Description of local environment

Air quality

For properties within 300m of the scheme refer to “Population and Human Health”.

Air quality monitoring sites in the wider area record bandings in the ‘green zone’ (Low Index 1-3).

The scheme lies within the boundary of Scottish Borders Council, which has no Air Quality Management Areas (AQMA) within its administrative boundary. The nearest AQMA, ‘High Street, Musselburgh’, lies within the boundary of City of Edinburgh Council and is located approx. 50km north of the scheme extents. The AQMA has been declared for nitrogen dioxide (NO2).

There is one site registered on the Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory (SPRI) for pollutant releases to air within 10km of the scheme (last 10 years):

  • Galashiels STW, Winston Road, Galashiels - Waste and waste-water management – located 10km northeast of the scheme extents and declared for Methane (t).

The baseline air quality within the scheme extents is primarily influenced by motor vehicles travelling along the A7 trunk road. Secondary sources are derived from vehicles travelling along nearby local network roads and day-to-day agricultural land management activities.

Cultural heritage

The PastMap and Historic Environment Scotland (HES) online mapping tool records that no designated cultural heritage assets lie within 300m of the scheme extents.

Of lesser cultural heritage value, ten undesignated cultural heritage assets (UCHAs) lie within 300m of the scheme extents. The nearest UCHA, lies approx. 80m northeast.

Construction of the A7 carriageway is likely to have removed any archaeological remains that may have been present within the carriageway boundary. The potential for the presence of unknown archaeological remains in the study area has therefore been assessed to be low.

Given the lack of cultural heritage features within the scheme extents and the restriction of works to the existing A7 carriageway, no impacts are predicted. As such cultural heritage has been scoped out of further environmental assessment.

Landscape and visual effects

The scheme is not situated within a National Park (NP) or National Scenic Area (NSA).

The Landscape Character Type (LCT) within the scheme extents is ‘Rolling Moorland’ (no. 94) and ‘Upland Fringe with Prominent Hills’ (no. 102) (Scottish Landscape Character Types).

The key characteristics of the 94 LCT are:

  • Large-scale rolling landform with ridges and intervening shallow basins.
  • Significant areas of grassland, peatland and heather moorland.
  • Mosaic of grassland, bracken and rushes on lower ground.
  • Locally-prominent scattered areas of forestry.
  • Occasional small lochs.
  • Sparse settlement of scattered steadings and cottages, along minor roads that traverse the area.

The key characteristics of the 102 LCT are:

  • Typically steep, cone or dome-shaped hills, frequently of volcanic or igneous rock giving strong landform identity.
  • Diverse surrounding landform types, ranging from smooth undulations to strongly elongated ridges and hollows.
  • Land cover dominated by permanent pasture.
  • Locally frequent woodland cover.
  • Generally low settlement density with isolated farmsteads and occasional small settlements.
  • Rich in visual contrasts, with individual hills as dominant focal points of views.
  • Diversity of landscape scale.

Land Use within 300m of the study area is comprised of the following:

  • Industrial or Commercial Area.
  • Plantation.
  • Reservoir.
  • Recreation Area.
  • Rectilinear Fields and Farms.
  • Rough Grazing.
  • Managed Woodland.

The national scale land capability for agriculture classifies land surrounding the scheme as being:

  • ‘Class 4.2’ - Land capable of producing a narrow range of crops, primarily on grassland with short arable breaks of forage crops.
  • ‘Class 5.1’ - Land capable of use as improved grassland. Few problems with pasture establishment and maintenance and potential high yields.

Woodland within the study area consists of:

  • Approx. 0.5ha of broadleaved woodland which borders the A7 SB carriageway within the scheme extents.
  • Approx. 3ha of conifer woodland which borders the A7 SB carriageway within the scheme extents.
  •  Approx. 40ha of young planted woodland and ground prep borders the NB carriageway within the scheme extents.

There are no woodlands registered on the Ancient Woodland Inventory Scotland database or on the Native Woodland Survey of Scotland, and there are no trees covered by a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) within 300m of the scheme extents.

The existing trunk road is a prominent linear landscape feature. The trunk road corridor, for example, has a distinct character shaped by fast-flowing traffic, road markings, safety barriers, signage, landscaping, etc. The scale of the trunk road detracts from the quality and character of the wider landscape.

Biodiversity

The NatureScot Sitelink online mapping tool identifies that the River Tweed SAC is located approx. 1.2km southeast of the scheme extents. There is no hydrological connectivity to the SAC within the scheme extents.

The scheme is not situated within 2km of, and does not share connectivity with, any other ‘European Site’ designated for biodiversity features e.g., SAC, SPA, or Wetland of International Importance (Ramsar Site).

Two Local Nature Conservation Sites (LNCS) are located within the 300m scheme extents:

  • Hare Moss LNCS borders the SB carriageway within the scheme extents.
  • Brownmoor Heights LNCS borders the NB carriageway north of the scheme extents.

There are no Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), or Local Nature Reserves (LNRs) designated for biodiversity features located within 300m of the scheme extents.

A search of the NBN online mapping tool records seven plant species as listed within the Network Management Contract (NMC), within 2km of the scheme extents (in the last 10-years):

Injurious weeds, as listed under the Weeds Act 1959:

  • Broad-leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius)
  • Common ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris)
  • Creeping thistle (Cirsium arvense)
  • Spear thistle (Cirsium vulgare)

Invasive native perennial:

  • Rosebay willowherb (Chamerion angustifolium)

The closest record relates to all species, recorded approx. 90m east of the scheme extents (recorded in 2020).

