Description of local environment

Air quality

Perth (AQMA) lies approximately 4.2km south of the scheme and measures mean annual particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide.

There are 7 registered sites on the Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory (SPRI) located within 10km of the scheme. The closest of these is Battleby Landfill Site which is located approximately 1.4km south-west of the scheme.

Perth Atholl Street Air Quality Monitoring Station (AQMS) lies approximately 7.2km south-east of the scheme and records a green band status ‘Low (Index 1)’ based on the latest readings.

Baseline air quality is likely to be primarily influenced by traffic travelling along the A9; with secondary sources likely derived by the nearby railway, land management activities and traffic and activities associated with the nearby city of Perth and surrounding villages.

Cultural heritage

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

  • 30 National Records of the Historic Environment (NRHE), the closest of which overlap the scheme extent:
  • Ordiebank Prisoner of War Camp (WWI) (ref: 332942)
  • Marlehall (ref: 352324)
  • Newmill, Bankfoot (ref: 27007)
  • 46 Historic Environment Records (HER’s), the closest of which overlap the scheme extent:
  • Cropmarks, Northleys (ref: MPK6337)
  • Milestone, Marlehall (ref: MPK19216)
  • Unenclosed, Settlement, Ladner (ref: MPK2332)
  • Lade, Newmills (ref: MPK20228)

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 not located within a National Park (NP), National Scenic Area (NSA) or any other site designated for its landscape character and visual effects (SiteLink).

The scheme is located north of Perth between the villages of Luncarty and Bankfoot. The surrounding land is dominated by agricultural land; grazing pastures; and mixed woodland. The A9 trunk road and the Highland Mainline Railway Line are dominant landscape features along with the River Tay to the east. Scattered residential settlements are located close to the A9 and within the wider area.

The majority of the scheme extent lies within the ‘381 - Lowland River Corridors -Tayside’ Landscape Character Type (LCT); with the northern section of the scheme entering into LCT ‘380 - Lowland Hills- Tayside’ (NatureScot).

The A9 Trunk Road, within the North West, connects Perth with Thurso. It commences immediately north of Inveralmond Roundabout in Perth leading generally northwards for a distance of 357 kilometres to its junction with an unclassified road leading to Holborn Head lighthouse at Scrabster. The A9 is a mixture of single carriageway, ‘2+1’ carriageway and stretches of two-lane dual carriageway. The A9 is dual carriageway at the scheme extent.

Biodiversity

The scheme spans the River Tay Special Area of Conservation (SAC) (Site ID: 8366).

Due to proximity and ecological connectivity of the works to the River Tay SAC, a Habitats Regulations Appraisal (HRA) has been produced and consultation with NatureScot has been conducted. Refer to the relevant assessment section below for details.

There are no Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI’s), or any other locally or nationally designated sites for biodiversity features within 300m of the scheme (SiteLink).

The National Biodiversity Network (NBN) Atlas holds numerous 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, such as Schedule 1 birds, receiving additional protections.

The NBN Atlas holds the following records of invasive non-native species (INNS) (as denoted by *), invasive native perennials and injurious weeds (as listed in the Network Management Contract (NMC)) under the same search criteria:

  • Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) *
  • Rosebay willowherb (Chamerion angustifolium)
  • Broad-leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius)
  • Rhododendron (Rhododendron ponticum) *

A search using Transport Scotland’s Asset Management Performance System (AMPS) holds two records of common ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris) and one record of rosebay willowherb within the verges of the A9 trunk road within the scheme extent.

Habitat in the surrounding area is dominated by agricultural land; grazing pastures; urban areas; freshwater habitat; and mixed woodland.

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

There are no areas of trees covered by a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) by Perth and Kinross Council within 300m of the scheme.

Geology and soils

There are no Geological Conservation Review Sites (GCRS’s) or SSSI’s designated for geological features within 300m of the scheme (SiteLink).

Component soils surrounding the majority of the scheme are humus-iron podzols. The parent materials are fluvioglacial and raised beach sands and gravels derived from acid rocks. The area surrounding the southern end of the scheme extent is comprised of mineral alluvial soils with peaty alluvial soils. The parent materials in this area are recent riverine and lacustrine alluvial deposits (Scotland’s Soils).

Soils in the area around the scheme extent are Class 0 mineral soils, and peatland habitats are not typically found on such soils (Carbon and Peatland Map 2016).

