Description of local environment

Air quality

The scheme is located along the M90 between Moncreiffe and the Bridge of Earn, Perth and Kinross. Dense deciduous woodland borders most of the southbound verge, with shrubs and grasses located adjacent to the southern extend of the scheme. A narrow strip of woodland borders the northbound verge, with open agricultural fields beyond. The wider surroundings consist of agricultural fields to the south and west, and a large area of woodland to the east. The city of Perth is located approximately 1.5km north of the scheme.

There are two properties within 200m of the scheme, both located approximately 190m southwest of the centre of the scheme on an unnamed road branching from the A912. There are no other sensitive air quality receptors within 200m of the site.

Baseline air quality environment is primarily influenced by traffic along the M90, with additional contributions from agricultural activities. The nearest manual count point (40813), located within the scheme extents, recorded an Annual Average Daily Flow (AADF) of 35,860 in 2024, with 3,307 of these being Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs).

Parth and Kinross have declared one Air Quality Management Area (AQMA), Perth AQMA, which is located 580m northwest of the scheme. This indicates that local pollutant levels such as Nitrogen Dioxide and Particulate Matter (NO₂, PM₁₀, PM₂.₅) within the scheme extents are currently within acceptable limits set by the Scottish air quality objectives.

There are no sites registered on the Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory (SPRI) or air quality monitoring stations located within 1km of the scheme.

Cultural heritage

A desk-based assessment was undertaken using Pastmap. A study area of 300m was used for designated cultural heritage assets of which there are five. Please seen below:

  • Moncreiffe Hill, Fort 800m NW of Moncreiffe House (ID: SM9438) is a Scheduled Monument (Prehistoric domestic and defensive fort) located 280m northeast of the scheme.
  • Horsemill Farmhouse (ID: LB4504) is a Listed Building (Category B) from the early 19th It is located 215m southwest of the scheme.
  • Moncreiffe Estate, Gamekeeper's Cottage and Kennels (ID: LB51440) is a Listed Building (Category C) from the early 19th century. It is located 150m southwest of the scheme.
  • Moncreiffe Estate, Dovecote (ID: LB4502) is a Listed Building (Category B) from 1729 located 210m east of the scheme.
  • Moncreiffe Estate, The Stables (ID: LB4536) is a Listed Building (Category B) from the 18th century. It is located 300m west of the scheme.

A study area of 200m was used for non-designated cultural heritage assets. Please see below:

  • Moncreiffe House is a National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE) (ID: 28012) and Historic Environment Record (HER) (ID: MPK3199). It is located within the scheme extents from NO 12994 19603 to NO 13284 19354.

Moncreiffe House, Kennels is a NRHE (ID: 113164) and HER (ID: MPK8246) located 155m southwest of the carriageway.

Landscape and visual effects

The scheme is located along the M90 between Moncreiffe and the Bridge of Earn, Perth and Kinross. Dense deciduous woodland borders most of the southbound verge, with shrubs and grasses located adjacent to the southern extend of the scheme. A thin strip of woodland borders the northbound verge, with open agricultural fields beyond. The wider surroundings consist of agricultural fields to the south and west, and a large area of woodland to the east. The city of Perth is located approximately 1.5km north of the scheme. Due to the dense vegetation and the semi-rural location of the scheme, no properties will have a view of the works. However, there is an overbridge with a pathway above the works at NO 13266 19344.

There are three Core Paths within 500m of the scheme:

  • EARN/104 runs parallel to the east of the scheme, located 15m away at its closest point.
  • EARN/139 runs parallel to the west of the scheme, located 160m away at its closest point.
  • EARN/144 is located 360m north of the scheme.

Additionally, National Cycle Network Route 775 runs parallel to the west of the scheme, located 160m away at its closest point. There are no Bridleways within 500m of the scheme location.

There are no Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) within 500m of the scheme. Furthermore, according to Scotland’s Environment Web Map, there are no National Scenic Areas (NSAs) or Gardens and Designed Landscapes located within 500m of the scheme extents. However, there are four Ancient Woodland located within 500m:

  • Wallacetown/Waltree Woods (ID: 18950) located adjacent to the scheme.
  • Wallacetown/Waltree Woods (ID: 18951) located adjacent to the scheme.
  • Unnamed woodland (ID: 18955) located 180m southwest of the scheme.
  • Sandyknowes Plantation (ID: 18957) located 255m southeast of the scheme.

