Description of local environment

Air quality

No Air Quality Management Areas (AQMA) (Air Quality Management Areas) are located within 10km of the scheme.

There are no Air Quality Monitoring sites located within 10km of the scheme. (Scottish Air Quality).

There are no air pollutant release sites registered on the Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory (SPRI) located within 10km of the scheme (Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory).

Due to the rural location of the scheme, air quality is likely good, with baseline air quality mainly influenced by vehicles travelling along the A828 trunk road. Secondary sources are likely derived from land management activities in the wider area.

Cultural heritage

There are no Listed Buildings, Scheduled Monuments, Garden & Designed Landscapes, Conservation Areas, Battlefields, Historic Environmental Records or World Heritage Sites found within 300m of the scheme (Pastmap).

Of lesser Cultural Heritage importance, there is one National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE) that lies within 300m of the scheme extents. Ballachulish Ferry Station (ID:105466) is located 240m from the scheme extents.

As the works are restricted to the engineered ground of the A828 trunk road boundary and there are no Cultural Heritage features within the scheme extents, there is negligible potential for cultural heritage impacts as a result of the proposed works. Furthermore, construction of the A828 is likely to have removed any archaeological remains that may have been present within the area. Therefore, this receptor is not considered further in this Record of Determination (RoD).

Landscape and visual effects

The scheme is located within the Ben Nevis and Glen Coe National Scenic Area (NSA) (SiteLink). The special qualities of this NSA are listed as:

  • A land of mountain grandeur
  • A land of classic highland vistas
  • Human settlement dwarfed by mountain and moorland
  • The expansive Moor of Rannoch
  • The spectacular drama of Glen Coe
  • The wooded strath of lower Glen Coe
  • The narrow and enclosed Loch Leven
  • The impressive massif of Ben Nevis
  • The wild Mamores and secretive Glen Nevis
  • The fjord-like upper Loch Leven
  • Long and green Glen Etive
  • The dark heritage

The scheme is not located within any further site designated for its landscape character and quality, such as a National Park (NP) (SiteLink).

The Landscape Character Type (LCT 234) within the scheme extents is recorded as ‘Lochs with Settled Edges’, which has the following key characteristics:

  • Flat landscape contained between steep loch sides and open water.
  • Extensive agriculture and settlement confined within a narrow lochside fringe, whose foreshore is subject to tidal influence.
  • Loch heads and river mouths that permit more extensive farming and built development, including housing and small industrial estates.
  • Communications confined to narrow loch edges where shingly beaches, rocky headlands, wooded banks and marshy platforms form a diverse water's edge.
  • Extensive tracts of oak-birch woodland climbing from the lochside up into the foothills, often engulfing the settled edge and providing an enclosed microlandscape.
  • Dense commercial forests descend to loch shore in some locations.
  • Occasional policy grounds of big houses along the loch edge give rise to a proliferation of rhododendron and other ornamentals in some places, providing a lush and sheltered character.
  • Linearly arranged crofting communities with vivid green croft fields contrast with the more subdued duller colours of surrounding hills

Land use (HLAmap) within 300m of the scheme extent is classified as a combination of managed woodland, urban area, rectilinear fields and farms, and rough grazing.

The land surrounding the trunk road throughout thescheme extents is classified as 6.3 – (‘Land capable of use as rough grazing with low quality plants’) (Scotland's Soils).

The A828 Trunk Road connects Connel with South Ballachulish. It commences at the A828 / A85 junction in Connel leading generally north-eastwards for a distance of 51 kilometres to its junction with the A82 in South Ballachulish. The A828 is a single carriageway along its length.

Biodiversity

The Glen Etive and Glen Fyne Special Protection Area (SPA) (NatureScot Site Code: 10113) lies 320m south of the scheme extent.

The Onich to North Ballachulish Woods Special Area of Conservation (SAC) (ID:8637) lies 1km to the north of the scheme extents.

A Habitats Regulations Appraisal (HRA) has been completed to assess the effects of the works on the qualifying features of the above European sites. Refer to the Biodiversity Impacts and Mitigation section below.

Onich to North Ballachulish Woods and Shore Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI; NatureScot site code 10104) overlaps Onich to North Ballachulish Woods SAC approximately 1km from the scheme.

No other locally or nationally designated sites with biodiversity features (such as Local Nature Reserves or National Nature Reserves) are located within 300m of the scheme (SiteLink).

Numerous records of bird species were also returned within 2km of the works under the same search criteria. Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) (WCA), all wild birds and their nests are protected.

A search of NBN Atlas identified one record of injurious plant species (as listed in the Network Management Contract (NMC)) using the same search criteria:

  • Rhododendron (Rhododendron ponticum)
  • Spear thistle (Cirsium vulgare)
  • Creeping thistle (Cirsium arvense)
  • Curled dock (Rumex crispus)
  • Common ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris)

A search of Transport Scotland’s Asset Management Performance System (AMPS) returned two records of invasive and injurious plant species (as listed in the NMC) within 300m of the scheme. Both are recorded as rosebay willowherb (Chamaenerion angustifolium).

