Description of local environment

Air quality

There are no Air Quality Management Areas (AQMA) within 300m of the schemes.

There are no air quality monitoring sites located within 10km of the schemes (Scottish Air Quality).

There are no air pollutant release sites listed on the Scottish Pollution Release Inventory (SPRI) within 10km of the schemes

Baseline air quality is likely to be primarily influenced by traffic along the A84 with secondary sources generated by activities related to activities from agricultural and forestry operations.

Cultural heritage

The following cultural heritage features are recorded on PastMap within 300m of the schemes:

  • Four Listed Buildings, the nearest of which, Cambusmore Lodge & Gates, is located directly adjacent to the A84 trunk road within the scheme extents at A84 South of Keltie Bridge.
  • Eighteen Historic Environment Records (HERs) and National Records of the Historic Environment (NHREs), five of which lie directly adjacent to the proposed works boundary.

There are no Scheduled Monuments, Garden & Designed Landscapes, Conservation Areas, Battlefields, or World Heritage sites within 300m of the works.

The works are confined to the trunk road boundary. As such, construction of the A84 is likely to have removed any archaeological remains that may have been present within the area and as such ‘cultural heritage’ is scoped out and is not discussed further within this RoD.

Landscape and visual effects

The schemes do not fall within a National Scenic Area (NSA) (SiteLink). However, both fall fully or partially within the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park (NatureScot Site code: 8621) which 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.
  • The easily accessible landscape splendour

Landscape Character Type throughout the schemes fall within ‘Lowland River Valleys’ (LCT 152) which is noted for the following key characteristics:

  • Well-defined river corridors, most with flat valley floor enclosed by often commanding hills.
  • Strong topographic and visual identity, with varying scale and character.
  • Glacial terrain and deposits located on valley margins, often subject to mineral extraction.
  • Relatively high proportion of tree cover, with roadside and hedgerow trees and seminatural woodland.
  • Dense areas of coniferous forest cover the slopes surrounding the reservoir in the Upper Carron Valley.
  • Road corridors often running parallel to river corridor form key linear features.
  • Settlement often closely linked to the river corridor and parallel road corridors.
  • Intensive settlement and urban development on margins of valleys south and north of Firth of Forth.
  • Predominance of traditionally managed estate, policy and designed landscapes.
  • Nature conservation importance of river and associated habitats.
  • Frequently enclosed and focussed views along the river valley.
  • Visibility of remnant derelict land, motorway and road corridors, power lines, wind farms and industrial sites from the urban fringe of Falkirk/Denny

Land use (HLA Map) within 300m of the works extent is classified as:

  • Urban area (Callander)
  • Recreation area (Caravan Park)
  • Cemetery
  • Plantation woodland
  • Managed woodland
  • Rough grazing
  • Rectilinear Fields and Farms
  • Industrial-scale farming
  • Opencast site
  • Designed landscape

The A84 Trunk Road, within the North West, connects Stirling with Doune, Callander and Lochearnhead. It commences from its junction with the M9 at and including the eastern most roundabout at Craigforth Stirling (M9 Junction 10) leading generally north-westwards for 44.7 kilometres to its junction with the A85 in Lochearnhead. The A84 is a single carriageway along its length.

Biodiversity

The A84 within the scheme extent at A84 South of Keltie Bridge passes directly over the River Teith Special Area of Conservation (NatureScot site code: 8367).

A Habitats Regulations Appraisal (HRA) has been undertaken to assess the potential effects of the works on the qualifying features of the site. Refer to the Biodiversity Impacts and Mitigation section below for conclusion of the HRA.

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 the schemes (SiteLink).

The NBN Atlas also holds records of numerous bird species within 2km over a ten-year period using the same search criteria. Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, all wild birds and their active nests are protected.

The NBN Atlas holds no records of invasive non-native species (INNS) or injurious weeds (as listed in the NMC Contract) using the same search criteria.

There are two Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) present within 300m of the schemes (LLTNP TPO). The first is for a woodland (TPO ref|: 2024/0005/TPO) which lies approximately 60m southeast from the A84 Callander South End scheme extent. The second is for a single monkey puzzle tree (TPO ref: 2024/0005/TPO) which lies approximately 100m southeast from this scheme extent.

Transport Scotland’s Asset Management Performance System (AMPS) holds one record of rosebay willowherb (Chamaenerion angustifolium) within the works extents as well as one additional record 50m north of the scheme at A84 South of Keltie Bridge.

