Description of local environment

Air quality

The scheme is located within a largely rural area of Angus, near Finavon. The A90 is a major trunk road within eastern Scotland, running from Edinburgh to Fraserburgh. Baseline air quality levels are likely to be primarily influenced by vehicles travelling on the A90 carriageway, with secondary sources from agricultural activities.

In 2024 the carriageway just north of scheme extents had an estimated Annual Average Daily Flow (AADF) along the A90, approximately 750m north of the structure (site number: 80383) of 21,160 total vehicles, with 14.3% (3,033) Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs).

Angus Council has not declared any Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) and there are no air quality monitoring stations within 500m of the structure. The closest air quality monitoring station is located in Forfar, approximately 8km from the scheme. Pollution levels in the general vicinity of the works are anticipated to be lower than that at the monitoring station due to the more rural setting of the scheme location.

There are no sites declared on the Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory (SPRI) within 1km of the scheme.

There are approximately 16 air quality receptors located within 300m of the scheme, the closest approximately 205m south (NO 49231 57047).

Cultural heritage

A desktop study using PastMap has been undertaken, highlighting the following designated assets located within 300m:

  • Tannadyce House Lodge (LB17727), a Category B Listed Building located 220m northwest.
  • Tannadyce House Lodge Gates (LB17728), a Category B Listed Building located 220m northwest.
  • Finavon Castle - Doocot (LB17724), a Category B Listed Building located 300m southwest.
  • Finavon, Former Blacksmith's Workshop and Dwelling (LB44942), a Category B Listed Building located 290m northeast.

There are no Scheduled Monuments, Conservation Areas, Garden and Designed Landscapes, Inventory Battlefields, or World Heritage Sites within 300m of the scheme.

Historic Environment Records (HERs) and National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE) provide local and national level information on Scotland’s historic environment. No non-designated cultural heritage features are recorded within 200m.

Landscape and visual effects

Landscape

The scheme is located within a rural setting, characterised by arable agricultural land with semi-mature vegetation lining the carriageway. The scheme falls within the Broad Valley Lowlands - Tayside Scottish Landscape Character Type (LCT), (LCT 384), defined by lowland agricultural valleys.

The general site topography beneath the structure is a slight slope towards the River South Esk.

No areas of Ancient Woodland or trees designated under a Tree Preservation Order directly line the A90 carriageway along the scheme extents. No other areas designated for landscape features or quality, such as Garden & Designed Landscapes are located within 100m, or visible to or from the scheme.

Visual

Due to the general landscape arrangement with natural screening, and distance from surrounding properties, no static visual receptors of the scheme are identified.

Transient visual receptors include road users (motorists, public transport users) travelling along the A90, who will experience brief and intermittent views of the scheme. Other transient receptors include users of the footway that travels adjacent to the northbound carriageway on approach and over the structure. Additionally, the underpasses located beneath the structure provide recreational access.

Biodiversity

Protected Areas

The structure spans the River South Esk, a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) (NatureScot Site Code: 8364).

There are no locally or nationally designated biodiversity sites located within 300m of the scheme (such as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), or National Nature Reserves) (Sitelink).

Refer to Landscape and Visual Effects section for details on ancient woodland and TPOs.

Field Surveys and Ecological Requirements

A series of ecological surveys and assessment have been undertaken to inform the permanent works, with this information being utilised to inform ecological sensitivities and requirements relevant to the required emergency works.

Giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) and Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera), Invasive Non-Native Species have been record within the general working area, and upstream of the structure. An INNS method statement has been undertaken, detailing INNS management and biosecurity protocols. 

Consultation has been undertaken with environmental statutory bodies regarding the proposed emergency works.

As the works lie within the River South Esk SAC, a Habitats Regulations Appraisal will be undertaken to assess potential impacts on qualifying interests of the European site.

Geology and soils

Geology

Bedrock geology comprises sedimentary sandstone of the Scone Sandstone Formation. Superficial deposits comprise sedimentary deposits of alluvium (clay, silt, sand and gravel) (British Geological Survey Geology Viewer).

No Geological Conservation Review Sites (GCRS), Local Geodiversity Sites (LGS) or Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) designated for geological features are located within 200m of scheme extents (Sitelink).

The scheme is located within a moderately productive aquifer with the geological formation including locally flaggy sandstones, with siltstones, mudstones, conglomerates and lavas which yield moderate amounts of groundwater (GeoIndex British Geological Survey).

Soils

Underlying soils comprise alluvial soils (National Soil Map of Scotland).

Contamination

Desk-based investigations undertaken by Amey’s Geotechnical Team have indicated no significant historical development within the site beyond the construction of the bridge and associated embankments, which are anticipated to be constructed of made ground.

The site is designated as a British Drilling Association (BDA) ‘Green’ Site for the purpose of the contract due to the lack of historical land uses in and directly surrounding the Site.

The scheme is not located within a coal mining area as defined by the Coal Authority and Mining Remediation Authority.

Material assets and waste

Materials

Rock bags/nets (4-tonne and 8-tonne) will be required to reinstate areas of undermining and replace displaced rock bags in place from the previous temporary works.

Materials will be obtained from recycled, secondary, or re-used origin as far as practicable within the design specifications to reduce natural resource depletion and associated emissions. For example, undamaged rock bags that previously were installed on site will be reused, as far as possible.

