A9 Dualling Programme Strategic Environmental Assessment Non-Technical Summary
15. SEA Monitoring
Given the nature of an infrastructure delivery programme, there is unlikely to be a revision of the SEA; therefore a typical SEA monitoring framework, which considers change and progress on issues between plan review periods, is not considered appropriate.
The intention is to develop an A9 project level assessment framework and checklist, to support an overarching A9 design guide, and to ensure that strategic environmental principles are embedded and tested across each scheme design and carried through to construction stages.
Further work on A9 dualling strategic environmental principles will continue through the SEA public consultation period, for inclusion with the monitoring framework in the SEA Post Adoption Statement.
The Environmental Report provides a preliminary draft framework, based on the recommendations from the SEA discussion sections, and the tables are repeated below for reference.
Recommendations may be subject to review following feedback from the public consultation process and the framework will be updated to include strategic environmental principles and any additional recommendations from the supporting strategic studies that are currently underway, including the Landscape Review, the Strategic Flood Risk Assessment and the Habitats Regulations Appraisal/ Appropriate Assessment process.
| SEA Recommendation | Comment |
Lead Responsibility |
Key Stakeholders |
Target Timescale & Outputs |
Include in A9 Design Guide (Y/N/ Comment) |
Progress |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEA Procedural | ||||||
| SEA to oversee the production of a strategic programme level Appropriate Assessment for Natura sites identified via HRA Screening as having the potential to experience Likely Significant Effects (LSE). | SEA recommends a workshop with SNH, SEPA and CNPA, during the SEA ER consultation period, to discuss a range of issues around key Natura sites in order to inform the AA. | A9 SEA team |
Transport Scotland SNH SEPA CNPA A9 PES team |
July-Sept 2013 Report findings and recommendations in SEA Post Adoption Statement |
Y Recommendations are expected to inform an A9 Design Guide |
|
| SEA to assess the outcomes of the emerging Junction Strategy in terms of broadly indicative areas for junction locations. | Key aspects to be considered include the potential direct and indirect impacts from potential land take required for grade separated junctions. | A9 SEA team |
A9 PES team Transport Scotland |
July-Sept 2013 Report findings and recommendations in SEA Post Adoption Statement |
Y Recommendations are expected to inform an A9 Design Guide |
|
| SEA to review the outcomes of the emerging Lay-By Strategy, in terms of the strategic principles and guidance for later design stages. | SEA cannot provide any detailed assessment on the potential siting/ location of lay-bys along an as yet undetermined route alignment. | A9 SEA team |
A9 PES team Transport Scotland |
July-Sept 2013 Report findings and recommendations in SEA Post Adoption Statement |
Y Recommendations are expected to inform an A9 Design Guide |
|
| SEA to review the outcomes of the emerging Non Motorised User (NMU) Strategy, in terms of the strategic principles and guidance for later design stages. | A9 SEA team |
A9 PES team Transport Scotland |
July-Sept 2013 Report findings and recommendations in SEA Post Adoption Statement |
Y Recommendations are expected to inform an A9 Design Guide |
||
| SEA to contact the Highland Mainline Improvements Project team, to determine whether option sites for HML passing loops have been identified in the interim period. | If so, option sites to be considered in a more detailed cumulative effects assessment. | A9 SEA team | Transport Scotland Highland Mainline Improvements Project team | July-Sept 2013 Report findings and recommendations in SEA Post Adoption Statement | Y Recommendations are expected to inform an A9 Design Guide | |
| SEA Recommendation | Comment |
Lead Responsibility |
Key Stakeholders |
Target Timescale & Outputs |
Include in A9 Design Guide (Y/N/ Comment) |
Progress |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Material Assets | ||||||
| SEA recommends that, wherever possible, A9 dualling uses locally sourced materials and suppliers. | To reduce material transport emissions and to support local businesses. | Transport Scotland | Construction Contractors | Sustainability requirement in construction contracts |
N Contract issue |
|
| SEA recommends strategic programme level discussions with SEPA to investigate potential mechanisms to support material resource efficiency along the route. | For example, temporary depots for excavated material, etc. | Transport Scotland |
SEPA DMRB 3 designers Construction Contractors |
Construction stage guidance on transfers between A9 sites |
N Construction issue |
