Description of local environment
Air quality
The scheme is located within the rural setting of the Highlands with the surrounding landscape consisting of areas of agricultural and small areas of woodland.
There are four residential properties within 200m of the works with the closest property, Dalvey Farm located approx. 15m south of the works.
Baseline air quality is likely influenced primarily by traffic along the A95 road network, with agricultural activities contributing as a secondary source. The Average Annual Daily Flow (AADF) in 2024 for the A95 carriageway located just outside the scheme extents (site no. 50997), accounted for 3,160 vehicles, with 402 of these being Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGV).
The Highland Council has designated an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) in Inverness, approximately over 40km northeast of the scheme, which lies outside the project boundaries. There are no real-time air quality monitoring stations within 200m of the scheme extents.
The Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory (SPRI) has not identified any polluting facilities within 1km of the scheme extents.
Cultural heritage
A desktop Study using Scotland’s Environment mapping resource and Pastmap has not identified any designated culturally significant assets within 300m. It has identified the following non-designated culturally significant assets within 100m:
- Mains of Dalvey (Ref- MHG6801/ 16039) Historic Environment Record (HER) and Canmore located approx. 15m south; and
- Milton (Ref- MHG35767/ 154704) HER and Canmore located approx. 40m southwest.
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.
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
The area surrounding the A95 carriageway within the scheme extents consists of sporadic residential properties, small areas of dense vegetation in the form of mature trees and scrub and large areas of farmland. The mature trees and scrub provide a slight amount of screening from the A95 carriageway and the residential properties. No Highland Council Core Paths have been identified with a view of the scheme extents.
There are no National Scenic Areas (NSAs) or Garden and Designed Landscapes (GDLs) identified within 300m of the scheme extents (Scotland’s Environment Mapping Resource). The scheme is located within the Cairngorms National Park.
Scotland’s Landscape Character Type Map lists the landscape character type present within the scheme extents to be ‘Undulating Wooded Farmland – Cairngorms’ and can be categorised as the following:
- Undulating terrain of ridges, uneven terraces, knolls, gullies, gorges and hummocks enclosed by low ridges of hills.
- Generally well-wooded, with conifer forest on ridges and upper slopes, fragmenting into conifer shelter woods at lower levels.
- Individual and loose clumps of broadleaved trees and woodland between farms.
- Large forest trees, policy woodland and parkland related to Castle Grant, lodges and larger farms.
- Pastoral fields, with fenced or hedgerow edges, some reverting to wetland and rough grazing in less well-drained areas.
- Dispersed traditional farmsteads and newer houses on better drained higher land, linked by minor roads and a network of farm tracks.
Scotland’s Historic Land-Use Map lists the land surrounding the scheme extents as rectilinear farms and fields.
No trees under a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) have been identified within 300m of the scheme extents.
Biodiversity
The A95 carriageway verge within the scheme extents contains sporadic areas of dense, mature woodland and vegetation separating the carriageway from residential properties and agricultural land. Scotland’s Ancient Woodland Inventory has identified Meicklepark Wood area of ‘Long-established (of plantation origin)’ ancient woodland within 500m of the scheme extents (site ID: 8112) located directly south of the carriageway at Dalvey Farm.
NatureScot’s Sitelink has identified the River Spey Special Area of Conservation (SAC) located approx. 10m north of the works.
The National Biodiversity Network (NBN) Atlas has not identified any protected species within 500m of the works.
The NBN Atlas resource has not identified the presence of any Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS) or Transport Scotland Target Species within 500m of the scheme extents. The Amey Environment NE INNS Map resource has not recorded the presence of any INNS, however it has identified Transport Scotland Target Species Rosebay Willowherb (Chamaenerion angustifolium) in the verge of the A95 carriageway within the scheme extents.
The scheme and the surrounding habitat have been reviewed by a senior ecologist utilising desktop resource. The transient nature of the works combined with the requirement of the works to be contained within the pavement boundary has concluded in a site visit being scoped out.
Geology and soils
The scheme is not located within 200m of any Geological Conservation Review sites (GCRs), or Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) designated for their geological significance (NatureScot’s Sitelink).
