Description of local environment

Air quality

The scheme extents cover a largely rural stretch of the A90 carriageway within Perth and Kinross. Baseline air quality is likely to be influenced primarily by traffic flow along the A90, with secondary sources from surrounding agricultural activities.

Annual Average Daily Flow (AADF) in 2024 along the A90, approximately 3.7km south of the scheme extents (site number: 10768) was counted at 34,672 total vehicles with 3,406 (9.8%) Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs).

Perth & Kinross Council have one currently declared one Air Quality Management Area (AQMA), Perth City, for exceedances in nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and fine particulates (PM10). This AQMA is located over 7km from the scheme extents. There are no real-time air quality monitoring stations (Air Quality in Scotland) or any sites on the Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory (SPRI) located within 1km of the scheme extents.

There are 11 air quality-sensitive receptors located within 200m, including residential receptors, a community facility (Red Squirrel Children’s Nursery) and local business (Glendoick Garden Centre). The closest receptor is a residential property located approximately 10m from the carriageway at NO 22385 23908.

Cultural heritage

A desktop study using PastMap has been undertaken, where an asset has been listed more than once, its highest statutory designation has been recorded. This refers to designations including World Heritage Sites, Scheduled Monuments, Battlefields and Listed Buildings.

No statutory cultural heritage features are located within the scheme footprint; however, four are located within 300m of the scheme:

  • A Scheduled Monument, Sandyhall, Unenclosed Settlement (SM7231), located 60m southeast.
  • A Category C Listed Building, Glendoick, School and Schoolhouse (LB48179), located 60m northwest.
  • A Category B Listed Building, Sandyhall Farmhouse with Horsemill And Steading (LB48193) located 285m northwest.
  • A Category C Listed Building, Glendoick House, South East Lodge Including Gatepier (LB10975) located 150m southwest.

Historic Environment Records (HERs) and National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE) provide local and national level information on Scotland’s historic environment. There are nine records listed on the HER and NRHE located within 200m, however, none are located within the scheme extents.

Landscape and visual effects

Landscape

The scheme lies within a predominantly rural setting, characterised by woodland and arable agricultural land.

There are no statutory or non-statutory landscape designations such as Ancient Woodland Inventory (AWI) sites or Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) located within 200m of the scheme extents, or visible from the scheme.

Glendoick Garden & Designed Landscape (GDL00196) is located 45m west of the scheme, beyond the northbound carriageway. This designed landscape is nationally important for its architectural setting, historic associations and horticultural collections.

The scheme falls within the Firth Lowlands Ranges Landscape Character Type (LCT 385), defined by broad gently undulating farmland and influenced by settlement and transport.

Visual

There is one constant visual receptor of the scheme, a residential property located 20m south of the carriageway, however, partial natural screening is present between the property and the scheme extents. Transient visual receptors include road users (motorists, public transport users) travelling along the A90, who will experience brief and intermittent views of the scheme.

Biodiversity

Protected areas

There are no European designated biodiversity sites located within 2km, or with hydrological connectivity with the scheme (Sitelink).

Field survey

An ecological field survey has been scoped out by a qualified ecologist due to the transient nature of the works and their containment within the trunk road boundary, with a low likelihood of ecological impact.

Invasive plants

Transport Scotland’s Asset Management Performance System (AMPS) has not recorded any records of invasive non-native species (INNS) within 500m of the scheme extents. Common ragwort (Jacobea vulgaris), an injurious weed and Transport Scotland target species is recorded along the southbound verge, adjacent to the scheme extents.

NBN Atlas has identified two records of Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) within the past 15 years within 500m of the scheme extents, however, these are identified outwith the scheme extents.

Geology and soils

Geology

There are no Geological Conservation Review Sites (GCRS), or geological SSSIs located within 300m (Sitelink).

Bedrock geology comprises sedimentary sandstone from the Glenvale Sandstone Formation during the Devonian period (approximately 382.7 to 358.9 million years ago).

Superficial deposits consist of sedimentary deposits of Devensian raised marine deposits of clay, silt, sand and gravel formed during the Quaternary period (approximately 116 and 11.8 thousand years ago) (British Geological Survey Geology Viewer).

Soils

The local soil type within scheme extents is recorded as brown earths and non-calcareous gleys (Scotland’s Soils).

All works are contained to the engineered layers of the existing carriageway, resulting in limited potential for disturbance to geology and soils. As such, geology and soils has been scoped out of requiring further assessment in line with DMRB Guidance document LA 109: Geology and Soils.

Material assets and waste

Materials

Resurfacing will use Transport Scotland’s TS2010 hot-mix asphalt (HMA) specification with AC binder and base layers. Warm-mix asphalt (WMA) is not proposed as TS2010 performance requirements are based on hot-mix production, ensuring suitable construction performance within Scotland’s cold and wet climate. While WMA provides energy and emissions benefits, HMA provides long-term durability, extending the design life of the carriageway and reducing the frequency of future resurfacing interventions. Refer to the Climate impacts and mitigation section for further details.

Other materials required will include road marking materials, road studs, vehicle fuel and oil.

Materials will be obtained from recycled, secondary, or re-used origin as far as practicable within the design specifications to reduce natural resource depletion and associated emissions. For example, the binder and base courses used for resurfacing will contain a percentage of recycled material.

