Description of local environment
Air quality
Baseline air quality levels are likely to be influenced by vehicle traffic from the A92 carriageway and the surrounding residential/industrial activities. The Annual Average Daily Flow (AADF) in 2023 for the A92 carriageway within the scheme extents (estimated count point ID: 78591), accounted for 19,304 vehicles, with 1,114 of these being Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs).
Approximately 250 residential properties have been identified within 200m of the scheme extents with the closest located 15m west on Cutter Wynd. Non-residential air quality sensitive receptors have been identified within 200m of the scheme extents including Glebe Place Playpark (approx. 130m east) and Balbirnie House Golf Course (approx. 200m east).
Fife Council has not declared any Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs). No real-time air quality monitoring stations are present within 200m of the scheme extents.
The Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory (SPRI) has identified the RWE Markinch Ltd. waste and water management facility located approx. 300m south of the works as a source of air pollution. The Tullis Russell facility (approx. 300m southwest, paper and wood production and processing) has also been identified within 1km of the scheme extents.
Cultural heritage
The Scotland’s Environment Mapping resource has been utilised to ascertain the designated and undesignated culturally significant assets within proximity to the scheme extents (see Tables 1 and 2 below). Designated assets have been determined using a buffer of 300m, whilst undesignated assets have been determined using a buffer of 100m. Where a designation is duplicated, only the highest level of classification has been listed below.
| Name and Designation | Reference Number | Description | Distance from Scheme |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Lodge, Balbirnie House, Balbirnie Park | LB16654 | Category B Listed Building | 10m east |
| Cadham Village | CA135 | Conservation Area | 10m west |
| Balfarg Farmhouse with Boundary Walls | LB42966 | Category C Listed Building | 250m north |
| Balfarg Farmhouse, henge & standing stones 280m WSW of | SM2184 | Scheduled Monument | 260m west |
| Name and Designation | Reference Number | Description | Distance from Scheme |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blinkbonnie | 306261 | Canmore | 20m west |
| Balfarg | 29984 | Canmore | 30m west |
| Balbirnie Cairn | 29980 | Canmore | 50m northeast |
| Balbirnie Collier Houses | 106973 | Canmore | 70m west |
| Cadham, Cadham Road, Cadham Square | 297341 | Canmore | 90m west |
Landscape and visual effects
Due to the scheme’s location within the town of Glenrothes, multiple residential properties have been identified within 300m of the works area. However, although properties are present within proximity to the A92 carriageway, dense, mature woodland is present between the majority of the works area and these properties, thus lessening the number of residential visual receptors present. Fife Council Core Path ‘Balbirnie Bridle Track’ (path ID: R414) has been identified at the scheme’s northern extent running parallel to the A92 carriageway. It is likely that these core paths and other adjacent footways will have sight of the works area.
No National Scenic Areas (NSAs) have been identified within 500m of the scheme extents. A Garden Designed Landscape (GDL) entitled Balbirnie (Ref.: GDL00034) has been identified approx. 5m east of the scheme’s southern extent, running parallel to the works area (Scotland’s Environment Mapping Resource).
Scotland’s Landscape Character Type Map lists the landscape character type present within the scheme extents to be ‘Lowland River Basins’. Scotland’s Historic Land-Use Map lists the land surrounding the scheme extents as a mixture of urban, industrial/commercial and designed landscape.
Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) have been identified within 300m of the scheme extents with the closest being within the same footprint as the Balbirnie GDL, approx. 5m east of the scheme’s southern extent.
Biodiversity
The A92 carriageway within the scheme extents contains areas of mature woodland within the verge, separating the carriageway from residential and industrial areas within the town of Glenrothes. Scotland’s Ancient Woodland Inventory (AWI) has identified four areas of ‘Long-Established (of plantation origin)’ ancient woodland (site IDs: 14, 15, 16 and 18) with the closest of these entitled ‘Mount Forest’ being contained within the eastern verges of the scheme extents. The three other ancient woodlands are present 120m east, 360m east and 420m east respectively.
No designated European sites have been identified within 2km of the scheme extents (NatureScot’s Sitelink). No nationally designated sites (such as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) or local/national nature reserves) have been identified within 200m of the scheme extents.
The NBN Atlas resource has not identified the presence of Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS) within 500m of the scheme extents. This resource has also not identified the presence of Transport Scotland Target Species within this parameter. The Amey Environment NE INNS Map resource has also not recorded the presence of any INNS within 500m of the scheme extents. This resource has, however, identified the presence of Transport Scotland Target Species rosebay willowherb (Chamaenerion angustifolium) within the verge adjacent to the scheme extents
The scheme and the surrounding habitat have been reviewed by a senior ecologist utilising desktop resource and, in turn, a site visit was scoped out. The transient nature of the works combined with the requirement of the works to be contained within the pavement boundary has allowed for this conclusion.
Geology and soils
The scheme is not located within 200m of any Geological Conservation Review sites (GCRs), or SSSIs designated for their geological significance (NatureScot’s Sitelink).
The National Soil Map of Scotland lists the soil present within the scheme extents to be that of brown earth. This resource states the surrounding land to be a ‘3.2’ with regard to the Land Classification for Agriculture.
