Description of local environment

Air Quality

The immediate scheme extents are defined by vegetation and hedgerows with localised pockets of mixed woodlands. These woodland pockets are more prevalent towards the scheme ‘Start’. The wider area is dominated by areas of large open space taking the form of agricultural fields to the east and west.

There are approximately 15 residential properties, including farming residences, located within 200m of the scheme extents, the closest of which is situated 27m west of the scheme extents adjacent to the A76 carriageway. There are no other sensitive air quality receptors within 200m of the works.

The primary factor affecting baseline air quality is traffic along the A76 road network combined with agricultural activities in the surrounding area. Manual count point 20751, located within the scheme extents along the A76, highlights that in 2024, the Annual Average Daily Flow (AADF) of all motor vehicles was 11,726 with 735 (6%) of these being Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs).

East Ayrshire Council has not declared any Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs). There are no sites registered on the Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory (SPRI) within 1km of the proposed works area. Furthermore, there are no Air Quality Monitoring Stations located within 200m of the works area.

Cultural Heritage

A desk-based assessment has been undertaken using Pastmap online mapping tool. The study area covered a 300m radius for designated cultural heritage assets and a 200m radius for non-designated cultural heritage assets.

There are no Conservation Areas located within 200m of the scheme extents.

Full details of designated and non-designated assets can be found in Table 1 and Table 2 below.

Table 1: Designated Cultural Heritage Assets within 300m

Name

Reference number

Description

Distance from scheme

Rodinghead

LB14486

Listed Building – Cat B

Approx. 130m west of the scheme extents

Lodge And Gatepiers Rodinghead

LB14488

Listed Building – Cat B

Approx. 22m west of the scheme extents
Table 2: Non-Designated Cultural Heritage Assets within 200m

Name

Reference number

Description

Distance from scheme

Rodinghead - Mauchline

12361

Historic Environment Record (HER) - Roman Road (possible)

Within the scheme extents

Bargower

170080

National Record of Historic Environment (NRHE) - Farmstead (Period Unassigned)

Approx. 65m southwest of the scheme extents

Rodinghead House

234785

NRHE - House (Period Unassigned)

Approx. 130m west of the scheme extents

Rodinghead House

83121

HER - House (Period Unassigned)

Approx. 130m west of the scheme extents

Rodinghead, Lodge

42844

NRHE - Gate Lodge (Period Unassigned)

Approx. 23m west of the scheme extents

Deaconhill

12367

HER - 'Old Road'; Plantation

Adjacent to the A76 carriageway

Crosshands, Smithy

47882

HER - Industrial; Smithy

Approx. 22m south of the scheme extents

Crosshands, Smithy

178843

NRHE - Smithy (Period Unassigned)

Approx. 31m southwest of the scheme extents

Landscape and Visual Effects

Landscape

The immediate scheme extents are defined by vegetation and hedgerows with localised pockets of mixed woodlands. These woodland pockets are more prevalent towards the scheme ‘start’. The wider area is dominated by areas of large open space taking the form of agricultural fields to the east and west. A railway line runs below the A76 carriageway approximately 30m northwest of the works.

There are no distinctive cultural landscape or historical landscape features within the scheme extents.

According to Scotland’s Environment Web, the following landscape designations can be found within 500m of the scheme extents:

  • Carnell Gardens and Designed Landscape (ID: GDL00087) is located approximately 434m north of the scheme extents;
  • Unnamed Ancient Woodland (ID: 7) is located approximately 313m north of the scheme extents;
  • Rodinghead Wood Ancient Woodland (ID: 8) is located approximately 20m west of the scheme extents, and;
  • Unnamed Ancient Woodland (ID: 9) is located adjacent to the scheme extents.

There are no Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) or any National Scenic Areas (NSAs) situated within 500m of the proposed works area.

According to Scotland’s Landscape Character Type (LCT) Map, the LCT within the scheme extents can be classed as ‘66 - Agricultural Lowlands - Ayrshire’ characterised by large areas, including most of the Ayrshire Basin to the north of Kilwinning and Irvine. It comprises inland areas on the mainland between the coastal edge and higher moorland to the east.

