Description of local environment

Air quality

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

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

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

Due to the rural location of the works, baseline air quality is likely to be primarily influenced by traffic travelling along the A85; with secondary sources likely derived by nearby land management activities.

Cultural heritage

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

  • Three National Records of the Historic Environment (NRHE) and Historic Environment Records (HER), the closest of these is a HER of an archaeological event 90m north of the works.

There are no Conservation Areas, Battlefields, World Heritage Sites, Garden and Designed Landscapes, Listed Buildings or Scheduled Monuments within 300m of the scheme extent.

Landscape and visual effects

The scheme is located wholly 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 is not located within proximity to a National Scenic Area or any other sites of designated landscape character or quality (SiteLink).

The scheme is located on a rural stretch of the A85 west of the Lix Toll junction. The surrounding land is dominated by grazing pastures, wet heath, mixed woodland, including forestry plantations, and residential settlements. Areas of upland heath are present further to the north and south of the works

The scheme is located within the Landscape Character Type (LCT) ‘LCT 234- Straths and Glens with Lochs’ which has the following key characteristics (NatureScot):

  • Broad u-shaped glens and straths with wide flat floodplains.
  • Lower side slopes often rolling and complex with hummocky moraine and rocky outcrops.
  • Many glen and strath sides are forested, predominantly with spruce, on upper slopes. Some of these forests occasionally extend across strath and glen floors. Scattered trees and remnants of native woodland are found along the edges of burns.
  • Rivers are prominent in open floodplains, often contained by flood barriers and levees. Less modified stretches of river feature pools, gravel beds and waterfalls.
  • Riparian woodlands trace the course of rivers and their tributaries.
  • Better drained strath and glen floors are farmed with improved pastures. Occasional small regular-shaped plantations and shelter belts pattern hill slopes and valley floors.
  • Mixed policy woodlands and avenues of trees line access tracks in places.
  • Settlements and farms are located on lower side slopes, raised above the floodplain, and often tucked between knolls. Settlements tend to be sited at bridging points or at the junction with side glens.
  • Road and rail transport corridors follow the edges of strath and glen floors.
  • Pylons and low voltage overhead power lines are highly visible features across open glen floors.
  • Open strath and glen floors allow views along and across the traditional farmed landscapes, attractive river landscapes and lochs, as well as the dramatic Highland setting of the surrounding rugged slopes and mountain summits.

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 River Tay Special Area of Conservation (SAC) (Site ID: 8366) lies 380m north/downstream of the scheme at its nearest point.

Due to hydrological connectivity, a Habitats Regulations Appraisal (HRA) has been produced for further assessment.

There are no other European Sites, such as SAC, Special Protection Areas (SPA), or Ramsar, within 2km of, or with connectivity to, the scheme. There are no locally or nationally designated sites for biodiversity features (e.g. Local or National Nature Reserves, Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)) located within 300m of the scheme (SiteLink).

The National Biodiversity Network (NBN) Atlas holds several 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). 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 injurious weeds or invasive non-native species (INNS) (as listed in the Network Management Contract (NMC)) under the same search criteria; however, this does not preclude their potential presence in the area.

The Transport Scotland Asset Management Performance System (AMPS) holds one record of rosebay willowherb (Chamaenerion angustifolium) and common ragwort (Jacobea vulgaris) within 300m of the scheme.

Habitat in the surrounding area is dominated by plantation conifer forestry, heathland, modified bog, freshwater habitat, and grazing pastures.

There are no areas of ancient woodland as listed on the Ancient Woodland Inventory (AWI) within 300m of the scheme. 

There are no Tree Preservation Orders (TPO’s) designated by LLTNP within 300m of the scheme.

A Preliminary Ecological Appraisal (PEA) and Preliminary Roost Assessment (PRA) of the works disturbance buffer was conducted by the BEAR Scotland NW Environment Team on 04/07/2025.

