Description of local environment

Air quality

The scheme is located along a rural stretch of the A95 carriageway, with sporadic rural properties in the surrounding landscape. Land surrounding the scheme is dominated by areas of open grazing and mixed woodland.

Baseline air quality surrounding scheme extents is likely to be influenced by high traffic flow along the A95 trunk road and surrounding agricultural activities. Annual Average Daily Flow (AADF) in 2023 within the scheme extents (site number: 1056) was estimated at 6,785 total vehicles with 9% Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs).

Highland Council have not declared any Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs).

There are no sites registered on the Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory (SPRI) within 1km of the scheme.

There are approximately four residential properties located within 200m. The closest receptor is a residential property located approximately 7m south (NGR NH 96133 21089).

Cultural heritage

A desktop study using Historic Environmental Scotland Designations Map Search has not identified any designated cultural heritage assets (Listed Buildings, Scheduled Monuments, Conservation Areas, World Heritage Sites or Inventory Battlefields) within 300m. There are no non-designated cultural heritage assets within 200m of the scheme extents.

As such, this section has been scoped out of requiring further assessment.

Landscape and visual effects

The scheme is located within the Upland Strath Landscape Character Type (LCT 127) with the following key characteristics:

  • Large, broad, flat-bottomed strath, with some narrower pinch-point sections.
  • Valley floor with the meandering River Spey and frequent lochs and marshes.
  • Meadows and wetlands prone to flooding on the valley floor.
  • Mixed pastures and broadleaved woodland in more undulating areas.
  • Wetlands flanked by mixed woodland and conifer forests.
  • Main communication corridor housing A9 trunk road and railway.
  • Estate houses and policy landscapes in many parts of the strath.
  • A well-settled area with a series of settlements occurs along the northern side of the strath at bridging points over the River Spey.
  • They are popular tourist destinations serving the Cairngorms National Park. Elsewhere farms and houses are frequent along main and minor roads.

No Tree Preservation Orders immediately surround or will be impacted by the work. Various areas of woodland classified under the Ancient Woodland Inventory (AWI) surround scheme extents, however, works will be contained to made-ground and existing engineered layers within the carriageway boundary with no land take or vegetation clearance is required.

The scheme is located within the Cairngorms National Park (site code: 8623). The National Park has the following List of Special Qualities:

  • The Mountains and Plateaux – presence if the central mountains, which strong character and distinct landforms including deep corries, glacial landforms and snowscape;
  • Moorlands - Extensive moorland, linking the farmland, woodland and the high tops;
  • Glens and Straths – landscape features including steep glens, renowned rivers and beautiful lochs;
  • Trees, Woods, and Forests – long established forestry, including dark and venerable pine forests, and light and airy birch woods;
  • Wildlife and Nature - Dominance of natural landforms, and extensive vegetation with habitats for iconic animals, including wildness;
  • Visual and Sensory Qualities – great panoramic views including the dominance of natural sounds;
  • Culture and History; and

Biodiversity

NatureScot Sitelink resource identified the following European designated sites within 2km of the scheme:

  • Abernethy Forest Special Protection Area (SPA) (NatureScot Site Code: 8461) 1.2km southeast.
  • River Spey Special Area of Conservation (SAC) (NatureScot Site Code: 8356) 92m southeast.
  • Cairngorms SAC (NatureScot Site Code: 8217) is located 1.65km southeast.

Due to the distance, nature of the works, and potential for Likely Significant Effects (LSE) on these sensitive areas and their qualifying features, a Habitats Regulations Appraisal (HRA) has been undertaken. The assessment concluded that there will be no LSE on the three designated sites.

There are no locally or nationally designated biodiversity sites located within 300m of the scheme (such as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), or National Nature Reserves) (SiteLink).

A potentially favourable surrounding habitat for protected species was identified in the scheme surroundings, however, such areas are suitably separated from the works area with the immediate area largely open grazing agricultural land and as the works are contained within the existing carriageway boundary, and immediate roadside verges, the requirement for a Preliminary Ecological Walkover (PEW) has been scoped out by a qualified ecologist.

National Biodiversity Network (NBN) Atlas and Transport Scotland’s Asset Management Performance System (AMPS) have not recorded any Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS) within 500m of extents.

