Air quality

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

No Air Quality Monitoring Stations (AQMS) are present within 10km of the scheme extents. The nearest station is in the city of Striling, 17km southeast of the scheme, where air quality levels were recorded as ‘low’ (Low Index 1–3).

There are no sites listed on the Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory (SPRI) within 10km of the scheme (Scottish Pollution Release Inventory).

Baseline air quality is likely to be primarily influenced by traffic along the A84 carriageway.

Cultural heritage

A review of PastMap identified the scheme does not lie within 300m of World Heritage Sites, Scheduled Monuments, Listed Buildings, Gardens and Designed Landscapes, Conservation Areas, Battlefields, Historic Environment Records (HERs) or National Records of the Historic Environment (NRHE).

Landscape and visual effects

The scheme is not located within any areas designated for their landscape character or quality, such as a National Park or National Scenic Area (SiteLink).

According to the Landscape Character Assessment (LCA), the landscape surrounding the scheme is classified as Lowland River Valleys - Central (LCT 152), which has 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.

The land use surrounding the scheme extents is dominated by managed woodland with rectilinear fields and farms and opencast site (disused quarry) further afield (HLA Map).

The A84 trunk road, within the North West Network Management Contract (NMC), 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 a distance of 44.7 kilometres to its junction with the A85 in Lochearnhead. The A84 is a single carriageway along its length.

Biodiversity

The River Teith Special Area of Conservation (SAC) (NatureScot site code: 8367) lies approximately 40m south of the scheme at its closest point. In addition, a minor tributary (unclassified by Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)) is culverted beneath the A84 within the scheme extent and discharges into the River Teith south of the scheme, which forms part of the SAC at this location.

Due to the ecological connectivity between the schemes and River Teith SAC, a Habitats Regulations Appraisal (HRA) has been undertaken. Refer to the relevant assessment section below for details.

There are no other locally or nationally designated sites for biodiversity such as National Nature Reserves (NNR) or Local Nature Reserves (LNRs) (Spatial Hub) within 300m of the scheme (SiteLink).

Numerous bird species were also recorded on NBN Atlas under the same search criteria noted above. Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended), all wild birds and their active nests are protected.

The NBN Atlas did not return records of injurious or invasive species of plants (as listed in the NMC) using the same search criteria.

The Transport Scotland’s Asset Management Performance System (AMPS) has one record of rosebay willowherb (Chamaenerion angustifolium) a native invasive species of plant within the verges of the A84 within 300m of the scheme extents.

The habitat surrounding the scheme is dominated by broadleaved tree woodland. Freshwater is provided by the River Teith and minor tributaries which lie within and within 300m of the scheme, all discharging into the River Teith which lies 40m south of the scheme.

Woodland recorded on the Ancient Woodland Inventory (AWI) as ‘ancient woodland of semi-natural origin’ lies 65m south of the scheme (Scotland’s Environment). In addition, woodland listed as ‘long-established of plantation origin’ lies 180m southwest of the scheme.

No individual trees or areas of trees covered by a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) are located within 300m of the scheme (Stirling Council).

An Ecological Constraints Survey (ECS) was undertaken by the BEAR Scotland Environmental Team at A84 Straid House on 12^th May 2026.

Geology and soils

The scheme lies within Tynaspirit Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) which is designated for Quaternary of Scotland (NatureScot Site Code: 1575). The SSSI is overlapped by Tynaspirit Geological Conservation Review Site (GCRS) (SiteLink).

The local soil type is recorded as brown soils (Scotland’s Environment).

Superficial deposits are recorded as ‘Glaciofluvial ice contact deposits (gravel, sand and silt)’ and bedrock type is recorded as ‘Teith Sandstone Formation-Sandstone’ (British Geological Survey).

Soils within the scheme extent are recorded as ‘Class 0’ and ‘Class 5’ on Scotland’s Peat Map. Class 0 indicate mineral spoils with no peat present, Class 5 represents peat soils.

