Description of local environment

Air quality

Properties within 300m of the scheme – refer to ‘Population and Human Health’.

A search of the Air Quality in Scotland online mapping tool records that the air quality zones in the wider area record bandings in the ‘green zone’ (Low Index 1-3).

The scheme lies within the boundary of Dumfries and Galloway Council, which has no active Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) within its administrative boundary. The nearest AQMA, ‘High Street, Musselburgh’, which is located within the boundary of East Lothian Council, lies approx. 96.5km northeast of the scheme extents (at its nearest point) and has been declared for nitrogen dioxide (NO2).

There are no sites registered on the Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory (SPRI) for pollutant releases to air within 10km of the scheme extents (in the last 10-years).

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

According to the PastMap and Historic Environment Scotland (HES) online mapping tool, there is one conservation area (CA) located within 300m of the scheme extents. The ‘Canobie’ CA lies approx. 20m east of the scheme extents and is comprised of residential areas, the River Esk, and small areas of mature woodland.

There is one listed building located within 300m of the scheme extents. This record pertains to the ‘Priorslynn, Cruck-Framed Building’, Category A listed building (ID: LB3531), which lies approx. 290m east of the scheme extents.

No other designated cultural heritage assets are located within 300m of the scheme extents.

Of lesser cultural heritage value, approx. nine undesignated cultural heritage assets (UCHAs) lie within 300m of the scheme extents. The nearest record pertains to ‘Canobie – Cinerary Urn (Bronze Age)’ National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE) (ID: 67528), which lies approx. 18m west of the scheme extents. 

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.

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 ‘Middle Dale – Dumfries & Galloway’ (no.163) (Scottish Landscape Character Types). The key characteristics of which are:

  • Broad valley with complex undulating topography and locally narrow sections,
  • River meanders eroding bluffs in the valley moraines,
  • Landcover predominantly improved pastures, lush green, sheep, and cattle grazed,
  • Medium scale field enclosures, a mixture of hedgerows and dry-stone dykes,
  • Extensive pattern of shelterbelts and farm woodlands with semi-natural woodlands on bluff slopes,
  • Dale contained by uplands with forests and rough grazing on horizons,
  • Semi-natural hanging woodlands on steep bluff slopes,
  • Country houses and designed landscapes,
  • Settlements of high townscape quality,
  • Communication routes, and
  • ‘Red earth’ qualities relating to underlying red sandstones.

Land use within the study area is comprised of the following:

  • Rectilinear farms and fields,
  • Urban area,
  • Freshwater area,
  • Managed woodland, and

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

  • ‘Class 3.2’ – Land capable of average production though high yields of barley, oats and grass can be obtained. Grass leys are common.

There are six areas of woodland that are registered on the Native Woodland Survey of Scotland database located within 300m of the scheme extents:

  • 1.78ha of wet woodland, located directly alongside the southbound (SB) carriageway boundary at the northern end of the scheme extents,
  • 1.94ha of wet woodland, located directly alongside the northbound (NB) carriageway boundary at the northern end of the scheme extents,
  • 1.34ha of an unidentifiable type of woodland, located directly alongside the NB carriageway boundary,
  • 2.39ha of wet woodland, located approx. 115m southeast from the southern end of the scheme extents,
  • 1.57ha of an unidentifiable type of woodland, located approx. 180m northwest from the northern end of the scheme extents, and
  • 0.65ha of wet woodland, located approx. 235m southwest from the southern end of the scheme extents.

There are three areas of woodland registered on the Ancient Woodland Inventory Scotland database located within 300m of the scheme extents:

  • 3.59ha of ancient (of semi-natural origin) woodland, located directly alongside both the SB and NB carriageway at the northern end of the scheme extents,
  • 8.49ha of ancient (of semi-natural origin) woodland, located approx. 110m east of the scheme extents, and
  • 2.99ha of ancient (of semi-natural origin) woodland, located approx. 145m southeast from the southern end of the scheme extents.

