Description of local environment

Air quality

The scheme extents cover a largely rural area, with baseline air quality likely to be influenced primarily by traffic flow along the A96, with secondary sources from agricultural activities. Annual Average Daily Flow (AADF) in 2023 on the approach to Keith at the northern scheme extents (site number: 74321) was counted at 7,436 total vehicles, with 9% HGVs. AADF towards the southern scheme extents (site number: 40782) was 7,632 vehicles with 9.1% HGVs.

There are approximately 50 air quality sensitive receptors located within 200m of the works locations within the scheme extents. The closest receptor, a residential property is located approximately 50m north of VRS works on the A96 carriageway (at NJ 46212 45833).

Moray and Aberdeenshire Councils 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 extents.

Cultural heritage

A desktop study using Historic Scotland Designations has identified five designated cultural heritage features within 300m of the scheme extents:

  • Keith Mid Street Conservation Area (reference: CA185) 260m north;
  • 43 Moss Street Category B Listed Building (mid-19th century) (reference: LB35657) 260m north;
  • 2 Reidhaven Square and Garden Walls Category B Listed Building (1796) (reference: LB35674) 270m north;
  • 49, 51 Mid Street Category B Listed Building (1860) (reference: LB35645) 280m north; and
  • Reidhaven Square And 50-54 (even numbers) Mid Street Category B Listed Building (early-19th century) (reference: LB35675) 300m north.

No Scheduled Monuments, World Heritage Sites or Inventory Battlefields are recorded within 300m of the scheme extents.

No non-designated features have been identified within 200m of the scheme extents.

Landscape and visual effects

Landscape

The scheme is located within a largely rural area of the A96 carriageway, with the surrounding landscape consisting of grazing and arable agricultural land and sporadic residential and agricultural properties. Semi-mature and mature vegetation lines the carriageway at areas along the entire scheme length.

No trees under a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) are within 500m of the sites.

Two areas of woodland classified under the Ancient Woodland Inventory (AWI) line the A96 carriageway along the scheme extents:

  • An unnamed area of long-established of plantation origin woodland (ID: 8,858) (NGR NJ446483); and
  • An unnamed area of long-established of plantation origin woodland (ID: 8,853) (NGR NJ437494).

There are no designated or non-designated landscape areas (Garden Designed Landscapes, National Scenic Areas, Local or National Nature Resrves or National Parks) located within 500m, or visible to or from the scheme extents (Sitelink).

The scheme is located within the Farmed Moorland Edge - Aberdeenshire Landscape Character Type (LCT 27) and the Upland Farmland LCT (LCT 288).

Visual

Static visual receptors of the scheme include sporadic residential properties located along the A96 carriageway within the scheme extents. The closest visual receptor, a residential property is located approximately 50m north of VRS works on the A96 carriageway. Varying levels of visual screening are present along the entire scheme length, with the closest receptor being partially screened from the proposed works are by semi-mature vegetation and scrub, and general topography of the landscape.

Biodiversity

Protected areas

Mortlach Moss Special Area of Conservation (SAC) is located approximately 1.7km east of the scheme extents at its closest point.

There is direct hydrological connectivity from the proposed works to the protected area via the Burn of Cairnie that flows adjacent, and beneath the scheme extents to the SAC. The watercourse joins the SAC 2.1km from the proposed works (Sitelink).

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).

No trees under a TPO are within 500m of the sites.

Two areas of woodland classified under the AWI line the A96 carriageway along the scheme extents:

  • An unnamed area of long-established of plantation origin woodland (ID: 8,858) (NGR NJ446483); and
  • An unnamed area of long-established of plantation origin woodland (ID: 8,853) (NGR NJ437494).

A Preliminary Ecological Walkover (PEW) was undertaken by Amey Ecologists in March 2025 due to the nature of the works, involving verge excavations.

Transport Scotland’s Asset Management Performance System (AMPS) has recorded rosebay willowherb (Chamerion angustifolium), an injurious weed along the verges within the scheme extents.

The PEW identified stands of giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) within specific works areas within the scheme extents.

Geology and soils

Geology

Bin Quarr (ID: 9389), Binhill Quarry Geological Conservation Review Sites (GCRs), and Bin Quarry geological SSSI are located approximately 260m north of the scheme extents (Sitelink). Bin Quarry SSSI has qualifying features of:

  • Caledonian igneous; and
  • Mineralogy of Scotland.

Bedrock geology is recorded as (British Geological Survey Geology Viewer):

  • Metamorphic rock of the Drummuir Calcareous Member (Semipelite, micaceous psammite, metalimestone and calcsilicate rock) formed between 1000 and 541 million years ago (Mya) between the Tonian and Ediacaran periods.
  • Metamorphic rock of the Mortlach Graphitic Schist Formation (graphitic pelite and semipelite) formed between 1000 and 541 Mya between the Tonian and Ediacaran periods.
  • Metamorphic rock of the Corryhabbie Quartzite Formation (quartzite) formed between 1000 and 541 Mya between the Tonian and Ediacaran periods.
  • Igneous bedrock of the Huntly-knock Pluton (olivine-gabbro) formed between 485.4 and 443.8 Mya during the Ordovician period.