Geology and soils

There are no Geological Conservation Review Sites (GCRSs) or SSSIs designated for geological features within 300m of the scheme (SiteLink).

Component soils within the scheme extent are humus-iron podzols with peaty gleys of the Strichen association. The parent materials are drifts derived from arenaceous schists and strongly metamorphosed argillaceous schists of the Dalradian Series (Scotland’s Soils).

Soils in the area around the scheme extent are comprised of Class 0 mineral soils as shown on the Carbon and Peatland Map 2016, and peatland habitats are not typically found on such soils. However, peatland vegetation and a surface layer of peat was noted in the eastern half of the scheme verge during survey.

Bedrock geology within the scheme extent is comprised of Loch Tay Limestone Formation – Metalimestone which is a metamorphic bedrock (Scottish Geology Trust).

Material assets and waste

The proposed embankment works will involve slope regrading, tree felling and culvert extension/lining. Excavation is required as part of the works with excavated material to be reused within the scheme extents where possible. Similarly, it is expected that any cleared vegetation and trees will be chipped on site. Materials will consist of:

  • Geotextile
  • 6B aggregate or equivalent
  • Topsoil
  • Grass seed
  • Flex MSE bags may be used

The scheme value does not exceed the value for the requirement for a Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP).

Soil waste generated from embankment works will be reused on site where possible, with remaining to be disposed of in a licenced waste facility. Soil material will be tested for contaminants prior to its disposal.

Any felled vegetation material will be disposed of appropriately in line with the NW NMC Contract (Schedule 5, Appendix 0/1, 3010SR Maintenance of Established Trees and Shrubs). If more than 5m3 of timber will be felled from third-party land, a felling licence from Scottish Forestry will be obtained prior to works.

Site access will be taken directly from the A85 within the designated traffic management (TM) area, where a lane closure will be in place. A site compound will be established on existing hardstanding at National Grid Reference (NGR) NN 53833 29697.

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 Transportation Noise Action Plan (TNAP) 2019-2023.

Noise modelled data from Environmental Noise Directive (END) Round 4 Noise Mapping indicates annual average noise level for day, evening and night (Lden) as between 65 and 70dB at the scheme location (SpatialData).

Due to the rural location of the scheme, baseline noise levels are likely to be primarily influenced by traffic travelling along the A85; with secondary sources derived from nearby land management activities.

Population and human health

The scheme lies on a rural stretch of the A85 west of Lix Toll. One residential property lies 300m west of the scheme, and no other human receptors are located within 300m of the works.

One access point to an area of hardstanding previously established for commercial forestry extraction lies adjacent to the eastbound carriageway within the scheme extents. The hardstanding is to be used as a site compound for the works. 

There are no laybys, parking facilities, bus stops or pedestrian facilities within the footprint of the scheme.

There are no National Cycle Routes, Core Paths or walking routes designated by WalkHighlands within 300m of the scheme.

In 2024, the annual average daily flow (AADF) of traffic was estimated on the A85 at a site 6.5km southeast of the scheme (Site ID: ATC06002) and accounted for 4,111 vehicles, with 20% of these heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) (Transport Scotland Traffic Count Data).

TM will involve lane closures with two-way temporary traffic lights. 

Road drainage and the water environment

The River Dochart (ID: 6502) lies 380m north/downstream of the works. The River Dochart was assigned ‘moderate ecological potential’ in 2023 by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) under the Water Framework Directive (WFD) (SEPA).

There are small tributaries and field drains (not shown on a 1:50k OS map) that are culverted under the carriageway within the scheme extent. These appear to run periodically dry.

The scheme extent and surrounding area is underpinned by the Killin, Aberfeldy and Angus Glens groundwater (ID: 150669). This is 3741.1 square kilometres in area and in 2023 was assigned ‘Good Ecological Potential’ by SEPA under the Water Framework Directive (WFD) (SEPA).

SEPA Flood Map has highlighted no risk of flooding within the scheme extent.

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).