Description of local environment

Air quality

There are no Air Quality Management Areas (AQMA) which have been declared by the Highland Council within 10km of the scheme (Air Quality Management Areas).

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

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

Baseline air quality for the scheme is primarily influenced by traffic along the A86 trunk road. Secondary releases are likely delivered by land management within the wider area.

Cultural heritage

According to PastMap, there are several features of lesser cultural heritage value (those which are listed on the National Records of the Historic Environment (NRHE) and Historic Environment Record (HER) databases) located within the scheme extents and within 300m of the scheme. The closest of which are NRHE/HER ‘Strathmashie House’ (MHG27142) and ‘Kinloch Laggan’ (MHG29656), which lie adjacent to the A86 eastbound carriageway within the scheme extents.

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

The works are confined to the trunk road boundary. As such, construction of the A86 trunk road 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 Record of Determination (RoD).

Landscape and visual effects

The scheme falls wholly within Cairngorms National Park (NatureScot Site code: 8623) which is designated for the following special general qualities:

  • Magnificent mountains towering over moorland, forest and strath.
  • Vastness of space, scale and height.
  • Strong juxtaposition of contrasting landscapes.
  • A landscape of layers, from inhabited strath to remote, uninhabited upland.
  • ‘The harmony of complicated curves’.
  • Landscapes both cultural and natural.

The scheme does not fall within a National Scenic Area (NSA) (Scotland's Environment).

Landscape Character Type for the scheme is listed as ‘Upland Glen – Cairngorms’ (LCT 126) which has the following key characteristics:

  • Strong evidence of glacial processes, including steepened sides and level floors, shattered rock faces on higher slopes, hummocks of resistant rock on some glen floors and terraces of glacial deposits at the edges of glen floors.
  • Often form arrival points into the Cairngorms National Park.
  • Size varies from large e open passes to narrower, more secluded glens.
  • Enclosed predominantly by steep slopes.
  • Frequently differing land-use on one side of the glen to the other - linked to aspect.
  • Improved, grazed fields on glen floors and floodplains.
  • Mostly settled, some only sparsely, but often extensive evidence of past settlement, including prehistoric hut circles and associated field systems, pre-improvement townships, and seasonal shielings.
  • Some landmark historic buildings.
  • Access varies from narrow roads, estate and forestry tracks to main routes, but most have some form of road running through them.
  • Varied experience when passing through glens from open and expansive to sheltered and secluded.
  • Views to adjacent uplands; from which parts of the glens are visible and provide contrast.

Land use (HLAMap) within 300m of the scheme extent is classified as:

  • Plantation
  • Rectilinear fields and farms
  • Rough grazing

The land surrounding the trunk road is classified as 4.2 (‘Land capable of producing a narrow range of crops, primarily on grassland with short arable breaks of forage crops’) and 5.2 (‘Land capable of use as improved grassland. Few problems with pasture establishment but may be difficult to maintain’) (Scotland's Soils).

The A86 trunk road connects Spean Bridge and Kingussie. It commences at the A86 / A82 junction within Spean Bridge leading generally north-eastwards for 65 kilometres to its junction with the A9. The A86 is a single carriageway along its length.

Biodiversity

The scheme lies 120m northeast of River Spey Special Area of Conservation (SAC) (NatureScot Site Code 8365).

Due to the proximity and potential hydrological connectivity of the works to the SAC, a Habitats Regulations Appraisal (HRA) has been produced. Refer to the relevant assessment section below for details.

There are no other 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 scheme (SiteLink).

The NBN Atlas and Transport Scotland’s Asset Management Performance System (AMPS) hold no records of invasive and injurious plant species (as listed in the North West Network Management Contract (NMC)) within 300m of the scheme.

Habitat within the scheme extent is comprised of plantation woodland, broadleaved wooded margins, open agricultural land and freshwater is provided by the River Mashie which flows adjacent to the A86 trunk road at a distance of 120m southeast at its closest point.

There are no areas of ancient woodland located within 300m of the scheme extent (Ancient Woodland Inventory).

There are no Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) present within 300m of the scheme extent (Highland Tree Preservation Orders).

Due to restriction of works to the A86 trunk road boundary, and given the localised nature of the works, the potential for impacts to the surrounding environment and protected/notable species identified within the desktop study are considered to be negligible and a site visit as part of this assessment has been deemed unnecessary.

Geology and soils

Bedrock geology (BGS Geology Viewer) within the scheme consists of ‘Glen Banchor Subgroup - Gneissose psammite and gneissose semipelite’.

Superficial deposits (BGS Geology Viewer) within the scheme consist of Till, Devensian - Diamicton

Soils within the scheme are recorded as mineral alluvial soils with peaty alluvial soils (Scotland's Soils).

Soils within the scheme extent are recorded as being of Carbon and Peatland ‘Class 0’, which is associated with mineral soil where peat is not typically found (Carbon and Peatland Map).

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

This receptor has no constraints (as identified in the environmental baseline) that are likely to be impacted by the proposed works. As such, ‘geology and soils’ is scoped out and not discussed further within this RoD.

Material assets and waste

The resurfacing works are required to replace worn surface and undertake general maintenance of the A86 trunk road. Materials used will consist of:

  • Asphaltic material (AC32/AC20/TS2010)
  • 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 scheme.

No site compound is required for these works and storage of plant and equipment will be within TM on the A86 carriageway.

As the value of the scheme does not exceed £350,000, a Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP) is not required for these works.

Noise and vibration

For residential, community and commercial receptors refer to the ‘Population and Human Health’ section below.

A search of Scotland's Noise Map returned modelled noise records for average noise levels in the day-evening-night (LDEN) within the A86 and its verges ranging between 67 and 69dB within the scheme extents.

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

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 A86. Secondary sources are likely delivered by land management within the wider area.

Population and human health

The scheme lies just south of the small, rural settlement of Strathmashie within the Highland Council region.

There are two properties within 300m of the scheme, the closest being Strathmashie House which lies adjacent to the northbound A86 carriageway and is screened by an embankment and line of mature trees. The other property is Laggan Wolftrax, a recreational mountain biking area located 290m north of the scheme.

There is one layby within the scheme extent, on the northbound lane of the A86.

There are no footpaths, walking paths listed on WalkHighlands, Core Paths listed on the Highland Council Open Map Data, cycle paths (OS Maps), bus stops or other non-motorised road user (NMU) facilities located within the scheme extents.

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

Transport Scotland’s manual data counter (site name: ATC 01050) located 3.1km northeast from the scheme, recorded an annual daily total (ADT) flow of 2,003 motor vehicles in 2025, of which 20.1% were heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) (Transport Scotland).

TM will consist of road closure with amnesties at 9pm, 10pm, 11pm, 12am, 2am and 4am, with control of junctions where required.

Road drainage and the water environment

‘Strathnairn, Speyside and Cairngorms’ (ID: 150709) is a groundwater body in the Scotland River basin district which underlies the scheme. It was awarded 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).

‘River Mashie’ (ID: 23149) is a river in the Scotland River basin district and lies approximately 120m southwest of the scheme at its closest extent, and is part of the River Spey SAC. It was awarded an overall status of ‘moderate’ in 2024 by SEPA under the WFD 2000/60/EC (Water Classification Hub).

Several unclassified surface waterbodies may be located in vicinity to the scheme extent. A small number of field and roadside drains may also be present within the vicinity and culverted beneath the A86.

Small sections of the A86 within the scheme extents have a high likelihood of surface water and small watercourse flooding (each year this area has a 10% chance of flooding) (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)