Scotland’s Historic Land Use Assessment Map has highlighted that the land within the scheme has historically been used as ‘Motorway and Major Roads’. The land surrounding the scheme has been used as ‘Managed Woodland’, ‘Designed Landscape’, and ‘Cultivated Former Parkland’.

The Scottish Landscape Character Type (LCT) Assessment Map shows the landscape within the scheme extents is Broad Valley Lowlands – Tayside (LCT 384). This LCT is formed within broad straths with complex landforms, and contains large arable landscapes with small rivers and small towns / villages.

Biodiversity

NatureScot’s Sitelink resource does not highlight any European designated Sites designated for nature conservation in the form of Special Protection Areas (SPA) or Ramsar Sites located within 2km or sharing 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.

However, the River Tay Special Area of Conservation (SAC) (EU Site Code: UK0030312) is located 1.35km north of the scheme.

The NBN Atlas also has records of multiple Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS) and target species within proximity to the scheme, with rosebay willowherb (Chamerion angustifolium), creeping thistle (Cirsium arvense), Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera), and giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) found within 500m of the scheme.

Additionally, a search using Transport Scotland’s Asset Management Performance System (AMPS) online mapping tool has identified rosebay willowherb (Chamerion angustifolium) and common ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris) on the verges of the southbound carriageway.

The scheme and the surrounding habitat have been reviewed by a senior ecologist utilising desktop resource, and the requirement for a site visit was scoped out. This was due to the works being contained to the carriageway boundary, and not involving vegetation clearance. Consequently, the works are of a low-risk nature.

Geology and soils

NatureScot’s SiteLink notes there are no Geological Conservation Review Sites (GCRS), geological SSSIs or Local Geodiversity Sites (LGS) within 500m of scheme extents. The closest GCRS is Corsiehill Quarry, Perth (ID: 9479) which is located approximately 3.5km north of the scheme extents.

There are also no landfill sites within 200m of the scheme extents according to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s (SEPAs) Landfill sites and Capability Map.

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

Superficial deposits:

  • Till, Devensian-Diamicton. These sedimentary deposits are glacigenic in origin and were formed during the Quaternary period.

Bedrock geology:

  • Ochil Volcanic Formation-Pyroxene andesite. These igneous rocks are volcanic in origin and form through fluid flows of lava with feeder dykes and sills.
  • Craighall Conglomerate Formation-Conglomerate. These sedimentary rocks are fluvial in origin and form when rivers flow from upland valleys onto lowland plains.
  • Glenvale Sandstone Formation-Sandstone. These sedimentary rocks are fluvial in origin and range from coarse to fine-grained.

Scotland’s Soil Map indicates that the soil within the scheme consists of ‘Brown Earths’ and ‘Humus-iron podzols’. Furthermore, the national scale land capability for agriculture can be classed as ‘3.1’, capable of producing consistently high yields of a narrow range of crops and/ or moderate yields of a wider range, and ‘5.2’ capable of use as improved grassland. This indicates that the ground surrounding the scheme cannot be classed as prime agricultural land.

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

The following materials will be required for construction:

  • TS2010 warm-mix asphalt (WMA) surface course;
  • AC20 Bituminous Binder;
  • AC32 Bituminous Base;
  • Vehicle fuel;
  • Road marking materials;
  • Road studs;
  • Oil; and

Resurfacing will use Transport Scotland’s TS2010 warm-mix asphalt (WMA) specification with AC binder and base layers. 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 percentage of recycled material. For example, 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 The rest of the materials will come from primary sources.

This scheme is less than £350K therefore does not require a Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP).

The waste produced by the scheme will consist of road planings (inert bituminous materials), Road Markings, and Studs. On-site coring investigations and testing to determine the presence of coal-tar within the surfacing of the carriageway within the scheme extent are yet to be undertaken.

Noise and vibration

For baseline data on the scheme’s immediate surroundings and wider context, please refer to ‘Air Quality’.

