Description of local environment

Air quality

A search of the Air Quality in Scotland online mapping tool records that the works are not located within an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA). The scheme is located within the Argyll and Bute administrative area, which currently does not have any AQMAs.

There are no sites registered for air emissions on the Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory (SPRI) (Scotland’s Environment) within 10km of the works. 

There are no air quality monitoring stations within 10km of scheme extents; sites monitoring air quality in the wider areas record bandings to be within the ‘green zone’ (low pollution levels) (Air Quality in Scotland).

The baseline air quality within the scheme extents is primarily influenced by motor vehicles travelling along the A82 trunk road. Secondary sources are most commonly derived from recreational activities associated with Loch Lomond and from urban activities associated with Ardlui.

Cultural heritage

The following cultural heritage features are recorded within 300m of the scheme (Designations Map Search and Pastmap):

  • Category B Listed Building ‘Ardlui, K6 Telephone Box’ (LB866) lies approximately 190m north of the scheme extents.
  • Category C Listed Building ‘Ardlui Railway Station Building With Subway And Gates’ (LB43177) lies approximately 208m north of the scheme extents.
  • Category C Listed Building ‘Ardlui, Former Station Master's House’ (LB43178) lies approximately 220m north of the scheme extents.
  • Several Historic Environment Records (HER) and National Records of the Historic Environment (NRHE) within 300m of the works, the closest of which underlie the scheme extent:
    • HER ‘Tarbert-Crianlarich’ Military Road (12429)
    • HER ‘Walkover Survey: Arrochar Parish, Loch Lomond, Argyll & Bute’ (6255)
    • HER ‘Garristuck A Culvert’ (45731)
    • HER ‘Garristuck A Culvert’ (45732)
    • NRHE ‘Garristuck A Culvert’ (157730)
    • NRHE ‘Garristuck B Culvert’ (157729)

There are no Scheduled Monuments, Conservation Areas, Garden & Designed Landscapes, Battlefields or World Heritage sites identified within 300m of the scheme (PastMap).

Landscape and visual effects

The scheme is located wholly within Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park (LLTNP) (NatureScot Site Code: 8621). LLTNP is designated for the following Special General 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 also located within Loch Lomond National Scenic Area (NSA) (NatureScot Site Code: 9135). The NSA shares the same Special Qualities as the LLTNP.

The Landscape Character Type (LCT) is LCT 254: ‘Straths and Glens with Lochs’. Key Characteristics of this LCT include the following:

  • Strongly enclosed by steep and often rugged hill slopes with lochs filling much of the space between, leaving only a narrow flatter margin against the loch shore.
  • Lochs generally long and narrow.
  • Narrow passes occur between some lochs. Subtle promontories and narrow beaches feature on loch shorelines – these particularly appreciated in long views down the length of the lochs. Modification of natural lochs and water catchments in the Park, giving rise to a variety of structures including dams and aqueducts – many of these comprise distinctive 19th Century structures.
  • Settlements often located at the head of lochs and major through roads are aligned through some of these glens and straths.
  • Scattered traditional dwellings or clusters of buildings usually located close to alluvial pastures at the intersection with side glens and watercourses on some loch shores.
  • Tourism and recreation facilities along loch shores.
  • Highland-type designed landscapes, grand houses, hunting lodges and associated features, policies and parklands occupy prime loch shore positions. Pier and timber boat houses are a common feature in association with houses and estates particularly on Loch Ard.
  • Lochs are highly visible, with roads and cycle/walking routes aligned close to their shores.
  • Long views are possible across open water to the Highland Summits and the combination of craggy towering hills and smooth water is an essential component of the scenic richness of the National Park.

The scheme lies within 30m of Loch Lomond at the nearest point and approximately 200m of north of the small settlement of Ardlui. The surrounding habitat is primarily woodland and grassland.

The A82 Trunk Road, within the North West, connects Alexandria with Crianlarich, Fort William and Inverness. It commences immediately north of Tullichewan Roundabout in Alexandria leading generally northwards for a distance of 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. 

Biodiversity

The scheme lies 1.63 km northwest of Loch Lomond Woods Special Area of Conservation (SAC) (NatureScot Site Code: 8298).

The scheme lies 1.74km southeast Glen Etive and Glen Fyne SPA (NatureScot Site Code: 10113).

There are no Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) within 300m of the scheme (SiteLink - Map Search).

Due to the proximity and potential ecological connectivity to the Glen Etive and Glen Fyne SPA and Loch Lomond Woods SAC, a Habitats Regulations Appraisal (HRA) Proforma has been completed to assess potential impacts of the works on these European Sites. Further details are provided in the ‘Biodiversity’ section below.

The NBN Atlas also returned numerous records of bird species within 2km of the scheme in the last 10 years. Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) (WCA), all wild birds and their active nests are protected with some birds, particularly those listed on Schedule 1 of the act, receiving additional protection.

The NBN Atlas recorded the following injurious weeds and invasive non-native species (INNS) of plants (as listed in the Network Management Contract (NMC)) using the same search criteria:

  • Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica)
  • Rhododendron (Rhododendron ponticum)
  • Rosebay willowherb (Chamerion angustifolium)

A search of Transport Scotland’s Asset Management Performance System (AMPS) identified Japanese knotweed within the scheme extents and Japanese knotweed and rosebay willowherb within 300m of the scheme.