Scotland’s Historic Land Use Assessment (HLA) Map has identified that the land within the scheme extents has been previously used as ‘Rectilinear Fields and Farms’. This involves the enclosure of arable land as well as the building of slate roofed farm steadings and associated buildings. Field boundaries were designed to be rectilinear wherever possible, because it improved the efficiency of agriculture, tending to reduce unworkable corners. Recent amalgamation of these fields is common. The land surrounding the scheme extents can be classed as a mixture of ‘Designed Landscape’ and ‘Managed Woodland’.

Visual

Due to the rural setting and the effective vegetation cover provided by woodland pockets, only a limited number of residential properties will have visibility of the works. The properties affected are located approximately 75m south of the site along the B744, where both topographic and vegetative screening is absent. Bargower Farm, located approximately 60m west of the works, may have distant views of construction, however, this is not expected to be significant.

Transient visual receptors include road users (motorists, public transport users) travelling along the A76, who will experience brief and intermittent views of the scheme. Typically, the views from the carriageway are pockets of woodland, with residential properties in the wider surroundings.

There are no footpaths or core paths located within visual proximity of the works.

Biodiversity

Protected Areas

A desktop study using NatureScot’s online research tool, Sitelink, has not identified any European designated sites that have connectivity or lie within 2km of the works area. This resource has not identified the presence of national designations (such as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) or Local Nature Reserves) within 200m of the scheme extents.

There are no TPOs located within 500m of the proposed works location.

Watercourses

Please see Road drainage and the water environment section for details.

Field Survey

As the construction activities include verge works extending beyond the carriageway boundary, a competent Amey ecologist determined that a field survey should be carried out prior to commencement of the scheme. The survey was undertaken on the 27th January 2026.

Invasive Plants

A desktop study using the NBN Atlas has not identified any target species, injurious weeds or any Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS) within 500m of the proposed works area.

Transport Scotland’s Asset Management Performance System has recorded the following target species along the carriageway within the extents of the scheme:

  • Common ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris);
  • Rosebay willowherb (Chamerion angustifolium), and;
  • Creeping thistle (Cirsium arvense).

Geology and Soils

Geology

There are no Geological Conservation Review Sites (GCRS), Local Geodiversity Sites or any Geological SSSIs that have connectivity or are within 200m of the scheme extents as noted by NatureScot’s Sitelink.

Britain’s Geology Viewer indicates that the geology along the A76, within the scheme extents, comprises the following:

Bedrock Geology

  • Ballagan Formation-Argillaceous rock, dolostone and sandstone. These sedimentary rocks are lacustrine or shallow-marine in origin. They are detrital, generally fine-grained (but can include layers of coarser material) and form beds of carbonate-rich deposits sometimes including precipitated beds of evaporites.

Superficial Deposits

  • Till, Devensian-Diamicton. These sedimentary deposits are glacigenic in origin. They are detrital, created by the action of ice and meltwater, they can form a wide range of deposits and geomorphologies associated with glacial and inter-glacial periods during the Quaternary.

Soils

Scotland’s Soils Map has highlighted that the component soil within the scheme extents can be identified as ‘Noncalcareous gleys’ which can be undulating lowlands with gentle and strong slopes.

Land Use

There are no operational landfill sites located within 1km of the scheme extents. Barr Limited landfill site is located approximately 572m south of the works, however this site was deemed not operational.

Material Assets and Waste

Materials

Materials required are detailed within Table 3 below.

Table 3: Key Materials Required for Activities

Activity

Materials Required

Sources

Construction

· TS2010 surface course;

· AC20 bituminous binder;

· AC32 bituminous base;

· Fuel;

· Road studs;

· Road paint, and;

· Verge work materials (e.g. filter stones, bollards etc.)

· 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.