Superficial deposits are recorded as:

  • Sedimentary superficial deposits of Till, Devensian (Diamicton) formed between 116 and 11.8 thousand years ago during the Quaternary period.
  • Sedimentary alluvium and river terrace deposits (gravel, sand, silt and clay) formed between 2.588 Mya and the present during the Quaternary period.

Soils

The local soil type within scheme extents is recorded as brown earths, humus-iron podzols, non-calcareous gleys with humic gleys, peaty gleyed podzols, and alluvial soils (Scotland’s Soils).

Material assets and waste

Materials

Materials required are as follows:

  • Concrete (for foundations);
  • VRS barriers;
  • VRS posts;
  • VRS terminals;
  • Metal bolts and fasteners;
  • Sign faces; and
  • Sign posts.

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, new VRS barriers, sign posts may contain an element of recycled metal material.

Wastes

Wastes are anticipated to be:

  • VRS and posts;
  • VRS P4 terminals;
  • Concrete;
  • Soil;
  • Sign faces; and
  • Sign posts.

Metal waste materials will primarily be recycled at a licenced facility, thereby reducing the amount sent to landfill and promoting circular economy practices.

Any excavated material will be used as backfill where possible.

Noise and vibration

The scheme extents cover a largely rural area, with baseline noise levels likely to be influenced primarily by traffic flow along the A96, and secondary sources from agricultural activities. For AADF details, please refer to the Air Quality section above.

There are over 60 noise-sensitive receptors (NSRs) located within 300m of the works locations within the scheme extents. The closest receptor, a residential property is located approximately 50m north of VRS works on the A96 carriageway (at NJ 46212 45833).

Other NSRs include community facilities such as:

  • Cairney primary School is located approximately 200m northwest of the scheme extents.
  • Seafield Park, Keith is located 20m from the scheme start.

Modelled day-evening-night (Lden) noise levels along the scheme extents is >70 to 80dB. Lden is a noise indicator for overall annoyance based upon annual average A-weighted long-term sound over 24 hours, with a 5 dB(A) penalty for evening noise (19:00-23:00) and a 10 dB(A) penalty for night-time noise (23:00-07:00). Modelled night noise levels (Lnight) for the period 23:00-07:00 is >60 to 70dB (Scotland’s Noise Map).

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

Population and human health

There are approximately 60 residential receptors located within 300m of the works locations within the scheme extents. The closest receptor, a residential property is located approximately 50m north of VRS works along the A96 carriageway.

Two community facilities are located within 300m of the scheme extents:

  • Cairney primary School is located approximately 200m northwest.
  • Seafield Park, Keith is located 20m from the scheme start.

Numerous businesses are located within 300m of the scheme start within the town of Keith. These include local shops and cafes.

The scheme extents cover a largely rural area, with grazing and arable agricultural land lining the majority of this section of the A96 carriageway. Sporadic agricultural properties are located within 300m along the scheme extents, with the closest, Netherton Farm, located approximately 60m from the scheme extents.

A short footway is located adjacent to the scheme start where VRS replacement works are to occur. This is not a Moray Council Core Path. No other WCH provision is along the scheme length.

No land take (private property land, agricultural land, business land, or community land) is required as all works will be contained to the trunk road boundary.

Road drainage and the water environment

Surface water

The following watercourses classified under the Water Framework Directive (WFD) are located within 500m of the scheme extents (SEPA Water Classification Hub).:

  • River Deveron - Black Water to Huntly (ID: 23182) (good condition) located 312m south;
  • Cairnie Burn (ID: 23172) (moderate condition) culverts the carriageway at NGR NJ 48214 44686;
  • Burn of Drum (ID: 23177) (good condition) culverts the carriageway at NGR NJ 44484 47481.

Numerous field drains and unclassified watercourses are located within 500m and culvert the carriageway along the scheme extents.

Road drainage is managed through filter drainage, ditches, and top-entry gullies.

Groundwater

The scheme is located within the Keith groundwater body (ID:150656) with a good overall condition under the WFD (SEPA Water Classification Hub).

The scheme is not located within a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ).

Flood risk

Small, localised areas of A96 carriageway within the scheme extents are recorded as being at a low (0.1%) to high risk (10%) of pluvial and fluvial flooding. These areas are not significant in size and are largely located where field drains and watercourses culvert the scheme extents (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. 

Amey are working towards a contractual commitment to have carbon neutral depots on the 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.