|
| SEA recommends that Site Waste Management Plans are adopted as best practice across all A9 dualling schemes. | Transport Scotland | Construction Contractors | Requirement for SWMP in construction contracts |
N Contractual and construction management issue |
||
| Population & Human Health | ||||||
| SEA recommends that consultations take place with the relevant Local Authorities and Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) to determine where any planned non-trunk road projects and development plan land allocations need to be taken into account, in DMRB Stage 2 route alignment studies, to inform final decisions on junction locations and connecting roads. | Generally completed as standard under DMRB Stage2 at individual scheme level, but worth considering at route wide strategic level. |
Transport Scotland A9 PES team |
Local Authorities Cairngorms National Park Authority |
End Dec 2013 | Y | |
| SEA recommends that where NMU routes require combination and/ or diversions to safer crossing points, any permanent diversions should be designed to provide the same, or improved, standard of pathway. | Transport Scotland A9 PES team | DMRB Stage 3 designers | End Dec 2013 Include in emerging NMU Strategy | Y | ||
| Landscape & Visual | ||||||
| SEA recommends that early consultations take place with key stakeholders to determine strategic landscape design principles and guidance. | To minimise visual impacts and ensure high quality design of structures, which respect and reflect the locally changing character of the A9 route. |
Transport Scotland A9 PES Team |
Landscape Review team Architecture & Design Scotland (A&DS) |
End Q2 2014 | Y | |
| SEA recommends a preference for underpass crossings, rather than overbridges, wherever possible | To minimise visual intrusion to the surrounding landscape and to provide safer crossing opportunities for both humans and local mobile species. | Transport Scotland | DMRB 2/3 Design teams | n/a | Y | |
| SEA recommends that a general strategic principle on the avoidance of lighting on the A9 mainline be adopted, except where absolutely required by safety standards. | This principle should also apply to the consideration of signage requirements, with a preference for unlit signs wherever possible. | Transport Scotland | DMRB 2/3 Design teams | n/a | Y | |
| SEA recommends that detailed consideration be given to the viability and reliability, in terms of safety requirements, of automatic lighting controls on the A9, such that in the absence of vehicle movements, junction lighting is dimmed or switched off. | Requires consultation with key stakeholders to determine whether automatic switching on/ off could be considered a nuisance in some locations; however, it could also provide long term benefits in terms of limiting energy consumption. | Transport Scotland |
Local Authorities Cairngorms National Park Authority |
End Q2 2014 | Y | |
| SEA recommends that a general strategic principle on the avoidance of overhead signage and gantry structures be adopted, except where absolutely required by safety standards. | Transport Scotland | DMRB 2/3 Design teams | n/a | Y | ||
| SEA recommends that a signage strategy should be considered to develop strategic guidance on sign placement; in order to avoid placing signs in locations that would present detrimental visual intrusion on important views from the road. |
Transport Scotland Landscape Review team |
SNH Cairngorms National Park Authority |
End Q1 2014 | Y | ||
| SEA recommends that consultations take place with the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) and SNH to determine a range of acceptable barrier options, to provide guidance for later design and construction stages. | European public procurement requirements may prevent the specification of particular products. |
Transport Scotland Landscape Review team |
A9 PES team SNH Cairngorms National Park Authority |
End Q1 2014 | Y | |
| Historic Environment | ||||||
| SEA recommends that early consultations take place with Historic Scotland and other key stakeholders to inform design guidance around Killiecrankie Battlefield | To manage change in a sympathetic manner and to minimise potential adverse effects on battlefield setting, context and interpretation | Transport Scotland |
Historic Scotland Cairngorms National Park Authority |
End Q1 2014 | Y | |
| SEA recommends that route alignment studies consider the potential for effects on unscheduled archaeology in route selection | Historic Scotland advised that this bank of information will help advise route alignment studies and local survey work at more detailed design stages. |
Transport Scotland DMRB 2/ 3 design teams |
Historic Scotland Local Authorities Cairngorms National Park Authority |
n/a | Y | |
