Description of local environment

Air quality

For baseline air quality information regarding residential, community and commercial receptors in the area, refer to ‘Population and Human Health’ section below.

The scheme does not fall within or within 10km of an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) (Scotland Environment).

No Air Quality Monitoring Stations (AQMS) are located within 10km of the scheme (Air Quality in Scotland). Stations nearest to the scheme record air quality to be within the ‘green zone’ (Low Index 1-3).

One Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory (SPRI) site (which records air pollutant releases) is located within 10km of the scheme (Scotland’s Environment). Auchencarroch landfill, Jamestown is a waste and waste management facility which lies 10km southeast of the scheme and is noted for monitoring emissions from a range of carbons and hazardous substances.

Baseline air quality for this scheme is primarily influenced by traffic along the A82 trunk road.

Cultural heritage

A desktop study using Historic Environment Scotland’s PastMap has identified the following cultural heritage features within 300m of the scheme:

  • Rossdhu Lodge, North Lodge with Gatepiers and Railings (LB14454) is a Category B Listed Building and lies 25m east of the scheme.
  • Bandry Cottages With Railings (LB43959) is a Category B listed Building and lies 210m northeast of the scheme.
  • RossdhuGarden & Designed Landscape (GDL00330) lies 25m east of the scheme.

Of lesser cultural heritage value, several Historic Environment Records (HERs) and National Records of the Historic Environment (NRHE) lie within 300m of the scheme. The nearest of these is a HER of a military road which lies within the scheme extents.

There are no Words Heritage Sites, Scheduled Monuments, Conservation Areas, Battlefields within 300m of the scheme.

Landscape and visual effects

The scheme is located within Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park (LLTNP) (NatureScot Site Code: 8621). The LLTNP has the following general special qualities:

  • A world-renowned landscape famed for its rural beauty
  • Wild and rugged highlands contrasting with pastoral lowlands
  • Water in its many forms
  • The rich variety of woodlands
  • Settlements nestled within a vast natural backdrop
  • Famous through-routes
  • Tranquillity
  • The easily accessible landscape splendour

The scheme is located within Loch Lomond National Scenic Area (NSA) (NatureScot Site Code: 9135). The Loch Lomond NSA shares the same Special Landscape Qualities as LLTNP.

The Landscape Character Type (LCT) within the scheme extent is recorded as ‘Lowland Loch Basin – Loch Lomond & The Trossachs’ (LCT No. 236), which has the following key characteristics:

  • Expansive loch basin rising to steep-sided hills and mountains to the east and west, and a low ridge to the south.
  • Rivers flowing into the loch and their floodplains, with associated gently undulating valley sides, forming an integral part of the basin.
  • Indented shores and some pronounced broad promontories on the west coinciding with alluvial fans from water courses flowing into the loch.
  • Shoreline of rocky promontories and sand or pebble beach.
  • Many wooded islands in the Loch appear to coalesce with shoreline promontories, breaking down the expanse of water visible in loch or shore views to form narrow straits and more intimately scaled areas of water.
  • Extensive native oak dominated woodlands fringing the eastern side of the loch and wisps of birch threading up through narrow gullies which cut deeply into bracken/rough grass covered hill slopes.
  • Well-settled loch margins with tourism and recreation developments such as chalet parks, golf courses and hotels, some accommodated in former estates.
  • A number of small planned estate-influenced settlements on the shores of the Loch and the southern Luss small planned estate village. The settlement of Balloch has a more urban character.
  • Loch shores a focus for estates and their designed landscapes with mixed policy woodlands and parkland contributing to the diversity of the loch basin. Twisting dead end road providing access on the east side of the loch, contrasting with the heavily trafficked A82 aligned close to western side of the loch. Views from these roads to the Loch often restricted by shoreline vegetation. Tourist facilities located close to these routes
  • Boating activities including sailing, canoeing, kayaking, and power boats and other sport activities such as jet skis on Loch Lomond. Ferries are a feature of the water bodies.
  • Highly scenic landscape composition of island, water and indented shoreline, especially when viewed from surrounding hills and the south of the loch.

The scheme extent is situated within an enclosed landscape characterised by woodland-dominated land use, intersected by rectilinear fields and farms (HLAmap). Loch Lomond lies to the east of the scheme and comprises a large-scale open landscape beyond the A82 roadside tree shelterbelts at the scheme extent.

The A82 trunk road connects Alexandria with Crianlarich, Fort William and Inverness. It commences immediately north of Tullichewan Roundabout in Alexandria leading generally northwards for 243 kilometres to its junction with the A9 at (but excluding) Longman Roundabout in Inverness. The A82 is predominantly single carriageway along its length, with some lengths of ‘2+1’ carriageway. It is single carriageway throughout the scheme extent.

Biodiversity

Loch Lomond Woods Special Area of Conservation (SAC) (NatureScot Site Code: 8298) lies approximately 450m northeast of the scheme at its nearest point.

Loch Lomond Special Protection Area (SPA) (NatureScot Site Code: 8531) lies approximately 450m northeast of the scheme at its nearest point and overlaps with the Loch Lomond Woods SAC in proximity to the scheme.

Loch Lomond Ramsar site (NatureScot Site Code: 8437) lies approximately 3.6km southeast of the scheme at its nearest point and overlaps the SAC in proximity to the scheme.

A Habitats Regulations Appraisal (HRA) Proforma has been undertaken to robustly assess the potential for Likely Significant Effects (LSE) and Adverse Effects on Site Integrity (AESI) on the designated features, both alone and in combination with other plans and projects. For further details, refer to the “Biodiversity” section under Description of Main Environmental Impacts and Proposed Mitigation below.

