Description of local environment

Air Quality

The scheme is located along the A76 to the south of Thornhill in Dumfries and Galloway predominately surrounded by agricultural fields and dense vegetation.

There are approx. 50 residential properties located within 200m of the works with the closest located approx. 8m east located along Dumlanrig Street. There are no further air quality receptors located within 200m of the works.

Dumfries and Galloway Council have not declared any Air Quality Management Areas (AQMA)’s.

Baseline air quality is likely to be influenced by vehicle traffic along the A76 carriageway. The closest manual count point (10748) approx. 690m north records that the Annual Average Daily Flow of Traffic (AADF) in 2023 for all motor vehicles along the A76 was 3934, with 454 of those being heavy good vehicles (HGVs).

No sites registered on the Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory (SPRI) have been identified within 1km of the scheme.

Cultural Heritage

A desk-based assessment was undertaken using Pastmap online mapping tool. A study area of 300m was used for designated cultural heritage assets and an area of 200m was used for non-designated cultural heritage assets. See Table 1 and Table 2 below for full details.

Table 1: Designated Cultural Heritage Assets within 300m

Name	Reference Number	Description	Distance from Scheme
Thornhill	N/A	Conservation Area	1m
Thornhill Village 86 South Drumlanrig Street	LB17368	Listed Building Category B	8m east
Thornhill Village 84 South Drumlanrig Street	LB17367	Listed Building Category B	16m northeast
Thornhill Village 95a South Drumlanrig Street Bank House	LB17325	Listed Building Category B	80m northwest
Thornhill Village 99-102 South Drumlanrig Street (Numbers Inclusive)	LB17326	Listed Building Category B	130m northwest
Thornhill Village 66, 67, 68 South Drumlanrig Street Freemason'S Hill	LB17366	Listed Building Category B	150m northeast
Thornhill Village South Drumlanrig Street George Hotel (South Block Only)	LB17327	Listed Building Category B	160m northwest
Thornhill Village 63, 64 South Drumlanrig Street	LB17365	Listed Building Category B	180m northeast
Thornhill Village 112 South Drumlanrig Street/West Morton Street Buccleuch Hotel	LB17328	Listed Building Category B	230m northwest
Thornhill Village 57, 58 South Drumlanrig Street	LB17364	Listed Building Category B	230m northeast
Thornhill Village The Cross	LB17337	Listed Building Category A	260m north
Thornhill Village 1 West Morton Street	LB17330	Listed Building Category C	270m northwest

Table 2: Non-Designated Cultural Heritage Assets within 200m

Name	Reference Number	Description	Distance from Scheme
Camplebridge Farm, Cottage	208638	Canmore	17m west
New Cample	113690	Canmore	87m east
Camplebridge	113689	Canmore	40m west
Cample Bridge	208631	Canmore	Within the scheme extents.
Thornhill Village 86- 96 South Drumlanrig Street	Various references (Scotlands Environment Web)	Canmore	All located along the boundary of the Dumlanrig Street (A76). Approx 8m from buildings to carriageway.

There are no other designated or undesignated features of cultural heritage within 300m of the scheme extents.

Landscape and Visual Effects

According to Scotland’s Environmental Web there are approximately 10 ancient woodlands located within 500m of the works, the closest being Boatbrae Wood which is located directly adjacent to the west of the A76. The scheme is not located within a National Park (NP) or National Scenic Area (NSA).

There are no Tree Preservation Orders (TPO)’s located within 500m of the works.

The Historic Land Assessment (HLA) Map has highlighted that the land within the scheme extents has previously been described as Rectilinear Fields and Farms.

The Scottish Landscape Character Type (LCT) Assessment Map highlighted the landscape within the scheme extents as The Middle Dale – Dumfries & Galloway. This Landscape Character Type is found above the Lower Dale – Dumfries & Galloway landscapes, in the interior of the county. They are generally located between the Upland Fringe – Dumfries & Galloway character types in Dumfriesshire. The Middle Dales – Dumfries & Galloway occur in Mid Nithsdale, Mid Annandale and Mid Eskdale.

Views from the scheme is primarily dense vegetation and agricultural fields at each side of the carriageway, however some residential properties will have a view of the works at the start of the scheme along Thornhill main street.

Biodiversity

Sitelink does not highlight any European Sites designated for nature conservation i.e. Special Protection Areas (SPA), Special Areas of Conservation (SAC), or Ramsar Sites located within 2km or sharing connectivity with the scheme extents.

Sitelink has not identified the presence of national designations (such as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) or Local Nature Reserves) within 1km of the scheme extents.

Cample Water is located flowing under the scheme extents at NGR: NX 88510 94293. 

No Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS) have been identified within 500m of the works.

A search of Transport Scotland’s Asset Management Performance System (AMPS) highlights Rosebay willowherb (Chamaenerion angustifolium) and Common Ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris) along the verge of the scheme extents.

The scheme and the surrounding habitat have been reviewed by a senior ecologist using desktop resources. Based on this review and the nature of the works, which will be confined to the existing carriageway boundary, the need for a field survey has been scoped out.

Geology and Soils

SiteLink notes there are no Geological Conservation Review Sites (GCRS), or geological SSSIs or Local Geodiversity Sites (LGS) within 500m of scheme extents.