- Limestone Coal Formation - Sedimentary rock cycles, Clackmannan group type. Sedimentary bedrock formed between 329 and 328 million years ago during the Carboniferous period.
- Glaciofluvial Ice Contact Deposits - Gravel, sand and silt. Sedimentary superficial deposit formed between 2.588 million years ago and the present during the Quaternary period.
As a result of the works taking place strictly within made ground within the A92 carriageway boundary, it has been determined that the project does not carry the potential to cause direct or indirect impact to geology or soils. As such, impact has been assessed as being ‘no change’ and has been scoped out of requiring further assessment.
Material assets and waste
The works are required to resurface the worn carriageway and reinstate road markings and studs. Materials used will consist of:
- Bituminous surfacing (TS2010, AC20 binder and AC32 base);
- Road marking materials (thermoplastic road marking paint) and studs;
- Vehicle fuel;
- Oil; and
Wastes are anticipated to be planings from the carriageway surface course, with no coal tar recorded from coring logs within scheme extents. The Contractor is responsible for the disposal/recycling of road planings, and this will be registered in accordance with a Paragraph 13(a) waste exemption issued by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), as described in Schedule 3 of the Waste Management Licensing Regulations 2011.
This scheme value is not in excess of £350k and therefore a Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP) is not required to be produced.
Noise and vibration
Baseline noise levels are likely to be influenced by vehicle traffic from the A92 carriageway and residential/industrial/commercial activities. The AADF in 2023 for the A92 carriageway within the scheme extents (estimated count point ID: 78591), accounted for 19,304 vehicles, with 1,114 of these being HGVs.
Approx. 300 residential properties have been identified within 300m of the scheme extents with the closest property located approx. 15m west on Cutter Wynd. Non-residential noise sensitive receptors have been identified within 300m of the scheme extents including Glebe Place Playpark (approx. 130m east), Balbirnie House Golf Course (approx. 200m east), Groves Place Playpark (approx. 230m east) and Glendarvel Playpark (approx. 280m, west).
Scotland’s Noise Map has indicated modelled day-evening-night noise levels (Lden) in the areas surrounding the carriageway to be around 65-80 dB within 50m and around 55-65 dB between 50 and 100m. Night-time noise levels (Lnight) surrounding the carriageway show levels of 50-65 dB within 500m and <50 dB beyond this parameter. The scheme is located within a Candidate Noise Management Area (CNMA) (CNMA ID: 108) as noted within the Transportation Noise Action Plan.
Population and human health
The A92 carriageway within the scheme extents is located within the town of Glenrothes, Fife. This section of the A92 carriageway links Glenrothes with the town of Kirkcaldy and the city of Dunfermline. Whilst Glenrothes plays host to amenities and facilities such as educational facilities, medical facilities and care facilities, a greater abundance and complexity of these facilities can be found in Kirkcaldy and Dunfermline.
Approx. 300 residential properties have been identified within 300m of the scheme extents with the closest property located approx.15m west on Cutter Wynd. Non-residential properties and areas of interest have been identified within 300m of the scheme extents including multiple playparks, Balbirnie House Golf Course, small local businesses and industrial premises.
The A92 carriageway within the scheme extents is street-lit, contains footways and contains a signal-controlled crossing point. No bus stops and no laybys are present within the scheme extents. Single access points to properties are present within scheme extents, as is access to the Tullis Russell roundabout and Cadham Road.
Fife Council Core Path R414 ‘Balbirnie Bridle Track’ has been identified at the scheme’s norther extent running parallel to the A92 carriageway. No National Cycle Network (NCN) routes have been identified within 300m of the scheme extents.
Road drainage and the water environment
SEPA’s Water Classification Hub has identified the Kennoway Burn / Black Burn watercourse (site ID: 6303, classified under the Water Framework Directive (WFD) as being in ‘Poor’ condition) approx. 115m east of the scheme extents. This resource has also identified the River Leven watercourse (site ID: 6301, classified under the WFD as being in ‘Poor’ condition) approx. 165m southwest of the scheme extents.
SEPAs Water Classification Hub identified the groundwater conditions within the scheme extents (entitled ‘Leven Valley and Fife Coastal’, site ID: 150799) as being in ‘Good’ condition.
SEPA’s Flood Map has indicated minor areas towards the northern extent of the scheme extents to be at a ‘High’ (approx. 10% each year) risk of surface and river water flooding.
The A92 carriageway within the scheme extents is drained via top-entry gullies and is not within a Scottish Government Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ).
Climate
Carbon Goals
The Climate Change (Scotland) Act sets out the target and vision set by the Scottish Government for tackling and responding to climate change. The Act includes a target of reducing CO2 emissions by 80% before 2050 (from the baseline year 1990).
The Scottish Government has since published its indicative Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to set out how it will instead reach net-zero by 2045, working to reduce emissions of all major greenhouse gases (GHGs) by at least 75% by 2030. By 2040, the Scottish Government is committed to reduce emissions by 90%, with the aim of reaching net-zero by 2045 at the latest.
Transport Scotland is 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. In response to the climate emergency, TS 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.