Wastes

Wastes are anticipated to be carriageway planings which will primarily be recycled at a licenced facility, thereby reducing the amount sent to landfill and promoting circular economy practices.

Coring investigations have identified the presence of coal tar within treatment depths which will be treated and disposed of as special waste.

A Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP) will be prepared prior to the works which will detail how resource use and waste arising from the works will be managed throughout the scheme. This is required due to the scheme exceeding £350,000 in value and will help control and reduce the amount of waste produced, resulting in less landfilled waste. 

Noise and vibration

The scheme is located in a predominantly rural area, where baseline noise levels are primarily influenced by traffic on the A90, with secondary sources from agricultural activities. For AADF details, please refer to the Air Quality section above.

Modelled day-evening-night (Lden) noise levels along the scheme range between >70 to 80dB, and night noise levels (Lnight) for the period 23:00-07:00 range from >65B to 75dB. At the closest receptor, located 10m from the carriageway, baseline noise levels are recorded below between >60-65dB (Scotland’s Noise Map).

There are 14 noise-sensitive receptors (NSRs) located within 300m, including residential receptors, agricultural holdings, a community facility (Red Squirrel Children’s Nursery) and local business (Glendoick Garden Centre). The closest receptor is located approximately 10m from the carriageway at NO 22385 23908.

The works are not located within a Candidate Noise Management Area (CNMA) as defined by the Transportation Noise Action Plan (Road Maps) (TNAP).

Population and human health

There are 14 sensitive receptors located within 300m, including residential receptors, agricultural holdings, a community facility (Red Squirrel Children’s Nursery) and local business (Glendoick Garden Centre). The closest receptor is located approximately 10m from the carriageway at NO 22385 23908. No religious or medical community facilities are located within 300m.

The works will be fully contained within the carriageway boundary, requiring no land take from residential, agricultural, business, or community land, and furthermore will not impact access or egress to any such land.

There are no Core Paths within the scheme extents. A footway is present adjacent to the first 165m of the scheme extents, providing access to local roads and residential properties. No National Cycle Network routes are located within the scheme events.

No laybys, lighting points or bus stops are located along the scheme extents.

Road drainage and the water environment

Surface water

Road drainage along the scheme extents comprises filter drains, gullies, drainage channels.

Errol Pow (ID: 6401) , a statutory surface watercourse designated under the Water Framework Directive (WFD) is located approximately 275m northeast of the scheme extents. It exhibits a ‘Moderate’ overall status under SEPA’s 2023 water classification data (SEPA) Water Classification Hub).

No other statutory watercourses are located within 500m; however, two non-designated watercourses are:

  • Grange Burn located 25m northwest.
  • Pow of Glencarse 275m northwest.

Groundwater

The scheme lies within the Carse Coastal groundwater body (ID: 150869) which was classified as having a ‘Bad’ overall condition under the WFD in 2023 (SEPA Water Classification Hub).

The scheme is located within the Strathmore, Fife and Angus Scottish Government Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ).

Flood risk

The scheme is not located within areas identified at risk of fluvial or pluvial flooding (SEPA’s Flood Map), or within a 2028-2034 potentially vulnerable area (PVA) (Potentially Vulnerable Areas (PVAs) 2028-2034).

Climate

Carbon Goals 

The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009, as amended by the Scottish Carbon Budgets Amendment Regulations 2025 sets out the statutory framework for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Scotland. The prior annual and interim targets have been replaced by five-year carbon budgets, which sets limits on the amount of GHGs that can be emitted in Scotland.

The proposed carbon budgets are aligned with advice from the UK Climate Change Committee (CCC) and calculated in accordance with the 2009 Act. The 2025 Regulations define the baseline years for emissions reductions as 1990 for greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, and 1995 for others such as hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulphur hexafluoride (as set out in Section 11 of the Act). The budgets are as follows:

  • 2026 - 2030: Average emissions to be 57% lower than baseline.
  • 2031 - 2035: Average emissions to be 69% lower than baseline.
  • 2036 - 2040: Average emissions to be 80% lower than baseline
  • 2041 - 2045: Average emissions to be 94% lower than baseline.

These budgets are legally binding and will be supported by a new Climate Change Plan, which will outline the specific policies and actions required to meet the targets.

Transport Scotland remains committed to reducing carbon across Scotland’s transport network, this commitment is being enacted through the Mission Zero for Transport. Transport is the largest contributor to harmful climate emissions in Scotland, and Transport Scotland are committed to reducing their emissions by 75% by 2030 and to a legally binding target of net-zero by 2045. 

Amey’s Company Wide Carbon Goal is to achieve Scope 1 and 2 net-zero carbon emissions, with a minimum of 80% absolute reduction on our emissions by 2035. Amey is aiming to be fully net-zero, including Scope 3 emissions, by 2040. 

Amey are working towards a contractual commitment to have carbon neutral depots on the North East Network Management Contract (NE NMC) network by 2028. Amey have set carbon goals for the NE NMC contract as a whole to be net-zero carbon by 2032. 

Policies and Plans

This Record of Determination (RoD) has been undertaken in accordance with Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017 (RSA EIA Regulations) along with Transport Scotland’s Environmental Impact Assessment Guidance (Guidance – Environmental Impact Assessments for road projects (transport.gov.scot)). Relevant guidance, policies and plans accompanied with the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB)) LA 101 and LA 104 were used to form this assessment.