Geology and soils

The scheme does not lie within or have connectivity to any Geological Conservation Review Sites (GCRS), geological SSSIs, or Local Geodiversity Sites (LGS) (SiteLink).

The local soil type within scheme extents is recorded as humus-iron podzols (Scotland’sSoils).

Bedrock geology (British Geological Survey Geology Viewer) within scheme extents is comprised of:

  • Grampian Group - Psammite, micaceous. Metamorphic bedrock formed between 1000 and 541 million years ago between the Tonian and Ediacaran periods.

Superficial deposits comprise of:

  • Glaciofluvial Sheet Deposits, Devensian - Sand, gravel and boulders. Sedimentary superficial deposit formed between 116 and 11.8 thousand years ago during the Quaternary period.
  • Hummocky (moundy) Glacial Deposits, Devensian - Diamicton, sand and gravel. Sedimentary superficial deposit formed between 116 and 11.8 thousand years ago during the Quaternary period.
  • Glaciofluvial Ice Contact Deposits, Devensian - Gravel, sand and silt. Sedimentary superficial deposit formed between 116 and 11.8 thousand years ago during the Quaternary period.

Works are contained to the existing carriageway boundary and as such there is no anticipated impact to the surrounding geology or soils. Therefore, geology and soils has been scoped out of requiring further assessment.

Material assets and waste

The proposed works are required to inlay resurface the A95 carriageway displaying surface defects, with additional construction activities involving reinstating road markings and studs.

Materials

Materials required will consist of:

  • Surfacing, binder and base materials (TS2020 aggregate, AC/EME binder, and AC/EME base); and,
  • Road marking materials (thermoplastic road marking paint) and studs.

Wastes

Wastes are anticipated to be planings from the carriageway surface course and following on-site coring investigations and testing, coal-tar was identified within the scheme extents.

There will also be verge material (‘green waste’) arising from the minor siding out works.

This scheme value is in excess of £350,000 and therefore a Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP) will be prepared prior to the works.

Noise and vibration

Baseline noise levels surrounding scheme extents is likely to be influenced by traffic flow along the A95 road and surrounding rail and agricultural activities. For AADF details, please refer to the ‘Air Quality’ section above.

There are four Noise Sensitive Receptors (NSRs) located within 300m, which are residential properties. The closest receptor is a residential property located approximately 7m south, with no natural, or man-made screening from the works area.

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

Modelled day-evening-night noise levels (Lden) for the A95 carriageway within scheme extents are >75 to 80dB. Modelled night noise levels for the same extents are >65 to 70dB. (Scotland’s Noise Map).

Population and human health

There are four residential receptors located within 300m of the scheme extents, the closest is located approximately 7m south (NGR NH 96133 21089).

Access/egress to approximately four residential receptors from the A95 carriageway is within the scheme extents.

Cairngorms National Park Core Path (LBS1g) (Highland Council) is located adjacent to the A95 carriageway within the scheme extents which has been designated as a Public Right of Way (PRoW) providing pedestrian access to local towns and facilities.

Due to the presence of numerous holiday accommodations and various walking/cycling routes in the surrounding areas, it is assumed that this area is frequently used by tourists.

The scheme extents are not street-lit.

Road drainage and the water environment

Surface water

The River Spey (ID: UK0019978) classified under the Water Framework Directive (WFD) is located 100m southeast of the scheme extents and classified as having an overall poor water quality (SEPA Water Classification Hub). There are several unnamed tributaries from the River Spey located within 500m of the scheme.

Groundwater

The scheme is located within the ‘Upper Spey Sand and Gravel’ (ID: 150814) groundwater body, which was classified by SEPA in 2022 as having an overall status of ‘Good’ (SEPA Water Classification Hub).

The scheme also falls within an area designated as Drinking Water Protected Area (DWPA) (surface water).

The scheme does not fall within a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ).

Flood Risk

Small, localised areas of A95 carriageway within the scheme extents are recorded as being at low to high risk (0.1%-10% chance of flooding each year) of surface water flooding. Due to the proximity of the scheme to the River Spey, there is river flooding with 500m of the scheme extents, this is at high (10%) chance of flooding each year (SEPA Flood Maps).

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 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. 

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.