In addition to the above, the following six woodlands are also located within 300m of the scheme extents:

  • 0.54ha of conifer woodland, located directly alongside the SB carriageway boundary towards the southern end of the scheme extents,
  • 10.66ha of young trees, located approx. 25m west of the scheme extents,
  • 12.08ha of young trees, located approx. 40m west of the scheme extents,
  • 0.52ha of conifer woodland, located approx. 145m northeast from the northern end of the scheme extents,
  • 6.49ha of ground prep, located approx. 240m west of the scheme extents, and
  • 0.86ha of young trees, located approx. 245m southeast from the southern end 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 tools identifies that the scheme is not situated within 2km of any European Sites designated for biodiversity features e.g. SACs, SPAs, or Ramsar sites.

However, the scheme extents are located within the buffer zones for some of the qualifying features of the Langholm – Newcastleton Hills Special Protection Area (SPA), Solway Firth SPA and Upper Solway Flats and Marshes Ramsar Site. The Langholm – Newcastleton Hills SPA lies approx. 6.1km northeast of the scheme, the Solway Firth SPA lies approx. 10.4km southwest of the scheme, and Upper Solway Flats and Marshes Ramsar Site lies approx. 10.4km southwest of the scheme extents.

The Langholm – Newcastleton Hills Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) (component of the Langholm – Newcastleton Hills SPA) lies approx. 6.1km northeast of the scheme extents.

The Upper Solway Flats and Marshes SSSI (component of the Solway Firth SPA and Upper Solway Flats and Marshes Ramsar Site) lies approx. 10.4km southwest of the scheme extents.

There are no Local Nature Conservation Sites (LNCS), Local Nature Reserves (LNRs), or additional SSSIs designated for biodiversity features within 300m of the scheme extents.

A search of the NBN online mapping tool records no invasive non-native species (INNS), injurious weeds, or invasive native perennials, as listed within the Network Management Contract (NMC), within 2km of the scheme extents (in the last 10-years).

A search of the Asset Management Performance System (AMPS) online mapping tool records the following plant species within the verge of the A7 carriageway boundary within the scheme extents:

One invasive native perennial:

  • Rosebay willowherb (Chamaenerion angustifolium).

The habitat immediately bordering the A7 carriageway consists primarily of large areas of agricultural land and managed grassland separated by field boundaries, minor embankments sloping towards the A7 trunk road, mature broadleaved tree shelterbelts, mature hedgerows, and natural roadside vegetation (e.g., immature trees, shrubs etc.) and made verges which undergo cyclic maintenance (e.g., grass-cutting, weed control, etc.). While there is high availability of roadside vegetation, the habitat immediately bordering the trunk road is assessed to be of reduced ecological value, due to the likelihood of trunk road disturbances from high volume, fast-flowing traffic and that the A7 trunk road limits the connectivity and continuity for species between their potential habitats on either side of the road.

Geology and soils

The A7 within the scheme extents is not located within a Geological Conservation Review Site (GCRS) and there are no Local Geodiversity Sites (LGS) located within 300m of the scheme extents.

The National Soil Map of Scotland online mapping tool records one generalised soil type within the scheme extents:

  • Mineral gleys.
  • Brown Soils.

There is one major soil group recorded within the scheme extents:

  • Brown Soils.

The British Geological Survey online mapping tool records the superficial geology within the scheme extents as:

  • Gretna Till Formation – Diamicton.

The bedrock geology within the scheme extents is recorded as:

  • Eden Shales Formation – Mudstone, and
  • St Bees Sandstone Member – Sandstone.

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 the works will be restricted to the existing carriageway boundary and depth coupled with the absence of any designated site, it is assessed that there is no potential for the scheme to result in impacts to Geology and Soils. As such this topic has been scoped out of further assessment.