A number of areas within 300m of the works are listed on the Ancient Woodland Inventory. The nearest of these is located adjacent to the A84 trunk road boundary within the works and is classed as “Long-established (of plantation origin)”.

Habitats surrounding the A84 carriageway consists of residential areas and gardens as well as coniferous plantation woodlands, managed woodlands consisting of broad-leaved tree species and native pine species, and agricultural land.

Geology and soils

Bedrock geology within the schemes consists of sandstone of the Teith Sandstone Formation, and sandstone and siltstone of the Dalmary Sandstone Member. Superficial deposits consist of the following (BGS Geology Viewer):

  • River terrace deposits of gravel, sand, silt, and clay.
  • Alluvium of clay, sand, silt, and gravel .
  • Hummocky glacial deposits of diamicton, sand, and gravel.

Soils within the schemes are recorded as a mixture of brown earths and mineral alluvial soils with peaty alluvial soils (Scotland's Soils). Soils within the schemes are recorded as being of Carbon and Peatland ‘Class 0’, class is associated with mineral soil where peatland habitats are not typically found on such soils (Carbon and Peatland Map).

Geological Conservation Review Site (GCRSs) ‘Callander Moraine’ (Site Code: 10566) lies just north of the A84 South of Keltie Bridge scheme extents. There is no geology based Site of Special Scientific Interest within 300m of the schemes (SiteLink).

Material assets and waste

The proposed works are necessary to resurface worn-out carriageways, requiring binder inlay, and reinstatement of road markings and studs. Materials used will consist of:

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

Wastes are anticipated to be primarily planings from the carriageway surface course. All road planings will be treated in line with the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) Low Risk Waste Activity (LRWA) 3 and will be recycled in line with SEPA’s Guidance for End-of-Waste for Recycled Aggregates (WAS-G-DEF-05).

Coal tar has not been highlighted as being present within the schemes.

The values of the individual schemes do not exceed £350,000; therefore, a Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP) is not required.

Noise and vibration

A search of Scotland's Noise Map returned records for noise levels during the night (LNGT) within the A84 and its verges between 50 and 70dB.

The schemes do not fall within a Candidate Noise Management Area (CNMA) as defined by the Transportation Noise Action Plan (TNAP) 2024-2028.

Due to the generally rural location of the schemes, it is considered likely that the baseline noise levels will be low, with noise mainly influenced by vehicles travelling along the A84.

Population and human health

The works are located within and adjacent to the settlement of Callander. As such, several residential and commercial properties are located within 300m of the schemes. A number of residential properties are located directly adjacent to the A84 trunk road boundary within the schemes’ extents. Limited visual and acoustic screening is present at this location.

There are a number of local road junctions and property entrances located on the A84 within the schemes’ extents. Footpaths are located adjacent to the carriageway on both sides of the schemes, and two sets of bus stops lies within the schemes.

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

One walking route is listed on LLTNP Core Paths Plan 2023 (path ref: S0949), which lies approximately 200m north from the schemes’ extents and one Core Path (ID: NCN76) is located approximately 100m north of the schemes’ extents. No core paths lie within either scheme.

Transport Scotland’s manual data counter (site name: ATC06006) located approximately 4.5km southeast from the scheme, recorded an annual daily total (ADT) of 7,625 motor vehicles in 2025, of which 16% were Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs).

Road drainage and the water environment

‘Callander’ (ID 150674) and ‘Teith and Forth Valleys’ (ID: 150809) are groundwater bodies, in the Scotland River basin district, which underlie the schemes. Both were given an overall status of ‘good’ in 2024 by Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) under the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC (WFD) (Water Classification Hub).

The ‘River Teith’ (ID: 6834), is a river, in the River Forth catchment of the Scotland river basin district. It lies approximately 160m southwest from the works. It was awarded an overall status of ‘moderate’ in 2024 by SEPA (Water Classification Hub).

The Lower Keltie Water (ID: 4715) is channelled under the A84 at A84 South of Keltie Bridge and was classified by SEPA in 2024 as being in ‘High’ condition (Water Classification Hub). There are no other SEPA-classified waterbodies within 300m of the scheme.

The schemes fall within small areas which are noted as having a medium to high risk of surface water flooding. This indicates a chance of between 0.5% and 10% of flooding happening in any one year (SEPA Flood Map).

A number of minor drains and ditches are present within 300m of the scheme.

Road drainage within the schemes is provided by a mixture of beany block kerbs, cut grips and top-entry gullies.

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.