Description of local environment

Air quality

There are no Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) within 10km of the scheme extent.

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

There are no Air Quality Monitoring Stations (AQMS) within 10km of the scheme.

Due to the rural location of the scheme, baseline air quality is likely to be good; with the main sources of air pollution derived from vehicular traffic on the A85 trunk road.

Cultural heritage

The following features of cultural heritage significance are located within 300m of the scheme (PastMap):

  • Category B Listed Building, ‘Loch Earn, Dalveich, Cottage’ (reference: LB50372) located 200m north-west of the scheme.

Of lesser cultural heritage significance, the following are located within 300m of the scheme (PastMap):

  • 7 National Records of the Historic Environment (NRHE), the closest of which is ‘Ardveich’ milestone (reference: 368138), located within the scheme extent.
  • 14 Historic Environment Records (HERs), the closest of which is ‘Bridge of Beith’ (reference: 65636) which overlaps the scheme extent.

There are no World Heritage Sites; Scheduled Monuments; Gardens and Designed Landscapes; Battlefields or Conservation Areas located within 300m of the scheme (PastMap).

As the works are restricted to the engineered ground of the A85 trunk road boundary and there are no significant cultural heritage features within proximity to the proposed works, there is negligible potential for cultural heritage impacts as a result of the proposed works and this receptor is not considered further in this RoD.

Landscape and visual effects

The scheme is located within the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park (LLTNP) (Site ID: 8621) which is designated for 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 does not lie within a National Scenic Area (NSA) or any other site designated for its landscape character and quality (NatureScot).

The Landscape Character Type (LCT) at the scheme extent is ‘LCT 234- Straths and Glens with Lochs’ which is characterised by the following features:

  • 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 water courses 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 common features 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 is located on a semi-rural stretch of the A85, along the northern shore of Loch Earn, east of Lochearnhead. The surrounding land is dominated by grazing pastures, montane scrub; freshwater habitat; mixed woodland, including forestry plantations; and scattered residential settlements. Loch Earn provides a dominant landscape feature to the south, with the A85 and A84 trunk roads prominent features in the wider landscape.

Land use surrounding the scheme extent is classified as (HLA Map):

  • Managed woodland
  • Plantation
  • Rectilinear fields and farms
  • Reservoir (Loch Earn)
  • Rough grazing

The A85 trunk road, within the north-west, connects Perth with Crianlarich, and Tyndrum to Oban. The Perth to Crianlarich section commences at the Crieff Road Roundabout within Perth (including the roundabout) leading generally westwards for a distance of 81 kilometres to (but excluding) the A85/A82 Crianlarich Roundabout. The Tyndrum to Oban section commences at the A82/A85 Tyndrum junction leading generally westwards for a distance of 57 kilometres to its junction with the A816 within Oban (excluding the roundabout at Argyll Square). The A85 is a single carriageway along its length.

Biodiversity

The scheme is not located within 2km of, nor does it have ecological connectivity with, any European designated sites (e.g. Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), Special Protection Areas (SPAs), Ramsar sites) (SiteLink).

The scheme is located 290m south-east of the Dalveich Meadow Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) (Site ID: 493) which is designated for the following qualifying features:

  • Lowland calcareous grassland
  • Lowland neutral grassland

There are no other locally or nationally designated sites for biodiversity features (e.g. Local or National Nature Reserves) within 300m of the scheme (SiteLink).

The National Biodiversity Network (NBN) Atlas holds no records of bird species within 2km of the scheme (the search criteria included only records during the past ten years, and which have open-use attributions (OGL, CC0, CC-BY). However, this does not preclude the likely presence of birds within the search area and, under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended), all wild birds and their active nests are protected, with certain species receiving additional protections.

The NBN Atlas holds no records of invasive non-native species (INNS) of plant, injurious weeds or invasive native perennials (as listed in the Network Management Contract (NMC)) under the same search criteria; however, this does not preclude their potential presence in the area.

A search using Transport Scotland’s Asset Management Performance System (AMPS) found two records of the invasive native perennial, rosebay willowherb (Chamaenerion angustifloium) along the verges of the A85 within the scheme extent.

Habitat close to the scheme is predominantly comprised of grazing pastures, freshwater habitat and areas of managed woodland; with scattered residential and commercial properties present.

There is one area of trees listed on the Ancient Woodland Inventory (AWI), overlapping the eastern end of the scheme extent which is classed as ‘ancient (of semi-natural origin)’ antiquity.

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

The BEAR Scotland NW Environment Team conducted an Ecological Constraints Survey (ECS) in June 2025 to inform environmental assessment of the adjacent resurfacing and embankment works (A85 East of Lochearnhead and A85 East of Lochearnhead Embankment).

