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CLACKMANNANSHIRE COUNCIL STIRLING - ALLOA - KINCARDINE RAILWAY (ROUTE RE- OPENING) AND LINKED IMPROVEMENTS (SCOTLAND) BILL ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT VOLUME 2 TOPIC SPECIFIC REPORTS FEBRUARY 2003 Scott Wilson (Scotland) Ltd Contact: Nigel Hackett 23 Chester Street Edinburgh EH3 7ET Approved for Issue: Tel: 0131 225 1230 Name: N Hackett Fax: 0131 225 5582 Date: 14/02/03 CONTENTS Page 1. INTRODUCTION 1 2. POLICY CONTEXT 2 3. LAND USE 15 4. COMMUNITY EFFECTS 31 5. CULTURAL HERITAGE 75 6. AGRICULTURE 86 7. AIR QUALITY 95 8. LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL EFFECTS 121 9. ECOLOGY 132 10. GEOLOGY 174 11. NOISE AND VIBRATION 189 12. WATER RESOURCES 212 13. TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORT 234 List of Figures Figure 3.1 Dominant Land Use Figure 3.2 Permanent Land Take for New Station at Alloa Figure 3.3 Permanent Land Take for Alloa Eastern Link Road Figure 4.1 Closed Level Crossings – Alternative Pedestrian Routes Figure 5.2 Location of Scheduled Area (Site N. 102) in relation to the Proposed Alloa Eastern Link Road Figure 6.1 Alternative Field Access Route from Broom Farm, Stirling Figure 7.1 Air Quality Receptor Locations Figure 8.1 Local Landscape Character Areas and ZVI Figure 8.2 Landscape Character Assessment Figure 8.3 Photographs Showing Typical Views of Local Landscape Character Areas (Sheets 1-3) Figure 8.4 Photomontages (Sheets 1-10) Figure 8.5 Landscape Mitigation (Sheets 1-3) Figure 9.1 Nature Conservation Designation Figure 9.2 Phase 1 Target Note Locations & Limits of protected Species Survey Figure 9.3 Phase 1 Map - AELR Figure 10.1 Geology Characteristics Figure 11.1 to 11.24 Calculated Noise Contours Figure 12.1 Water Resources Features Figure 13.1 Principal Road Network 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background This document relates to the Stirling–Alloa–Kincardine Railway (Route Re-opening) and Linked Improvements (Scotland) Bill introduced in the Scottish Parliament on 27 March 2003 (to be confirmed). It has been prepared by Scott Wilson Scotland Limited on behalf of Clackmannanshire Council to satisfy Rule 9A.2.3(c)(iii) of the Parliament’s Standing Orders. The contents are entirely the responsibility of the promoter and have not been endorsed by the Parliament. 1.2 Purpose and Structure of Volume 2 This document is Volume 2 (Topic Specific Reports) of the Environmental Statement, which presents the findings of the environmental studies undertaken for each topic. Volume 1 (Main Report) presents the Scheme proposals and provides a summary of the significant environmental effects. Volume 3 (Supporting Information) contains supporting information for a number of the specialist topics in Volume 2, references and a glossary of terms and abbreviations used. In addition, a separate Non-Technical Summary has also been prepared, which provides a brief summary of the Scheme and the principal findings of the environmental assessment in non-technical language. This document describes the environmental studies for following specialist topics: . Policy Context . Land Use . Community Effects . Cultural Heritage . Agriculture . Air Quality . Landscape and Visual Effects . Ecology . Geology . Noise and Vibration . Water Resources . Traffic and Transport Stirling - Alloa - Kincardine Railway (Route Re-opening) and Linked Improvements (Scotland) Bill 1 Environmental Statement Volume 2 – Topic Specific Reports February 2003 2. POLICY CONTEXT 2.1 Introduction The purpose of this chapter is to demonstrate how the Scheme shows consistency with current policy. Sources of information used include National, Regional and Local policy documents. The policy analysis will be directed specifically towards the three Scheme objectives of improving public transport accessibility links to Alloa, relieving pressure on the Forth Bridge, and improving freight transportation to Longannet Power Station. Therefore, certain policy areas linked with these objectives will be covered in more detail than less pertinent policies. No technical difficulties were experienced during the policy context assessment. Statutory consultations with Local Authorities were undertaken, and responses were received from Stirling, Clackmannanshire and Fife Councils. 