Material assets and waste

The existing drainage infrastructure within the scheme extents is defective and requires urgent repair works to address ongoing flooding issues affecting this section of the A84. The proposed works will utilise the following materials:

• Filter stone
• 225mm diameter perforated carrier pipe
• 1050mm diameter pre-cast concrete manhole rings
• D400 frame and cover
• ST2 concrete
• Pre-cast concrete kerbs
• Surface and binder course (for layby repairs)

Wastes are anticipated to be excavated carrier pipe, verge material (370 tonnes) and planings from the layby.

The works require excavation of the verge material which is to be removed and disposed of at a licenced waste facility. The verge proposed for excavation has undergone a Waste Classification Assessment (WCA), which included material testing for a range of potential contaminants and the assignment of the corresponding waste codes for the verge materials. The WCA confirmed that the List of Waste code for all materials identified during the investigation is 17 05 04 – soil and stones other than those mentioned in 17 05 03, indicating that the material is non-hazardous waste. Some excavated material from the existing ditch and road verge will be used to reinstate the ditch banks were required. 

Coal tar has not been identified within the layby’s surface composition. Storage of material will be located within the southbound layby on the A84 at National Grid references (NGR): NN 66876 04551, within the scheme extents.

As the scheme value is not greater than £350,000 (approximately £70,000), a Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP) is not required to be in place for works.

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).

L_DEN or ‘day, evening, night average noise levels’ are modelled along the A84 scheme extent. Noise levels are recorded as being between 65 and 70dB on the road at the scheme (Scotland’s Environment).

The nearest manual traffic count point (ATC06006 A84(T) Easter Coillechat [16213 A84 T2]) lies approximately 900m southeast of the scheme extents. This traffic count point recorded an Average Daily Traffic (ADT) of 6,652 vehicles in 2025, of which 16.7% were Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) (Transport Scotland).

The baseline noise and vibration in the scheme extent are primarily influenced by vehicles travelling along the A84 trunk road.

Population and human health

The scheme is located within a rural stretch of the A84 between the town of Callander and the burgh of Doune. One residential property Tigh na Spiorad lies within 300m of the scheme. The property is located 120m west of the scheme and is screened by raised roadside embankment and tree belts.

One junction providing access to a disused quarry lies within the scheme extent, and a further junction to a private road is located immediately west of the scheme boundary.

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

A layby is present within the scheme extent and is included within the scope of the proposed works.

According to Scottish Road Works there are no other works currently scheduled within 300m of the scheme (Scottish Road Works).

Road drainage and the water environment

The River Teith (ID: 6834), within the River Forth catchment of the Scotland river basin district, lies approximately 40m south of the scheme. It was awarded an overall status of ‘Moderate’ in 2024 by SEPA (Water Classification Hub).

The scheme extent is located within the southbound drainage ditch of the A84. Additionally, a minor unnamed tributary (unclassified by SEPA) is culverted beneath the A84 within the scheme extent. This tributary flows approximately 130m in a southerly direction before discharging into the River Teith. Furthermore, several minor tributaries and drainage channels are located within 300m of the scheme.

The works are underlined by ‘Teith and Forth Valleys’ (ID: 150809) groundwater body, which has been classified by SEPA as ‘Good’ in 2024. The scheme is underlined by ‘Callander’ (ID: 150674) and ‘Teith and Forth Valleys’ (ID: 150674) Drinking Water Protected Areas (DWPA) (ground) (Scotland’s Environment).

SEPA Flood Map has indicated that there is a high risk of surface water flooding on the A84 layby within the scheme extent (i.e. a 10% likelihood of flooding each year). During the ECS undertaken on 12^th May 2026, the verge was noted to be waterlogged with water running into the A84 carriageway. 

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).

Policies and plans

This Record of Determination has been undertaken in accordance with all relevant regulations, guidance, policies and plans, notably including the Environment and Sustainability Discipline of the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB) and Transport Scotland's Environmental Impact Assessment Guidance (Guidance - Environmental Impact Assessments for road projects (transport.gov.scot).