Habitat immediately bordering the trunk road tends to be of low intrinsic value because the existing road verge is subject to cyclic maintenance (e.g., grass cutting, weed control, tree and shrub cut-back, etc.). The roadside verges therefore comprise a homogenous species-poor semi-improved grassland alongside dense shrub and woodland shelterbelt. Roadside vegetation generally offers low ecological habitat value due to its limited scale, fragmented nature and high potential for disturbance owing to cyclic trunk road landscape maintenance, and the proximity of the trunk road (with its moderate-flowing traffic). The presence of the trunk road also restricts continuity of, and connectivity between, habitats for species on either side of the trunk road boundary.

There is one area of woodland listed on the Ancient Woodland Inventory Scotland classified as ancient (of semi-natural origin) located 250m east of the scheme extent.

According to the Highland Council, there are no areas of trees or individual trees covered by a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) located within 300m of the scheme (Highland Tree Preservation Orders).

As works are restricted to the A828 trunk road boundary, it is considered unlikely that any terrestrial mammal species of conservation importance are associated with permanent habitat or resting places within the area of likely construction disturbance. Therefore, a field survey has been ruled out, and a desktop study has been deemed sufficient for this assessment.

Geology and soils

The A828 within the scheme extents is not located within a Geological Conservation Review Site (GCRS) or geological SSSI and there are no Local Geodiversity Sites (LGS) with connectivity to the scheme extents.

Bedrock geology (BGS Geology Viewer) within the scheme consists of:

  • Ballachulish Pluton-Quartz-diorite
  • Leven Schist Formation-Semipelite, quartzite and pelite.

Superficial deposits (BGS Geology Viewer) within the scheme consists of:

  • Raised marine deposits, Devensian-Gravel, sand and silt

Soils within the scheme are recorded as being of Carbon and Peatland ‘Class 0 and Class 5’. ‘Class 0’ is associated with mineral-rich soils, with no peat or peatland vegetation. ‘Class 5’, class is associated with soil information takes precedence over vegetation data. No peatland habitat recorded. May also include areas of bare soil. Soils are carbon-rich and deep peat (Carbon and Peatland Map).

Material assets and waste

The proposed works are necessary to replace the worn surface, complete some structural maintenance, and reinstate road markings. 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 planings from the surface course, which will be treated in line with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s (SEPA) Low Risk Waste Activity (LRWA) 3 and be recycled in line with SEPA’s WAS-G-DEF-05 Guidance for End-of-Waste for Recycled Aggregates.

Coal tar has not been identified on site and there is no requirement for a site compound. Storage of plant and equipment will be within the TM on the A828 carriageway.

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

Noise and vibration

Works are not located within a Candidate Noise Management Area (CNMA) as defined by the Transportation Noise Action Plan.

Scottish Noise Mapping indicates average noise level during the day, evening and night (LDEN) ranges between 58 and 69dB within the A828 and its associated verges (Scotland's Noise Map).

Given the rural nature found within the scheme, it is considered likely that the baseline noise levels will be low, with noise mainly influenced by vehicles travelling along the A828.

Population and human health

There are seven residential properties located within 300m of the scheme, with the closest lying 40m from the carriageway. No commercial properties, bus stops or paved pedestrian footpaths are present within 300m of the scheme. There is one access layby and no street lighting present within the scheme extent.

National Cycle Network Route 78 (NCN) and one Core Path (Kentallen - Ballachulish Bridge – Glencoe Village constructed tarred track; Core Paths Highland Council) are located within 300m of the scheme extent. Both follow the A82 from the roundabout where it joins the A828 at the eastern end of the scheme extent.

Transport Scotland’s manual data counter (Site name ATC01068) located approximately 1km east from the scheme, recorded an annual daily total (ADT) of 2,900 motor vehicles in 2025, of which 16.7% were Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs).

TM for the scheme will consist of a single lane closure with 10mph convoy during construction hours 19:00-06:00.

According to Scottish Road Works, there are no other works scheduled within 300m of the scheme for the planned duration.

Road drainage and the water environment

The A828 within the scheme extent is located along Loch Leven (ID: 200080), which is located 30m north of the scheme extent at the nearest point. It is a transitional waterbody in the Scotland river basin district and has been classified by SEPA in 2024 under the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC (WFD) as having an overall status of ‘Good’ (SEPA).

‘Kinlochleven’ (ID 200080) is a groundwater body, in the Scotland River basin district, which underlies the scheme. It was given an overall status of ‘good’ in 2024 by SEPA under the WFD (Water Classification Hub).

Unclassified surface waterbodies and/or culverted drainage may be present within 300m of the scheme.

The scheme falls within areas that have a high likelihood of river and surface water and small watercourse flooding each year (10% chance of flooding each year 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).