There are several areas listed on the Ancient Woodland Inventory (AWI) that are located within 300m of the scheme. The closest area (Wood ID: 15984) is listed as Ancient (of semi-natural origin) and lies adjacent to the A82 on both sides near the southern extent of the scheme.

There is one area of woodland within the scheme extents covered by a Tree Preservation Order ( TPO ).

  • Flat-a-Float, Ardlui (LLTNPA Ref No. 2001/0001/TPO)

The scheme extents are located within a rural area along the western bank of Loch Lomond, bordered on either side by areas of woodland. Loch Lomond and its associated tributaries form an important network of freshwater habitats in the region.

Geology and soils

The scheme does not lie within a Geological Conservation Review Site (GCRS) or SSSI designated for geological features.

The British Geological Survey geology viewer records the following bedrock geology and superficial deposits within the scheme extents:

  • Bedrock Geology: Beinn Bheula Schist Formation - Psammite and pelite. Metamorphic bedrock formed between 1000 and 541 million years ago between the Tonian and Ediacaran periods.
  • Superficial Deposits: Till - Diamicton. Sedimentary superficial deposit formed between 2.588 million years ago and the present during the Quaternary period.

The major soil group found within the scheme is recorded as humus-iron podzols with peaty gleys (Scotland’s Soils).

The scheme lies within an area recorded as ‘Class 0’ on the 2016 Carbon and Peatland Map. ‘Class 0’ soils are mineral soils on which peatland habitats are not typically found (Scotland's Soils - soil maps).

Works will be restricted to previously engineered ground within the A82 trunk road boundary. Therefore, this receptor has no constraints (as identified in Environmental Baseline) that are likely to be impacted by the proposed works and as such, ‘geology and soils’ is scoped out and is not discussed further within this RoD.

Material assets and waste

The resurfacing works are necessary to replace the worn carriageway surface and to undertake general maintenance of the A82 trunk road. In addition to resurfacing, the works will include routine maintenance of the road drainage system, such as the resetting of gullies, to ensure continued effective surface water management.

Materials used will consist of:

  • Asphaltic material
  • Bituminous emulsion bond coat
  • Milled in road studs
  • Thermoplastic road marking paint

Wastes are anticipated to be removed plannings from the surface course, which will be recovered for re-use in line with BEAR Scotland’s Procedure 126: The Production of Fully Recovered Asphalt Road Plannings. The Contractor is responsible for the disposal of road plannings 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 2011.

There is no requirement for a site compound.

A Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP) is not required for these works. Additionally, coal tar has not been identified as being present within the scheme extents.

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 (TNAP) 2019-2023.

Noise modelled data records from the Day-Evening-Night noise level (LDEN) within 300m of the scheme the A82 trunk road has a noise level of 70-75dB. (SpatialData.gov.scot).

The baseline noise and vibration in the scheme extents is primarily influenced by vehicles travelling along the A82 trunk road. Secondary sources are likely to arise from urban activities associate with Ardlui and day-to-day agricultural land management within the area.

Population and human health

The scheme lies on a semi-rural stretch of the A82 south of the small settlement Ardlui. There are several residential properties within 300m of the scheme, which run along the scheme extents, the closest of which lies approximately 14m on the west side of the scheme, with minimal acoustic or visual screening provided by trees. Additionally, there are several commercial properties within 300m of the scheme, the closest of which lies approximately 10m east of the scheme.

Within the scheme extents, there are several access points into housing schemes. However, there are no pedestrian footwaystreet lighting or bus stops within the scheme extents.

There are no core paths that lie within 300m of the scheme works (Scotland's environment web).

There are no national cycling routes within 300m of the scheme works (OS Maps).

There are no WalkHighlands walking routes within 300m of the scheme (WalkHighlands).

The most representative traffic data source point on the A82 to the scheme is ATCCS001 (A82 North of Tarbet; ID: 000000000001), which is located 10km south of the scheme. This point recorded an Average Daily Traffic (ADT) count of 4,569 in 2025, with 7.3% being Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs).

TM will involve night-time road closures with regular amnesties.

Road drainage and the water environment

Loch Lomond lies within 30m of the scheme extent at the nearest point. Loch Lomond (North) is a lake (ID: 100339), in the River Leven (Loch Lomond) catchment of the Scotland River basin district. It is 19.1 square kilometres in area. It has been classified by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) under the Water Framework Directive (WFD) as having an overall status of ‘good ecological potential’ in 2023 (Water Classification Hub).

There are several unclassified waterbodies that run through and are within 300m of the scheme extents (SEPA).

The Cowal and Lomond groundwater body (ID:150689) underpins scheme extents, which was classified by SEPA in 2023 as having a good overall condition. This area is also recorded as a Drinking Water Protected Area (DWPA) (Ground and Surface) (SEPA).

Within the scheme extents, there are several areas that have a high likelihood (10% chance) of flooding from river, surface water and small watercourses (SEPA Flood Maps).

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).