Material assets and waste

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

  • TS2010 10mm surface course class 1/2/3.
  • EME2 AC14 binder.
  • 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 1.41km scheme involves removal of the surface course and localised areas of base and binder. In total, approx. 3338 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 modelled noise level (LGNT) within the scheme extents ranges between 65 and 70 decibels (dB), with levels dropping to between 40 and 45 dB at the nearest noise sensitive receptor (NSR) (residential property).

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, day-to-day woodland and agricultural land management activities.

Population and human health

Numerous residential properties lie within 300m of the scheme extents. The nearest property lies approx. 155m northeast from the northern end of the scheme extents and has partial screening from the scheme due to fragmented mature-/semi-mature tree shelterbelts and mature hedgerows. The remaining properties have partial to full screening from the scheme extents due to a combination of semi-mature/mature tree shelterbelts, mature hedgerows, mature woodland, minor sloped embankments, intervening topography and/or other properties.

There are no non-motorised (NMU) or community facilities with connectivity to the scheme extents and there is no street lighting present throughout the scheme.

The A7, within the scheme extents, is a single carriageway with a speed limit of 60 mph applying throughout. The Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) flow is low (3,729 motor vehicles (ID: 50718, 2024 data)) (Road Traffic Statistics.

Road drainage and the water environment

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) River Basin Management Plan online mapping tool records one classified surface waterbody within 300m of the scheme extents:

  • ‘River Esk’ (Black Esk to National Boundary) (ID: 10758), which lies approx. 265m northeast from the northern end of the scheme extents. It is a river in the River Esk (Solway) catchment of the Solway Tweed river basin district, with the main stem approx. 36.3km in length and has been given an overall classification of good ecological potential.

Eight unclassified waterbodies lie within 300m of the scheme extents:

  • ‘Birken Sike’, which flows directly beneath the scheme extents and outfalls to the River Esk,
  • ‘Closses Burn’, which flows directly beneath the scheme extents at the northern end of the scheme and outfalls to the River Esk,
  • ‘Drain one’ which flows beneath the scheme extents and outfalls to Birken Sike,
  • ‘Pond one’, located approx. 55m east of the scheme extents,
  • ‘Pond two’, located approx. 70m east of the scheme extents,
  • ‘Drain two’, located approx. 130m southeast from the southern end of the scheme extents,
  • ‘Pond three’, located approx. 260m each of the scheme extents, and
  • ‘Boughlin Burn’, located approx. 265m southeast from the southern end of the scheme extents.

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

A search of the SEPA’s Flood Map online mapping tool records that the A7 carriageway within the scheme extents has a low to medium risk of surface water flooding each year.

A search of the Scotland’s Environment (SE) online mapping tool determined that the trunk road, within the scheme extents, lies on the ‘Annan’ groundwater, which has been classified as ‘Good’.

The scheme extents do not lie within a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ).

Climate

The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 (‘The Act’), and its subsequent amendment under the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act 2019, sets the framework for the Scottish Government to address climate change. The Act has an ambitious target to reach Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045, with any residual emissions balanced by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This is five years earlier than the rest of the UK due to the greater potential for carbon sequestration in Scotland.

The Act was amended to replace interim targets with carbon budgets. Carbon budgets are legally binding caps on greenhouse gas emissions in Scotland over five-year periods. In line with the Act, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) published advice on the level of Scotland’s four carbon budgets, covering the period 2026 to 2045, recommending what the Scottish Government sets its carbon budgets at for annual average levels of emissions. These recommendations are based on an ambitious but credible route to Net Zero for Scotland by 2045.

Emissions reductions from surface transport are the largest contribution to meeting the first two carbon budgets. The pathway for surface transport emission reduction is primarily driven by the uptake of electric vehicles, in addition to measures to enable a shift from car use to public transport and active travel, which all play a role in reducing emissions from fossil fuel cars. Ensuring efficiency of existing transport infrastructure and improving/providing new active travel facilities is therefore important to support these carbon reduction budgets.

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 the above noted legally binding target of net-zero by 2045. 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).