The British Geology Viewer notes the soil geology within the scheme extents consists of the following:

Superficial deposits

• Glaciofluvial Deposits - Gravel, sand and silt. Sedimentary superficial deposit formed between 2.588 million years ago and the present during the Quaternary period.
• Alluvium - Silt, sand and gravel. Sedimentary superficial deposit formed between 11.8 thousand years ago and the present during the Quaternary period.

Bedrock geology

• Thornhill Sandstone Formation - Sandstone. Sedimentary bedrock formed between 298.9 and 272.3 million years ago during the Permian period.

Scotland’s Soil Map highlights the soils within the scheme extents to be Brown earths and Alluvial Soils.

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

As the works will be restricted to the existing carriageway boundary and previously engineered layers, it has been determined that the project does not carry the potential to cause direct or indirect impact to geology or soils. As such, no significant impacts are anticipated, and geology and soils has been scoped out of requiring further assessment.

Material Assets and Waste

Table 3: Key materials required for activities.

Activity	Material Required	Origin/ Content
Site Construction	· Bituminous surfacing materials (TS2010 binder/base); · Vehicle fuel; · Road marking materials and studs; · Oil; and · Lubricant.	· 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 source. · A proportion of RAP is used in asphalt production. Typical RAP values for base and binder are 10% - 15% with up to 10% in surface course. · All of the materials listed will contain a % of recycled material. The rest will come from primary sources.

Table 4: Key wastes arising from activities.

Activity	Waste Arising	Disposal/ Regulation
Site Construction	· Road planings (inert bituminous materials); · Coal Tar is still TBC	· Uncontaminated road planings generated as a result of the works, will be fully recycled in accordance with the criteria stipulated within the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) document ‘Guidance on the Production of Fully Recoverable Asphalt Road Planings’. · The Contractor is responsible for the disposal of road planings and this has been registered in accordance with a Paragraph 13(a) waste exemption issued by SEPA, as described in Schedule 3 of the Waste Management Licensing Regulations 2011carriageway within the scheme extent. · It is Amey policy to reuse or recycle as much waste material as possible. · If coal tar is identified, it will be treated as special waste.

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

Noise and Vibration

There are approx. 90 residential properties located within 300m of the works, all of which have no noise screening from the carriageway. The closest located approx. 8m east located along Drumlanrig Street. The following noise sensitive receptors are located within 300m of the works:

• The Buccleuch & Queensberry Arms Hotel located approx. 270m north.
• Thornhill Fire Station located approx. 300m west.

According to the Transportation Noise Action Plan (TNAP) 2019-2023, the scheme extents are not located within a Candidate Noise Management Area (CNMA).

Baseline noise is likely to be influenced by vehicle traffic along the A76. The closest manual count point (10748) approx. 690m north records that the AADF in 2023 for all motor vehicles along the A76 was 3934, with 454 of those being HGVs.

Scotland Noise Map notes that the noise within the scheme extents ranges between 56 and 72dB LDAY (daytime hours) and 50 and 60dB dB LNGT (night-time hours).

Population and Human Health

A study area of 300m has been used for this assessment as the works are within the carriageway boundary and like-for-like resurfacing of the road surface.

The scheme is located along the A76 to the south of Thornhill in Dumfries and Galloway predominately surround by agricultural fields and dense vegetation. There are approx. 90 residential properties located within 300m of the works. The closest one located approx. 8m east located along Dumlanrig Street. There following sensitive receptors located within 300m of the works include:

• The Buccleuch & Queensberry Arms Hotel located approx. 270m north.
• Thornhill Fire Station located approx. 300m west.

According to Dumfries and Galloway Core path plan Thornhill Circular (via River) (THOR/123/1) is located within the scheme extents located at the start of the scheme. There are no National Cycle Routes or Bridleways located within 300m of the works.

There are two bus stops located along the A76 just out with the scheme extents that run services to Dumfries, Moniaive, and Sanquhar. The A76 is not street lit and has no pedestrian footways.

The A76 has one layby located along the scheme extents. Other land uses within 300m include agricultural fields used for agricultural business which are present adjacent to the A76 carriageway within the proposed scheme extents. There are field accesses along the stretch of the scheme that could potentially be used for farming purposes.

Road Drainage and the Water Environment

According to SEPA’s Water Classification Hub Cample Water (River Nith to Chrichope Linn) (ID: 10629) flows under the scheme extents at NGR: NX 88510 94293. This watercourse has a ‘moderate’ ecological status. According to SEPA Flood Maps, this watercourse shows a high likelihood of river flooding suggesting that each year this area has a 10% chance of flooding. There are no further unclassified watercourses within 500m of the works.

The groundwater located within the scheme extents is Thornhill is a groundwater (ID: 150556) which has a ‘poor’ overall ecological potential. This is not listed as drinking water protected area. The scheme is not located within a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone.

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 (The 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 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)). 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.

Policies and Plans 

This Record of Determination (RoD) has been undertaken in accordance with Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017 (RSA EIA Regulations) along with Transport Scotland’s Environmental Impact Assessment Guidance (Guidance – Environmental Impact Assessments for road projects (transport.gov.scot)). Relevant guidance, policies and plans accompanied with the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB)) LA 101 and LA 104 were used to form this assessment.