Wastes

Wastes are anticipated to include any damaged rock bags removed from the previous temporary works that are not being reused on site.

Noise and vibration

The scheme extents cover a largely rural area, with baseline noise levels likely to be influenced primarily by traffic flow along the A90, and secondary sources from agricultural activities. For AADF details, please refer to the Air Quality section above.

There are approximately 16 noise sensitive receptors (NSRs) within 300m of the scheme extents, with the closest approximately 205m south at NO 49231 57047. NSRs include residential properties and a hotel (Red Lion Inn Finavon).

Modelled day-evening-night (Lden) noise levels along the scheme range between >65 to 70dB, and night noise levels (Lnight) for the period 23:00-07:00 range from >55B to 60dB. At the closest receptor located 20m from the scheme extents, Lnight is recorded below between >55-60Db. At the closest NSR, Lden is recorded as >55 to 60dB (Scotland’s Noise Map).

Mature and semi-mature trees provide screening between the identified NSRs and the scheme.

The scheme is not located within a Candidate Noise Management Area (CNMA) as defined by the Transportation Noise Action Plan, Road Maps.

Population and human health

There are approximately 15 residential receptors located within 300m of the scheme extents, the closest located approximately 205m south at NO 49231 57047. The Red Lion Inn (a business and recreational facility) is located approximately 210m northwest of the Bridge. No community land or assets, such as medical, educational, religious or recreational facilities are located within 300m of the scheme extents.

The scheme extents are surrounded by arable and grazing agricultural land, however, no agricultural holdings are located within 300m.

A footway is present along the A90 northbound carriageway, travelling over the structure and above the scheme extents. An underpass/access path is located beneath the structure, located within the scheme boundary. These paths are not Angus Council Core Paths. No other walker, cyclist, horse-rider (WCH) routes are within the scheme’s surroundings or anticipated to be impacted by the works.

The A90 carriageway at the scheme extents is not street-lit.

An existing access track is established within the northwest field, with land ownership and access arrangements previously agreed.

Road drainage and the water environment

Surface water

The River South Esk (ID: 5799), a surface water classified under the Water Framework Directive (WFD) is located within the scheme extents. It exhibits a ‘Good’ overall status under SEPA’s 2024 water classification data (SEPA) Water Classification Hub). This watercourse is part of the River South Esk SAC, please refer to the Biodiversity section above for details and regulatory requirements.

Lenmo Burn (ID: 5806), a classified watercourse within the River South Esk catchment is located approximately 430m south of the scheme extents and exhibits a ‘Moderate’ overall status under the WFD.

No other classified, or unclassified watercourses are located within 500m of the scheme extents.

The scheme is not located within a surface water Drinking Water Protected Area (DWPA).

The A90 carriageway above the scheme extents is drained by top-entry gullies.

Groundwater

The scheme lies within the South Esk Valley and Montrose Coastal groundwater body (ID: 150806), exhibiting a ‘Good’ overall status under the WFD in 2024 (SEPA Water Classification Hub).

The scheme is located within the Strathmore and Fife (including Finavon) Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ). The scheme is located within a groundwater DWPA.

The scheme is located within a moderately productive aquifer with the geological formation including locally flaggy sandstones, with siltstones, mudstones, conglomerates and lavas which yield moderate amounts of groundwater (GeoIndex British Geological Survey).

Flood risk

The River South Esk is identified as having a high likelihood of fluvial flooding each year. High likelihood infers a flood event is likely to occur in the defined area on average one in every ten years or a 10% chance of happening in any given year.

The surrounding land, including the northwest field where the access track is located, has a medium-to-high (0.5-10%) likelihood of pluvial flooding (SEPA Flood Map).

The scheme is located within the Finavon 2028-2034 Potentially Vulnerable Area (PVA), (PVA 451) an area identified where the highest flood risk is likely to occur in the future.

Climate

Carbon Goals 

The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009, as amended by the Scottish Carbon Budgets Amendment Regulations 2025 sets out the statutory framework for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Scotland. The prior annual and interim targets have been replaced by five-year carbon budgets, which sets limits on the amount of GHGs that can be emitted in Scotland.

The proposed carbon budgets are aligned with advice from the UK Climate Change Committee (CCC) and calculated in accordance with the 2009 Act. The 2025 Regulations define the baseline years for emissions reductions as 1990 for greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, and 1995 for others such as hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulphur hexafluoride (as set out in Section 11 of the Act). The budgets are as follows:

  • 2026 - 2030: Average emissions to be 57% lower than baseline.
  • 2031 - 2035: Average emissions to be 69% lower than baseline.
  • 2036 - 2040: Average emissions to be 80% lower than baseline
  • 2041 - 2045: Average emissions to be 94% lower than baseline.

These budgets are legally binding and will be supported by a new Climate Change Plan, which will outline the specific policies and actions required to meet the targets.

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

Amey’s Company Wide Carbon Goal is to achieve Scope 1 and 2 net-zero carbon emissions, with a minimum of 80% absolute reduction on our emissions by 2035. Amey is aiming to be fully net-zero, including Scope 3 emissions, by 2040. 

Amey are working towards a contractual commitment to have carbon neutral depots on the North East Network Management Contract (NE NMC) network by 2028. Amey have set carbon goals for the NE NMC contract as a whole to be net-zero carbon by 2032.