Approximately five residential properties are located within 300m of the scheme, the closest located approximately 190m southwest of the centre of the scheme on an unnamed road branching from the A912. There are no other noise or vibration sensitive receptors present within 300m of the works.

Baseline noise and vibration conditions are predominantly influenced by traffic travelling along the M90, with additional contributions from nearby agricultural activities in the surrounding area. The nearest manual traffic count point (ID 40813), located within the scheme extents, recorded an AADF of 35,860 vehicles in 2024, of which 3,307 were HGVs.

The Transportation Noise Action Plan (TNAP) 2024 to 2028 and the Agglomerations Noise Action Plan for Scotland confirms that the scheme does not lie within a Candidate Noise Management Area (CNMA) or one of Scotland’s five agglomerations (Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Falkirk, and Glasgow).

According to Scotland Noise Map, existing noise levels within the scheme extents range from approximately 74dB to 80dB (Lday) during daytime hours and from 68dB to 74dB (Lnight) at night. At the nearest identified receptor, the properties on the unnamed road off the A912, baseline noise is recorded at around 59dB during the day and 52dB during the night, providing a representative indication of current acoustic conditions in the area.

Population and human health

A study area of 300m was used due to the like-for-like nature of the works, and their containment within the M90 carriageway boundary.

For baseline data on the scheme’s immediate surroundings and wider context, please refer to ‘Air Quality’.

Approximately five residential properties are located within 300m of the scheme, the closest located approximately 190m southwest of the centre of the scheme on an unnamed road branching from the A912. There are no other residential properties, community assets, or businesses of note within 300m of the site.

There are three Core Paths within 500m of the scheme:

  • EARN/104 runs parallel to the east of the scheme, located 15m away at its closest point.
  • EARN/139 runs parallel to the west of the scheme, located 160m away at its closest point.
  • EARN/144 is located 360m north of the scheme.

Additionally, National Cycle Network Route 775 runs parallel to the west of the scheme, located 160m away at its closest point. There are no Bridleways within 500m of the scheme location. There are no streetlights present within, or adjacent to the carriageway. There are no lay-bys within the scheme extents, however, a hard shoulder is present along the carriageway.

Due to the works being contained within the M90 carriageway boundary, there are no access points to residential properties or community facilities within the scheme extents.

Road drainage and the water environment

According to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s (SEPAs) Water Classification Hub, the closest watercourse is the River Earn (ID: 6800) which is located 350m southwest of the centre of the scheme. This river has ‘Good’ ecological health according to the Water Framework Directive (WFD). Furthermore, there are multiple unnamed watercourses within 500m of the scheme, however, none of which pass under the scheme extents. There is also an unnamed pond located 420m southeast of the scheme with no connectivity to the scheme.

According to SEPA Flood Maps, the River Earn has a ‘High’ likelihood (10% annually) of flooding. However, this does not extend into the scheme extents. Within the scheme extents, there is a ‘High’ likelihood (10% annually) of surface water flooding within a small section toward the north of the scheme.

Surface water along the M90, within the scheme extents, is managed via roadside gullies located on the hard shoulder. Groundwater within the scheme consists of Bridge of Earn Groundwater (ID: 150510) which has an overall ‘Good’ ecological health according to the WFD.

The works do not fall within a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ). This indicates that the concentration of nitrates in the water is not at risk of exceeding levels set by the European Commission’s Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC). Furthermore, the works do not fall within a surface Drinking Water Protected Area (DWPA). This highlights how according to the Water Environment (Drinking Water Protected Areas) (Scotland) Order 2005, the groundwater within the scheme is not indented to be consumed and is consequently not under tight controls regarding polluting activities.

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 50% lower than baseline.
  • 2031 - 2035: Average emissions to be 60% 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, representing for 37% nationwide, and Transport Scotland are committed to reducing their emissions by 50% by 2030. To support this, Transport Scotland’s Fourth Carbon Management Plan is committed to reaching Net Zero emissions across corporate activities by 2027. This will contribute to achieving 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 is working towards a contractual commitment to have carbon neutral depots on the North East Network Management Contract (NE NMC) network by 2028. Amey has set carbon goals for the NE NMC contract as a whole to be net-zero carbon by 2032.