Description of local environment

Air Quality

The scheme is located within an urban area of Renfrewshire surrounded by industrial buildings and retail parks. There are approximately 500 residential properties located within 200m of the scheme extents, the closest one being 35m north located on Cairn Avenue. There are further air quality receptors located within 200m these include:

  • Arkleston Primary School located approx. 190m northwest from the start of the scheme
  • Premier Inn Glasgow Braehead hotel approx. 85m north.
  • Harmony Row Youth Club located approx. 70m north.

Renfrewshire Council have declared three Air Quality Management Areas (AQMA) all out with the scheme extents, these include:

  • Paisley AQMA located approx. 3.5km south from the works declared pollutants such as Nitrogen dioxide NO2, and Particulate Matter PM10.
  • Johnston High Street located approx. 9km southwest from the works declared pollutants such as Nitrogen dioxide NO2.
  • Renfrew Town Centre located approx. 1.5km northwest from the works declared pollutants such as Nitrogen dioxide NO2

Baseline air quality is predominantly influenced by vehicle traffic along the M8. The closest manual count point 80221 within the scheme extents highlights the Annual Average Daily Flow (AADF) of traffic for all motor vehicles in 2023 was 97,242 with 4,614 of those being Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs).

According to the Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory (SPRI) there are two records located within 1km of the works. These are:

  • Princes’ Beverage distributor (Animal and Vegetable products from the food and beverage sector) located approx. 770m east from the works.
  • Shieldhall Waste Transfer Station (waste and waste-water management) located approx. 1km east from the works.

Cultural Heritage

A desk-based assessment was undertaken using Pastmap. A study area of 300m was used for designated cultural heritage assets however none were identified. An area of 200m was used for non-designated cultural heritage assets. See Table 1 below for full details.

Table 1: Non-Designated Cultural Heritage Assets within 200m

Name

Reference Number

Description

Distance from Scheme

Renfrew Golf Course

Ref: 44206

Ref: 8698

Canmore & Historical Environmental Record (HER)

112m north

Deanfield

Ref: 92679

Ref: 19090

Canmore & HER

130m north

Renfrew, Braehead Retail Park, Archaeological Survey; Trial Excavations

Ref: 723

HER

46m north

Glasgow, Hillington

Ref: 359919

Canmore

140m south

Landscape and Visual Effects

The lack of vegetation screening along certain sections of the scheme extents and the raised elevation of the M8, suggests that residential properties and surrounding businesses as well and any recreational paths will have a view of the works. 

According to Scotland’s Environmental Web, there are no ancient woodlands or Tree Preservation Orders (TPO)’s located within 500m of the works. The scheme is not located within a National Park (NP) or National Scenic Area (NSA).

The Landscape Character Type (LCTs) Map identifies the Landscape Character Assessment as ‘Urban’.

According to the Historic Landscape Assessment (HLA) Map the land surrounding the scheme extents has previously been classified as ‘rough grazing’ areas.

Pastmap has not identified any Garden & Designed Landscapes within 500m of the scheme extents.

Biodiversity

Sitelink does not highlight any European designated Sites designated for nature conservation i.e. Special Protection Areas (SPA), Special Areas of Conservation (SAC), or Ramsar Sites located within 2km or share connectivity with the scheme extents. Sitelink has not identified the presence of national designations (such as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) or Local Nature Reserves) within 1km of the scheme extents.

The National Biodiversity Network (NBN) Atlas has highlighted the following Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS) within 500m of the works, however, no INNS have been identified within the scheme extents:

  • Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica) located approx. 300m north.
  • Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) located approx. 300m north.

A search of Transport Scotland’s Asset Management Performance System (AMPS) online mapping tool highlights the following target species, Rosebay willowherb (Chamaenerion angustifolium), Common ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris), and Broad leaf dock (Rumex obtusifolius) scattered along the verge of the M8.

A competent ecologist has ruled out the need for a site visit. This conclusion is based on the highly urbanised nature of the surrounding environment and the limited scope of the proposed works, which are confined to existing the existing carriageway and do not involve any verge disturbance.

Geology and Soils

SiteLink notes there are no Geological Conservation Review Sites (GCRS), geological SSSIs or Local Geodiversity Sites (LGS) within 500m of scheme extents.

Due to the urban nature of the scheme extents, Scotland Soil Map has not identified any soil data within the scheme extents.

The British Geology Viewer notes the geology and soil within the scheme extents consists of the following:

Superficial deposits

  • Superficial Deposits - Sediment. Sedimentary superficial deposit formed between 2.588 million years ago and the present during the Quaternary period.
  • River Terrace Deposits - Gravel, sand, and silt. Sedimentary superficial deposit formed between 2.588 million years ago and the present during the Quaternary period.

