lodge Park is located approx. 250m east of the works at its closest point.

The works do not fall within a Candidate Noise Management Area (CNMA) as defined by the Transportation Noise Action Plan, Road Maps.

Population and human health

There are approximately 100 residential properties within 500m of the works, with the closest properties located within the village of Aberuthven on Park Terrace Road located approx. 30m northwest. Due to the ‘cut’ of the carriageway and the trees and vegetation lining the verges, none of the nearby residential properties have view of the works.

Aberuthven Primary school is located approx. 100m northwest of the works.

Grand Eagles Luxury Lodge Park is located approx. 250m east of the works at its closest point.

Aberuthven Park and Football Field is located approx. 20m northwest of the works at its closest point.

There are no Walker, Cyclist or Horse-riding (WCH) provisions or national cycle routes within the scheme extents.

Core path ID: AUCH/130 is located approx. 30m northwest of the works at its closest point.

Road drainage and the water environment

A desktop study using the SEPA Water Classification Map has identified the Ruthven Water (ID: 6806), which flows parallel to the A9 carriageway for the full scheme extents at distance of 30m at its closest point. This watercourse is classified as having ‘Moderate ecological potential’ under the Water Framework Directive (WFD).

Road drainage along this section of the A9 consists of top entry gullies and filter stones.

SEPA’s Flood Mapping system has identified an area at high risk (10% chance) of surface water flooding on the A9 carriageway each year within the scheme extents just south of Aberuthven.

The scheme is not located within a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone as defined by the Scottish Government.

Climate

Carbon Goals

The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 sets out the target and vision set by the Scottish Government for tackling and responding to climate change (The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009). The Act includes a target of reducing CO2 emissions by 80% before 2050 (from the baseline year 1990). The Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act 2019 amended the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 to bring the target of reaching net-zero emissions in Scotland forward to 2045 (Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act 2019).

The Scottish Government has since published its indicative Nationally Determined Contribution (iNDC) to set out how it will reach net-zero emissions by 2045, working to reduce emissions of all major greenhouse gases by at least 75% by 2030 (Scotland's contribution to the Paris Agreement: indicative Nationally Determined Contribution - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)). By 2040, the Scottish Government is committed to reducing emissions by 90%, with the aim of reaching net-zero by 2045 at the latest.

Transport Scotland is committed to reducing carbon across Scotland’s transport network and this commitment is being enacted through the Mission Zero for Transport (Mission Zero for transport | Transport Scotland). Transport is the largest contributor to harmful climate emissions in Scotland. In response to the climate emergency, Transport Scotland are committed to reducing their emissions by 75% by 2030 and to a legally binding target of net-zero by 2045.

Monitoring, Management and Opportunities

To support our journey towards carbon neutral and zero waste we include potential opportunities for enhancement utilising circular economy principals within assessment of material assets.

Amey (working on behalf of Transport Scotland) undertake carbon monitoring. Emissions from our activities are recorded using Transport Scotland’s Carbon Management System.

Further information identifying how Amey will obtain the above Carbon Goals can be viewed within the Carbon Management and Sustainability Plan Roadmap to net-zero: STRNMC – North East. 

Policies and Plans

This Record of Determination (RoD) has been undertaken in accordance with Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017 (RSA EIA Regulations) along with Transport Scotland’s Environmental Impact Assessment Guidance (Guidance – Environmental Impact Assessments for road projects (transport.gov.scot)). Relevant guidance, policies and plans accompanied with the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB)) LA 101 and LA 104 were used to form this assessment.