Resurfacing will utilise warm-mix asphalt as it requires less heat, reducing energy use, making it more environmentally friendly in comparison to hot mix asphalt.

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

Anticipated wastes from the proposed works are listed in Table 4 below.

Table 4 - Anticipated wastes from the proposed works

Activity

Waste Produced

Disposal

Construction

· Asphalt planings;

· Road studs;

· Road paint, and;

· Verge work materials (e.g. filter stones, bollards etc.)

· All waste will be disposed of following regulations of the Environmental Authorisation (Scotland) Regulations 2018 (EASR).

A Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP) will not be prepared prior to the works as the value of the scheme is not greater than £350,000.

Noise and Vibration

There are approximately 20 residential properties, including farming residences, located within 300m of the scheme extents, the closest of which is situated 27m west of the scheme extents. There are no other sensitive noise and vibration receptors within 300m.

The primary factor affecting baseline noise and vibration is traffic along the A76 road network combined with agricultural activities in the surrounding area. Manual count point 20751, located within the scheme extents along the A76, highlights that in 2024, the AADF of all motor vehicles was 11,726 with 735 (6%) of these being HGVs.

Scotland’s Noise Map, shows that modelled day-time noise levels (Lday) in the areas surrounding the carriageway show levels of around 52-56dB and within the proposed works approximately 72-75dB. Nighttime noise level (Lnight) in the areas surrounding the carriageway show levels of around 43-54dB and within the proposed works 60-64dB.

The works do not fall within a Candidate Noise Management Area (CNMA) as highlighted by Transport Scotland’s Transportation Noise Action Plan (TNAP) (2024-2028).

Population and Human Health

Given the nature and scale of the proposed works, a reduced buffer distance of 300m will be applied for the assessment of Population and Human Health impacts and associated mitigation requirements.

The scheme is located in a rural section of the A76 carriageway between Crossroads and Crosshands in East Ayrshire. This corridor forms part of the transport link between towns such as Mauchline and Kilmarnock, where surrounding land use is predominantly residential and agricultural. Although community facilities, including education centres, are typically concentrated within larger urban centres, the A76 provides access to smaller settlements and associated community assets before connecting to major urban areas like Glasgow.

There are approximately 20 residential properties, including farming residences, located within 300m of the scheme extents, the closest of which is situated 27m west of the scheme extents.

There are multiple direct access and egress points along the A76 within the scheme extents. Some of these points are the only access to residential properties. There are no other key community assets within 300m of the proposed works.

There are no bus stops, footways or any Public Rights of Way (PRoW) within the scheme extents. Due to the rural setting, there are no streetlights present along the A76 carriageway within the extents of the scheme.

One layby is located adjacent to the scheme ‘Start’ at NGR NS 48576 30722.

There are no Core Paths, National Cycle Network Routes or any bridleways within 300m of the works.

Road Drainage and the Water Environment

Surface Water

According to SEPA’s Water Classification Hub, Cessnock Water (ID: 10927) is located approximately 240m east of the scheme extents at the closest point. This watercourse eventually outflows into the Irvine Bay and has an overall moderate ecological potential as highlighted by the Water Framework Directive (WFD). Garroch Burn of The Lade, an unclassified watercourse, is located approximately 354m west of the scheme extents.

There are no ponds located within 250m of the proposed works location.

Drainage along the A76 within the scheme extents consists of gullies, filter stones and catchpits.

Flood Risk

SEPA’s Flood Risk Map indicates that certain localised areas within the scheme extents are expected to face a medium to high probability (0.5–10%) of surface water flooding each year. This flooding is most prevalent within the middle section of the proposed works. Cessnock Water has an overall high (10%) chance of surface water flooding; however, this does not extend within the scheme extents.

Groundwater

Groundwater within the scheme extents consists of Ayr groundwater (ID: 150669) which has been recorded to have an overall ‘Poor’ quality according to the WFD in 2024.

The works do not fall within a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ) as classified by the Scottish Government. There are no Drinking Water Protected Zones (Surface) within 500m of the works. 

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