Bedrock geology within the scheme extent is comprised of Cromlix Mudstone Formation (mudstone and siltstone) in the south; and Teith Sandstone Formation (sandstone) in the north. Superficial deposits are comprised of Glaciofluvial Ice Contact Deposits (gravel, sand and silt); Alluvium (clay, silt, sand and gravel); and Glaciofluvial Sheet Deposits (gravel, sand and silt) (Scottish Geology Trust).

Material assets and waste

The VRS installation works are required to provide protection to the adjacent active travel route. Materials used will consist of:

  • New VRS safety barriers
  • P4 terminals
  • Concrete

No waste is anticipated to be generated from the proposed works. Excavated soil will be side casted within the scheme extents.

The requirement for a site compound is to be confirmed.

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.

Modelled noise data for the A9 at the scheme extent shows that the day, evening and night levels (Lden) fall between 67-71dB (Scotland’s Noise Map).

Baseline noise levels are likely to be primarily influenced by traffic travelling along the A9; with secondary sources derived from nearby land management activities, the nearby railway and activities associated with nearby urban areas.

Population and human health

The scheme lies on the north-western outskirts of the village of Luncarty; and the south-eastern outskirts of the small settlement of Bankfoot. There are approximately 20 properties and associated outbuildings within 300m of the scheme, the closest of which lie 30m west of the A9 with limited visual and acoustic screening.

The on/off slip towards an unclassified road and overpass lies within the scheme extent. There are no laybys, bus stops or parking areas within the proposed working areas.

An active travel route lies adjacent to the A9 within the scheme extent and the VRS installation will provide protection to this from the dual carriageway.

The Highland Mainline Railway Line lies 200m east of the scheme at its closest point.

There are no National Cycle Routes within 300m of the scheme.

The connecting Core Paths, ‘B8063 west of Battleby via Cramflat to A9 near Northleys’ (LUNC/122) and ‘B9099 at Ordie Burn under viaduct to A9 near Northleys’ (LUNC/123), pass under the A9 immediately south of the scheme extent. Core Path ‘Old A9 from south of East Mains to B867 at A9 junction’ (AGVN/115) lies adjacent to the NB carriageway, utilising the active travel route, at the northern end of the scheme extent (Perth and Kinross Council Core Paths).

There are no walks as designated by WalkHighlands within 300m of the scheme.

TM will involve temporary Lane 1 closures on either side of the carriageway dependent on the VRS installation location (i.e. NB or SB). The active travel route will remain open for the duration of works and a pedestrian management plan will be in place.

Road drainage and the water environment

The scheme extent and surrounding area is underpinned by the Isla and Lower Tay Sand and Gravel groundwater (ID: 150740). This is 253.7 square kilometres in area and in 2023, was assigned ‘Good Ecological Potential’ by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) under the Water Framework Directive (WFD) (SEPA).

Ordie Burn (ID: 6518) is a river in the River Tay catchment of the Scotland river basin district. The main stem is approximately 27.5km in length and it is culverted under the A9 within the scheme extent; also forming part of the River Tay SAC. This water body has been designated as a heavily modified water body on account of physical alterations that cannot be addressed without a significant impact on the drainage of agricultural land. In 2023, it was assigned ‘Good Ecological Potential’ by SEPA under the WFD (SEPA).

Shochie Burn (Ordie Burn Confluence to R Tay) (ID: 6517) is a river in the River Tay catchment of the Scotland river basin district. The main stem is approximately 900m in length and it lies 530m south-east of the scheme with hydrological connectivity via Ordie Burn. It also forms part of the River Tay SAC. In 2023 it was assigned ‘High Ecological Potential’ by SEPA under the WFD (SEPA).

The River Tay (R Isla to R Earn Confluences) (ID: 6498) is a river in the River Tay catchment of the Scotland river basin district. The main stem is approximately 31.5km in length and it lies 1km east of the scheme at its closest point, with hydrological connectivity via Ordie Burn and Shochie Burn. It also forms part of the River Tay SAC. In 2023, it was assigned ‘Moderate Ecological Potential’ by SEPA under the WFD (SEPA).

There are several other unclassified waterbodies, drains, springs, ponds and culverts in proximity to the scheme and culverted under the A9 within the scheme extent (SEPA).

SEPA Flood Map has highlighted a medium to high risk of river water flooding in the areas around Ordie Burn (i.e. a 0.5-10% chance of flooding each year). There are also areas of high risk of surface water flooding (i.e. a 10% chance) towards the northern end of 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).