There are no locally or nationally designated sites for biodiversity such as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), National Nature Reserves (NNR) or Local Nature Reserves (LNRs) within 300m of any of the sites (SiteLink).

The NBN Atlas holds no records of invasive or injurious weed species (as listed in the northwest Network Management Contract (NW NMC)).

Transport Scotland’s Asset Management Performance System (AMPS) also returned no records of invasive and/or injurious plants (as listed in the NMC) along the A82 within the vicinity of the scheme extents.

The scheme extent lies within an area surrounded by high-value habitats, comprising mixed woodland and Loch Lomond, which lies approximately 30m to the east of the scheme. The surrounding woodland provides structurally diverse habitat, including mature trees, understorey vegetation, and potential resting and foraging opportunities for protected species. Loch Lomond and associated riparian corridors also provide potential commuting and foraging routes for semi-aquatic mammals, increasing the ecological sensitivity of the receiving environment.

Woodland flanking the A82 at the scheme extent is recorded on the Ancient Woodland Inventory (AWI) as ancient woodland of semi-natural origin. Woodland beyond the immediate scheme area is recorded as long-established woodland of plantation origin (Scotland’s Environment).

There are no trees covered by a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) within 300m of the scheme (LLTNP).

A Preliminary Ecological Appraisal (PEA) and Preliminary Roost Assessment (PRA) was undertaken by the BEAR Scotland NW Environment Team on 13th February 2026.

Geology and soils

The scheme does not lie within, or within 300m of, a Geological Conservation Review Site (GCRS) or a geologically designated SSSI (NatureScot Sitelink).

The scheme extents traverse the following superficial deposits (BGS Geology Viewer):

  • Glaciofluvial sheet deposits-sand and gravel.
  • Alluvial fan deposits-sand, gravel and boulders
  • Till-Diamicton.
  • Glaciofluvial ice contact deposits-gravel, sand and silt.

Bedrock within the scheme extent is comprised of Bullrock Greywacke Member (psammite and pelite) which is a metamorphic bedrock (BGS Geology Viewer).

The major soil groups found within the scheme are brown earths (Scotland’s Soils).

Soils within the scheme extent are recorded as being ‘Class 0’, as displayed on Scotland’s Peat Map. Class 0 are mineral soils with no peat present.

Material assets and waste

The vegetation management works will utilise the following machinery and materials:

  • Chainsaws
  • Pole saws
  • Oil for machines

Waste arisings from the works will consist of timber, which will be removed to a licenced waste management contractor in line with the SPHN, timber not infected by ramorum disease may be retained within biodiversity piles.

The value of the scheme does not exceed £350,000; therefore, a Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP) is not required.

A site compound is not required. Access will be taken from the A82 within the traffic management (TM). Storage of machinery will be within the TM.

Noise and vibration

For residential, community and commercial receptors, refer to the ‘Population and Human Health’ section below.

The works do not fall within a Candidate Noise Management Area (CNMA) as defined by the Transportation Noise Action Plan (Road Maps) (TNAP).

LDEN or ‘day, evening, night average noise levels’ are modelled within the scheme extent. Noise levels are recorded as being between 65 and 70dB on the road at the scheme (ScotGov).

The baseline noise and vibration levels at the scheme extent are primarily influenced by vehicles travelling along the A82 trunk road.

The A82, within the scheme extents, is a single carriageway with the national speed limit (60mph) applying throughout. A Transport Scotland manual traffic counter (Site: ATC08084, A82 Arnburn Farm Loch Lomond) located 500m south of the scheme recorded an annual daily total (ADT) of 10,478 motor vehicles in 2025, of which 9.3% were heavy goods vehicles (HGVs).

Population and human health

One terraced dwelling lies within 300m of the scheme. The terrace comprises three properties and is located approximately 210m to the northeast of the scheme. These properties are provided moderate screening from the scheme extent by intervening woodland.

The grounds of Loch Lomond Golf Course lie approximately 200m to the southeast of the scheme and are screened from view by intervening woodland.

One junction leading to a local road lies within the scheme extents.

There are no non-motorised user (NMU) facilities along the A82 within the scheme extents. Laybys lie either side of the A82 immediately north of the scheme.

One Core Path (RCR40) runs parallel to the scheme extent at a distance of approximately 15m to the east (LLTNP).

There are no walking routes (WalkHighlands) or National Cycle Network Routes (OS Maps) within 300m of the scheme extents.

Road drainage and the water environment

Loch Lomond (South) (SEPA ID: 100257) is a classified waterbody by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) under the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC (WFD) and lies 30m east of the scheme. Loch Lomond (South) was assigned a condition of ‘moderate’ in 2024.

Several minor, unclassified waterbodies - comprising tributaries and drainage channels - are culverted beneath the A82 within the scheme extent. All of these watercourses ultimately discharge into Loch Lomond, located to the east of the scheme.

In addition, a number of minor unclassified tributaries and drains lie within 300m of the scheme.

The works lie within the ‘Cowal and Lomond’ (ID: 150689) groundwater body, which has been classified by the SEPA as ‘good’ and is also a Drinking Water Protected Area (DWPA) (ground and surface).

The SEPA Indicative Surface Water Flood Map identifies sections of the A82 within the scheme extent as being at high risk of surface water flooding and from small watercourses, with an annual exceedance probability of 10% (i.e., a 1-in-10-year chance of flooding at these locations) (SEPA).

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).