2.2 Methodology A desk top study has been undertaken to identify and review existing and emerging land use policy issues at a national (NPPG’s/PAN’s), regional (structure plans) and local level policy to identify existing and emerging issues, policy initiatives and Local Plan proposals relevant to the consideration of the Scheme, and its development implications for inclusion in the Environmental Impact Assessment. The scoping stage included consultation with the Local Authority planning departments, to consider the effect of the Scheme upon land use and transport policy (which is included in Volume 2 Chapter 13) and development patterns along the route and determine the major policy and land use concerns. In assessing the effects of the Scheme in relation to policy objectives, it is important to set criteria, which allows the significance of the effect to be determined. DMRB (Vol. 11) provides guidance on the assessment of a (road) scheme in relation to National, Regional and Local policies, yet does not describe the criteria for assessment or the weighting that should be placed on particular policy objectives Whilst noting the guidance contained within DMRB (Vol. 11), for the purposes of this environmental statement the assessment of the Scheme against policy objectives will identify the level of policy affected, the magnitude of any impact, and the effects that the Scheme has on promoting or inhibiting policy and proposal implementation. Table 2.1 indicates the levels of policy identified and assessed in relation to the Scheme, with Table 2.2 outlining the criteria to which the magnitude of effects on policy was assessed. Table 2.1: Level of Policy Levels of Identified Policies National Regional Local Stirling - Alloa - Kincardine Railway (Route Re-opening) and Linked Improvements (Scotland) Bill 2 Environmental Statement Volume 2 – Topic Specific Reports February 2003 Table 2.2: Magnitude of Impact Criteria Magnitude of Impact Level Conformity Significant Directly implements/contravenes policy objective Moderate Promotes/inhibits policy implementation Slight Is a component of promoting/ inhibiting policy implementation Negligible Has no beneficial/adverse role in promoting policy objectives 2.3 Consultation As part of the statutory consultation exercise the four local authorities of Stirling, Clackmannan, Fife and Falkirk were approached for their views of the Scheme. No significant issues were raised with regard to each authorities policy objectives, with Clackmannanshire Council highlighting its overriding support for the Scheme. Both Fife and Stirling Councils provided existing land-use data and further contact information as their response. There was no response from Falkirk Council with regard to consultation. The Scottish Executive Development Department was also approached as a consultation body, with the only issues raised being the proposed Upper Forth Crossing and Link Road in Kincardine (see Volume 1, Figure 1.2). The responses received from consultation bodies can be seen in Volume 3, Ch 1, Appendix 1B. 2.4 Baseline The baseline describes those National, Regional and Local policies and proposals that directly support the principle of the Scheme or present potential issues through future proposals or objectives that might be jeopardised by the reopening. Baseline investigations have been made relating to land use and national transport policy issues, with local transport policy being covered in Volume 2, Chapter 13. Land ownership is reported separately to the ES. 2.4.1 National Transport Policy In July 2000, the Government launched its ten-year transport plan ‘Transport 2010’. This document explained the objectives for the future of transport and provided details on how this would be implemented. Key objectives of this document related to the promotion of sustainable and integrated forms of transport, linking people to the places they wanted to go through effective land-use planning, and creating an efficient, cost-effective yet safe transport network for all to benefit from. This document outlined the ways and approaches that could be taken to achieve these objectives. The overriding factor in achieving full implementation of transport policy objectives, is the way that local and regional government co-ordinate with each other on transport issues, as well as how they integrate the transport agenda within their own policy framework. With this in mind it is prudent to take account of the policy framework, both Local and Regional, in relation to the location context of the Scheme. Stirling - Alloa - Kincardine Railway (Route Re-opening) and Linked Improvements (Scotland) Bill 3 Environmental Statement Volume 2 – Topic Specific Reports February 2003 With particular reference to Scotland, the 1998 White Paper ‘Travel Choices for Scotland,’ outlined the integrated approach that Government would adopt in an attempt to promote strategic transport initiatives in Scotland once Devolution occurred. Freight transportation is promoted in section 4.16 of the White Paper. 2.4.2 National Social Policy The promotion and implementation of policies that support social inclusion are paramount to the current political climate. In Scotland, ‘social justice’ has been promoted with the publication of ‘Social Justice: A Scotland where everyone matters.’ (1999). This outlines the Scottish Executives objectives in relation to promoting social inclusion,