Bedrock geology

  • Top Hosie Limestone - Limestone. Sedimentary bedrock formed between 330.9 and 328 million years ago during the Carboniferous period.
  • Limestone Coal Formation - Sedimentary rock cycles, clackmannan group type. Sedimentary bedrock formed between 329 and 328 million years ago during the Carboniferous period.
  • Lower Limestone Formation - Sedimentary rock cycles, clackmannan group type. Sedimentary bedrock formed between 330.9 and 328 million years ago during the Carboniferous period.

The excavations will be shallow and therefore not be deep enough to affect the superficial deposits or bedrock. Also, as the works will be restricted to the existing carriageway boundary and previously engineered layers, it has been determined that the project does not carry the potential to cause direct or indirect impact to geology or soils. As such, no significant impacts are anticipated, and geology and soils has been scoped out of requiring further assessment.

Material Assets and Waste

Table 2: Key materials required for activities

Activity

Material Required

Origin/ Content

Site Construction

Bituminous surfacing materials (TS2010 binder/base);

Vehicle fuel;

Road marking materials and studs;

Oil; and

Lubricant.

A proportion of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) is used in asphalt production. Typical RAP values for base and binder are 10% -15% with up to 10% in surface course.

TS2010 surface course allows a wider array of aggregate sources to be considered when compared to typical Stone Mastic Asphalt (SMA). As a result, the use of TS2010 will reduce the usage of imported aggregates and increase the use of a wider range of sustainable aggregate sources.

All of the materials listed will contain a % of recycled material. The rest will come from primary sources.

 

Table 3: Key wastes arising from activities

Activity

Waste Arising

Disposal/ Regulation

Site Construction

Asphalt Planings

Environmental Authorisations (Scotland) Regulations (EASR) classes waste asphalt (uncontaminated) as a Low-Risk Waste Activity (LRWA) under ‘LRWA 3 - Treating asphalt road planings in a milling machine’. This means that uncontaminated road planings arising from the works do not require authorisation and can be fully recycled in accordance with SEPA’s ‘Activities exempt from waste management licensing – Paragraph 13(a).

Following on-site coring investigations and testing, no coal-tar was identified within the surfacing of the carriageway within the scheme extent.

 

Noise and Vibration

The scheme is located an urban area within Renfrewshire surrounded by industrial buildings and retail parks. There are approximately 700 residential properties located within 300m of the scheme extents, the closest one being 35m north located on Cairn Avenue. There are further noise sensitive receptors located within 300m these include:

  • Arkleston Primary School located approx. 190m northwest
  • Premier Inn Glasgow Braehead hotel approx. 85m north.
  • Harmony Row Youth Club located approx. 70m north.

Baseline noise levels are influenced by vehicle traffic along the M8. The closest manual count point 80221 within the scheme extents highlights the Annual Average Daily Flow (AADF) of traffic for all motor vehicles in 2023 was 97,242 motor vehicles with 4,614 of those being Heavy Good Vehicles (HGVs). The volume and composition of this traffic, particularly the presence of HGVs are key contributors to ambient noise levels within the scheme extents.

According to the Transportation Noise Action Plan (TNAP) 2024-2028 and the Glasgow agglomeration: noise action plan, the scheme extents are not located within a Candidate Noise Management Area (CNMA).

According to Scotland Noise Map during daytime hours the modelled noise within the scheme extents ranges from 81dB to 75dB LDAY and during night-time hours the noise within the scheme extents ranges from 72dB to 65dB LNGT.

Population and Human Health

Core path Scotland has highlighted five core paths within 300m of the works, these include:

  • REN/32 located 90m north
  • REN/10 located 276m northwest
  • REN/8 located 110m north
  • REN/23 located 55m north
  • REN/3 located 70m west

There are also no National Cycle routes, or Bridleways located within the scheme extents.

While the M8 is well-served by public transport infrastructure, there are no bus stops located within the scheme extents. Street lighting is present throughout the scheme extents, supporting visibility and safety during evening hours. There are no designated laybys along this section of the road.

Road Drainage and the Water Environment

According to Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)’s water classification hub, the closest watercourse is Clyde Estuary - Inner (inc Cart) (ID: 200510) which is located approx. 230m north from the end of the works. This has a moderate overall ecological rating.

SEPA’s Flood Maps does not highlight any surface or river water flooding within the scheme extents.

The groundwater within the scheme extents is identified as Govan Sand and Gravel (ID: 150779) which also has a ‘good’ overall ecological potential.

Surface water runoff along the M8 is managed via roadside gullies positioned on either side of the carriageway. Additionally, the scheme area is not located within a designated Nitrate Vulnerable Zone , indicating a lower risk of nitrate-related water pollution.

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.

Monitoring, Management and Opportunities

To support our journey towards carbon neutral and zero waste we include potential opportunities for enhancement utilising circular economy principals within assessment of material assets.

Amey (working on behalf of Transport Scotland) undertake carbon monitoring. Emissions from our activities are recorded using Transport Scotland’s Carbon Management System.

Further information identifying how Amey will obtain the above Carbon Goals can be viewed within the Carbon Management and Sustainability Plan Roadmap to net-zero: STRNMC – South West.