Echoes Ecology Ltd, on behalf of BEAR Scotland, conducted climbed tree inspections of 16 trees along the A85 in February 2026. Four of these trees are located within 30m of the A85 Ardveich resurfacing scheme.

Geology and soils

The scheme does not lie within 300m of a Geological Review Site (GCRS) or SSSI designated for geological features (NatureScot).

Component soils surrounding the majority of the scheme extent are mineral alluvial soils with peaty alluvial soils. The parent materials are recent riverine and lacustrine alluvial deposits. At the eastern end of the scheme extent, the component soils are humus-iron podzols with peaty gleys. The parent materials are drifts derived from arenaceous schists and strongly metamorphosed argillaceous schists of the Dalradian Series. Soils surrounding the scheme extent are of Carbon and Peatland Map 2016 Class 0; mineral soils where peat and peatland habitats are not typically found (Scotland’s Soils).

Bedrock geology at the scheme extent is described as ‘Pitlochry Schist Formation-Psammite and Semipelite’. Superficial deposits at the majority of the scheme extents are ‘Alluvial fan deposits- sand, gravel and boulders’. Superficial deposits at the eastern end of the scheme extent are described as ‘Till- Diamicton’ (Scottish Geology Trust).

Material assets and waste

The resurfacing works are required to replace worn surface and general maintenance of the A85 trunk road. Materials used will consist of:

  • TS2010 10mm aggregate
  • AC20 40/60 binder
  • AC32 40/60 base
  • Milled in road studs
  • Thermoplastic road marking paint
  • Bituminous emulsion bond coat

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 TM on the A85 carriageway.

Waste from any ditch clearing works is covered by the Low Risk Waste Activity (LRWA) 9. Any waste from ditching works that is not removed from site is subject to the conditions of LRWA 9.

The estimated scheme value is £350,000 and, as such a Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP) is not required.

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 Transport Scotland’s Transport Noise Action Plan (TNAP) 2024-2028.

The average evening, day and night (Lden) noise level at the scheme extent is between 58-60dB (SpatialData.gov.scot).

Due to the semi-rural location of the proposed works, baseline noise levels are likely low, with the primary sources from vehicular traffic on the A85 trunk road. Secondary sources are likely derived from nearby land management operations.

Population and human health

There is one residential property and two farms and associated outbuildings located within 300m of the scheme extent. The closest residential property lies 15m south of the scheme extent, with some acoustic and visual screening present in the form of a tree shelterbelt. Drummond Estate Boat Hire also lies 30m south of the scheme extent at its closest point.

Within the scheme extent, there are two local access points and one layby adjacent to the WB carriageway; and two local access points adjacent to the EB carriageway.

There are no pedestrian footways or bus stops located within the scheme extents. Additionally, there are no National Cycle Routes that utilise the A85 within the scheme extent and no walking routes designated by WalkHighlands within 300m of the scheme.

LLTNP Core Path S1042 runs parallel to the A85 80m north of the scheme at its closest point.

Transport Scotland’s manual data counter (Site ID: 0000ATC00001) located 12.8km east of the scheme, recorded an annual daily total (ADT) of 2,056 motor vehicles in 2025, of which 14.8% were heavy goods vehicles (HGVs).

TM will consist of full road closures with hourly amnesties (19.00-06.00).

Road drainage and the water environment

The scheme and surrounding area are underpinned by the Killin, Aberfeldy and Angus Glens groundwater (ID: 150599). In 2024, it was assigned ‘Good Ecological Potential’ by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) under the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC (WFD) (SEPA).

Beich Burn (ID: 6822) is a river in the River Earn catchment of the Scotland river basin district. The main stem is approximately 10.2 kilometres in length. The water body has been designated as heavily modified water body on account of physical alterations that cannot be addressed without a significant impact on water storage for hydroelectricity generation. Beich Burn is spanned by the A85 within the scheme extents. In 2024, it was assigned ‘Good Ecological Potential’ by SEPA under the WFD (SEPA).

Loch Earn (ID: 100251) is a lake in the River Earn catchment of the Scotland river basin district. It is 9.5 square kilometres in area. The water body has been designated as a heavily modified water body on account of physical alterations that cannot be addressed without a significant impact. Loch Earn lies 20m south of the scheme at its closest point. In 2024, it was classified as having ‘Moderate Ecological Potential’ by SEPA under the WFD (SEPA).

Additionally, there are several unclassified water bodies, drains and culverts within 300m of the scheme and culverted under the A85 trunk road (SEPA).

SEPA Flood Map has indicated that there is a medium to high likelihood of river flooding throughout the scheme extent (i.e. a 0.5-10% chance of flooding each year). Additionally, there are small patches of areas with a low to medium likelihood of surface water and small watercourse flooding within the scheme extent (i.e. a 0.1-0.5% chance of flooding each year).

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).