| SEA recommends that A9 dualling tracks the progress of the historic environment policy review as it may have implications for more detailed design stages and project level environmental assessments. | Historic Scotland advise that historic environment policy in Scotland is currently under review, and that the findings of the review will be implemented during the lifetime of the A9 dualling programme. | Transport Scotland | Historic Scotland | n/a | Y | |
| Biodiversity | ||||||
| SEA recommends a workshop with SNH, SEPA and the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA), to inform a strategic level Appropriate Assessment and the development of suitable guidance for later design stages around the Tay, Spey, Tulach Hill and Glen Fender Meadows, Drumochter Hills and Insh Marshes designated Natura and Ramsar sites. | Any updated findings and recommendations of the strategic level AA will be incorporated into the SEA Post Adoption Statement and Monitoring Framework. |
A9 SEA team (also noted in procedural recommendations) |
SNH CNPA |
July-Sept 2013 |
Y Outputs will inform strategic design guidance |
|
| SEA recommends that outline Strategic Principles for Biodiversity include a presumption in favour of: (1) avoiding land take from AW and SNAW wherever possible, (2) minimising the dualled route width through AW and SNAW areas | To limit additional barrier effects; for example, considering the viability of locating lay bys outwith high value woodland boundaries. | Transport Scotland |
A9 PES team SNH |
n/a | Y | |
| SEA recommends that deer crossings and fencing should be considered further at the more detailed design and local environmental assessment level. | Locally balanced solutions should be informed by best practice guidance and consultation with key stakeholders and specialists. |
Transport Scotland DMRB 2/ 3 design teams |
SNH Deer Commission |
n/a | Y | |
| Soils & Geological | ||||||
| SEA recommends that strategic design guidance includes principles on aesthetic quality requirements for cuttings, to minimise the residual visual effects of cutting activity. | Where possible, cuttings should look more 'natural' with less obvious visual imprint of cutting activity in the rock face. | Landscape Review team |
SNH Cairngorms National Park Authority |
n/a | Y | |
| SEA recommends that detailed design and local environmental assessment consults with SNH and other key stakeholders on the potential opportunities for cutting activity to expose features of geodiversity interest. | There may be opportunities around Glen Garry and The Slochd GCR site. |
Transport Scotland DMRB 2/ 3 design teams |
Landscape Review team SNH JNCC Local RIGS representatives |
n/a | Y | |
| SEA recommends early discussion and agreement with SNH, on a preferred approach to the Glen Garry SSSI site, to inform strategic design guidance. | Should the decision be that no construction takes place within the site boundary, route alignment studies will have to consider alternative alignments outwith the 200m corridor. | Transport Scotland |
Landscape Review team SNH |
End Q1 2014 | Y | |
| Water & Flooding | ||||||
| SEA recommends that a strategic principle on the avoidance of increased flood risk is adopted. | To avoid flood risk and consider mitigation where unavoidable. |
Transport Scotland SFRA team |
SEPA DMRB 2/ 3 design teams |
n/a | Y | |
| SEA recommends that a general strategic principle on the separation of road surface runoff from surrounding environmental surface water runoff is adopted. |
Inter-related with Biodiversity Generally adopted within best practice road drainage design |
Transport Scotland |
SEPA SNH |
n/a | Y | |
| SEA recommends detailed consultation with SEPA specifically to provide strategic design guidance on SUDS in the flood zone. | To enable strategic guidance on what is/ is not acceptable in key flood risk areas |
Transport Scotland SFRA team |
SEPA |
July-Sept 2013 Report findings and recommendations in SFRA Report and SEA Post Adoption Statement |
Y | |
| SEA recommends detailed consultation with SEPA, SNH and other key stakeholders to specifically consider the issues and risks around SUDS, to provide strategic design guidance on the levels of treatment required before discharge to SAC designated areas. | To enable strategic guidance on 2 or 3 levels of treatment where necessary | Transport Scotland A9 SEA Team | SEPA SNH A9 PES team | July-Sept 2013 Value in including issue in recommended Natura/ AA workshop | Y | |
| SEA recommends that A9 SUDS design is informed by landscape and ecological specialists to secure maximum additional benefits in terms of integration within the surrounding landscape, minimising visual impact and delivering ecological enhancement. |
A specific strategic study to provide A9 SUDS design guidance would support a consistent approach along the route. Inter-related with Landscape and Biodiversity |
Transport Scotland Landscape Review team |
SEPA SNH Cairngorms National Park Authority |
End Dec 2013 | Y | |