The Asset Management Performance System (AMPS) records no INNS plant species or injurious weeds within the scheme extents. Of lesser note, invasive native perennial rosebay willowherb (2015 and 2018) is recorded in the carriageway verge within the scheme extents.

Habitat immediately bordering the trunk road tends to be of low intrinsic value because the existing road verge is subject to cyclic maintenance e.g., grass cutting, weed control, tree, and shrub cut-back etc. The roadside verges therefore comprise a homogenous species-poor semi-improved grassland alongside broadleaved tree and shrub shelterbelt. Roadside vegetation generally offers low ecological habitat value due to its limited scale, fragmented nature and high potential for disturbance owing to cyclic trunk road landscape maintenance, and the proximity of the trunk road (with its fast-flowing traffic). The presence of the trunk road also restricts continuity of, and connectivity between, habitats either side of the trunk road boundary.

Outwith the trunk road boundary, agricultural land surrounding the scheme forms a pattern of open and exposed fields containing predominantly pastoral land. The result of this intensive agricultural land management is to restrict the occurrence of semi-natural and natural vegetation types. Most field boundaries are post-and-wire fencing, with vegetative features further delineating field boundaries e.g., shrub hedgerow, rough grassland, ruderal herb stands, scrub and tree shelterbelt. Linear features at field boundaries have wildlife value, both as corridors in an intensively managed landscape, and as habitats for birds and small animals.

Geology and soils

The A7 within the scheme extents is not located within 300m of a Geological Conservation Review Site (GCRS) or Local Geodiversity Sites (LGS).

The National Soil Map of Scotland online mapping tool records two generalised soil types and major soil groups within the scheme extents:

  • Brown soils.
  • Alluvial soils
  • Gleys (major soil group) and Mineral gleys (generalised soil type).

The British Geological Survey online mapping tool records that the superficial geology within the scheme extents is comprised of:

  • Till, Devensian - diamicton.

The bedrock geology within the scheme extents is recorded as

  • Hawick Group – wacke

There is no evidence if historical industrial processes or the storage of hazardous materials that could have given rise to significant land contamination within the scheme extents.

Given that works are restricted to like-for-like replacement of the existing road surface within the carriageway boundary with no earthworks required, factor has no constraints that are likely to be impacted by the proposed works. Therefore, geology and soils has been scoped out of further environmental assessment.

Material assets and waste

The proposed works are required to resurface the worn carriageway and reinstate road markings. Materials used will consist of:

  • TS2010 10mm Site Class 1/2
  • AC20 Dense Binder 40/60
  • AC32 Dense Base
  • Tack/Bond coat,
  • Paving grade bitumen to seal vertical faces
  • Eurolite Thermoplastic Road Markings
  • Embedded Road Studs.

As the value of the scheme is greater than £350,000, a Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP) is required for these works.

The scheme involves removal of the surface course and localised areas of base and binder course. Approx. 4,808 tonnes of bituminous material (European Waste Catalogue Code: 17 03 02) will be removed from site, none of which is classified as hazardous material containing coal tar.

Noise and vibration

Receptors – refer to ‘Population and Human Health’.

Works are not located within a Candidate Noise Management Area (CNMA) or Candidate Quiet Areas (CQA).

The night-time noise level modelled within the scheme extents range is between 60 and 65dB (Scotland’s Noise Scotland’s Environment), dropping to between 45 and 50dB at the nearest receptor (residential property 980m south).

Baseline noise and vibration in the study area is mainly influenced by vehicles traveling along the A7 trunk road. Secondary sources are derived from vehicles travelling along nearby local network roads and day-to-day agricultural land management activities.

Population and human health

There are no properties located within 300m of the scheme extents.

There are no non-motorised (NMU) or community facilities with connectivity to the scheme extents.

Street lighting is absent throughout the scheme extents.

The A7, within the scheme extents is a single carriageway with the national speed limit applying throughout. The Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) flow is low (5,503 motor vehicles (ID: 20716, 2023) Road Traffic Statistics) and is comprised of:

  • 62 two-wheeled motor vehicles,
  • 4,282 cars and taxis,
  • 38 bus and coaches,
  • 181 Light Goods Vehicles (LGVs), and
  • 5,503 Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs).

There are no congestion issues noted on the A7 within the scheme extents during the proposed working hours.

Road drainage and the water environment

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) River Basin Management Plan online mapping tool records there are no classified surface waterbodies within 300m of the scheme extents.

Five small minor unclassified surface waterbodies are located within 300m of the scheme extents:

  • Waterbody (WB) 1 – is culverted beneath the trunk road at multiple locations within the scheme extents. The culverts extend approx. 5-10m either side of the carriageway and are separated by a kerb line and grass verge.
  • Hare Moss reservoir – located approx. 20m east of the scheme.
  • Pond1 – located approx. 80m northwest of the scheme.
  • Drain1 – located approx. 120m northeast of the scheme.
  • Drain2 – located approx. 140m south of the scheme.

These waterbodies are considered to be too small (in terms of catchment area) to be classified as main stem waterbodies by SEPA under the Water Framework Directive (WFD).

A search of the SEPA's Flood Risk Management Maps online mapping tool records that sections of the A7 within the scheme extents is at high to medium risk of surface water flooding each year (i.e. each year this area has a 10% - 0.5% chance of flooding).

A search of the Scotland’s Environment (SE) online mapping tool determined that the trunk road, within the scheme extents, lies on the ‘Biggar’ and ‘Upper Tweeddale Sand and Gravel’ groundwaters, which has been classified as ‘Good’.

A search of SE determined that the trunk road, within the scheme extents, does not lie within a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ).

Climate

The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 sets out the target and vision set by the Scottish Government for tackling and responding to climate change (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). 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.