The National Soil Map of Scotland lists the soil present within the scheme extents to be that of Humus-iron podzols. This resource states the surrounding land to be a ‘999’ with regard to the Land Classification for Agriculture.
- Knockando Quartzite Formation - Quartzite. Metamorphic bedrock formed between 1,000 and 541 million years ago between the Tonian and Ediacaran periods.
- Alluvium and River Terrace Deposits - Gravel, sand, silt and clay. Sedimentary superficial deposit formed between 2.588 million years ago and the present during the Quaternary period.
Material assets and waste
Materials required are detailed within Table 1 below.
|
Activity |
Materials Required |
Sources |
|
Construction |
· TS2010 surface course · AC20 bituminous binder · AC32 bituminous base · Fuels and oils · Road paint · Road studs |
· 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. · 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. · Some material may be derived from primary resources, such as the road paint. |
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, the binder and base courses used for resurfacing will contain a percentage of recycled material.
Wastes
There is a possibility that coal tar may be found during investigation stages. Anticipated wastes from the proposed works are listed in Table 2 below.
|
Activity |
Waste Produced |
Disposal |
|
Construction |
· Asphalt planings · Road paint · Road studs · Possibility of coal tar |
· All waste will be disposed of in accordance with the the Environmental Authorisation (Scotland) Regulations 2018 (EASR). · However, where planings meet SEPA’s criteria, they will be fully recycled. · Any coal tar road planings will be treated as special waste. |
A Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP) will be prepared prior to the works which will detail how resource use and waste arising from the works will be managed throughout the scheme. This is required due to the scheme exceeding £350,000 in value and will help control and reduce the amount of waste produced, resulting in less landfilled waste.
Noise and vibration
Baseline noise and vibration levels are likely to be influenced by vehicle traffic from the A95 carriageway and surrounding residential and agricultural activities. The AADF in 2024 for the A95 carriageway, within the scheme extents (estimated count point ID: 10866), accounted for 3,160 vehicles, with 402 of these being HGVs.
There are four residential properties within 300m of the works with the closest, Dalvey Farm located approx. 15m south of the works. No non-residential noise sensitive receptors have been identified within 300m of the scheme extents.
Scotland’s Noise Map has indicated modelled day-evening-night noise levels (Lden) in the areas surrounding the carriageway to be around 55-60 dB within 70m. Night-time noise levels (Lnight) surrounding the carriageway show levels of 50-65 dB within 70m.
The scheme is not located within a Candidate Noise Management Area (CNMA) as defined within the Transportation Noise Action Plan.
Population and human health
The A95 carriageway within the scheme extents is located southwest of Aberlour in Moray, running through the Strathspey area near Dalvey Farm. This section of the A95 forms part of a key trunk route linking towns such as Grantown-on-Spey, Aberlour and Keith with the A9 corridor and onward to Inverness and the Moray coast. While these smaller settlements provide local amenities and services, including schools, healthcare and retail, a wider range and greater complexity of facilities can be accessed in larger centres such as Elgin and Inverness.
Six residential properties have been identified within 500m of the works with the closest, Dalvey Farm located approx. 15m south of the works.
The A95 carriageway within the scheme extents is not street-lit and contains no bus stops, public laybys and no pedestrian footways. Single access points to fields and private properties are present within the scheme extents.
Highland Council Core Path LBS1i is located approx. 90m north on the opposite bank of the River Spey from the works.
There are no National Cycles Network Routes within 500m of the scheme extents.
Road drainage and the water environment
SEPA’s Water Classification Hub has identified the River Spey (ID- 23096) located approx. 10m north of the works. This watercourse has been given an overall classification of good ecological potential by the Water Framework Directive (WFD).
A tributary of the Spey, Burn of Dalvey is culverted under the A95 carriageway within the scheme extents at NGR- NJ 10925 32171.
SEPA’s Flood Map has identified a high risk (10% chance each year) of river water flooding from the Spey and its tributary.
The works are not located within a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ).
Climate
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 GHGs 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.