DUALLI NG PERTH TO INVERNESS Volume 1 DUALLI NG PERTH TO INVERNESS Environmental Statement Volume 1 November 2013 A9 Dualling Kincraig to Dalraddy Environmental Statement Page 4 Table of Contents Glossary 11 Abbreviations 20 1. Introduction 27 1.1. Scheme Background and Context 27 1.2. Previous A9 Dualling studies 28 1.3 Current A9 Dualling Development Work 29 1.4. The A9 Dualling: Kincraig to Dalraddy Scheme 30 1.5. Environmental Impact Assessment 31 1.6. Purpose of the Environmental Statement 32 1.7. Scope and Content of the Environmental Statement 33 1.8. Draft Orders 33 1.9. The Assessment Team 34 1.10. Report Structure 34 1.11. Review and Comments 35 2. The Project 39 2.1. Introduction 39 2.2. The Existing Site Area 39 2.3. Consideration of Alternatives 41 2.4. Selection of Preferred Option 43 2.5. A9 Dualling Kincraig to Dalraddy Development Work 44 2.6. Strategic Environmental Assessment 44 2.7. Scheme Objectives 45 2.8. Outline of the proposed Scheme 46 2.9. Proposed Scheme Details 47 2.10. Scheme Procurement 48 2.11. Construction Information 49 2.12. Environmental Context 54 2.13. Adjacent Schemes 56 2.14. Overview of the Consultation Process 56 3. EIA Approach and Methods 61 3.1. Introduction 61 3.2. Assessment Methods 63 3.3. Baseline Conditions 64 3.4. Predicted Impacts 64 3.5. Mitigation Measures 66 3.6. Limitations of the EIA 67 4. Air Quality 71 4.1. Introduction 71 4.2. A9 Dualling Strategic Environmental Assessment 76 4.3. Key Issues 76 Page 5 A9 Dualling Kincraig to Dalraddy Environmental Statement 4.4. Methodology 76 4.5. Baseline Conditions 82 4.6. Consultation 85 4.7. Impacts (Opening Year 1) without Mitigation 85 4.8. Mitigation 90 4.9. Impacts (Design Year 15) 91 4.10. Conclusions 91 5. Cultural Heritage 95 5.1. Introduction 95 5.2. A9 Dualling Strategic Environmental Assessment 95 5.3. Key Issues 95 5.4. Methodology 96 5.5. Baseline Conditions 101 5.6 Historic Landscape 110 5.7. Consultation 112 5.8. Impacts 112 5.9. Mitigation Measures 122 5.10. Cumulative Impacts (Design Year 15) 123 5.11. Summary and Conclusions 123 6. Disruption Due to Construction 127 6.1. Introduction 127 6.2. A9 Dualling Strategic Environmental Assessment 127 6.3. Methodology 127 6.4. Baseline Conditions 128 6.5. Consultation 129 6.6. Impacts 129 6.7. Mitigation Measures 139 6.8 Significant Residual Effects 140 7. Ecology and Nature Conservation 145 7.1. Introduction 145 7.2. Key Issues 145 7.3. A9 Dualling Strategic Environmental Assessment and Habitats Regulations Appraisal Screening 145 7.4. Methodology 146 7.5. Baseline Conditions 157 7.6. Consultation 170 7.7. Impacts (Opening Year 1) without Mitigation 173 7.8. Mitigation 180 7.9. Impacts (Design Year 15) 194 7.10. Conclusions 196 Page 6 8. Landscape and Visual Effects 201 8.1. Introduction 201 8.2. A9 Dualling Strategic Environmental Assessment 201 8.3. Key Issues 202 8.4. Methodology 202 8.5. Baseline Conditions 205 8.6. Consultation 218 8.7. Impacts (Opening Year) Without Mitigation 218 8.8. Mitigation Measures 223 8.9. Impacts (Design Year 15) 229 8.10. Conclusions 231 9. Land Use 237 9.1. Introduction 237 9.2. Relationship to Current A9 Work 238 9.3. Methodology 239 9.4. Baseline Conditions 240 9.5. Consultation 242 9.6. Impacts (Opening Year) Without Mitigation 242 9.7. Mitigation Measures 243 9.8. Impacts (Design Year 15) 244 9.9. Conclusions 244 10. Traffic noise and Vibration 249 10.1. Introduction 249 10.2. A9 Dualling Strategic Environmental Assessment 250 10.3. Key Issues 250 10.4. Methodology 252 10.5. Baseline Conditions 257 10.6. Consultation 258 10.7. Impacts (Opening Year 1) Without Mitigation 259 10.8. Impacts (Design Year 15) 262 10.9. Mitigation Measures 265 10.10. Noise Nuisance Calculations 266 10.11. Conclusions 267 11. Pedestrians, Cyclists, Equestrians and Community Effects 271 11.1. Introduction 271 11.2. A9 Dualling Strategic Environmental Assessment 272 11.3. Key Issues 273 11.4. Methodology 274 11.5. Baseline Conditions 274 11.6. Consultation 275 11.7. The Proposed Scheme 276 Page 7 A9 Dualling Kincraig to Dalraddy Environmental Statement 11.8. Impacts (Opening Year) Without Mitigation 276 11.9. Mitigation Measures 277 11.10. Impacts (Design Year 15) 277 11.11. Conclusions 277 12. Vehicle Travellers 281 12.1. Introduction 281 12.2. Relationship to Current A9 Work 282 12.3. Key Issues 282 12.4. Methodology 283 12.5. Baseline Conditions 284 12.6. Consultation 286 12.7. Impacts (Opening Year) Without Mitigation 287 12.8. Mitigation Measures 288 12.9. Impacts (Design Year 15) with mitigation 288 12.10. Conclusions 289 13. Road Drainage and the Water Environment 293 13.1. Introduction 293 13.2. A9 Dualling Strategic Environmental Assessment 295 13.3. Strategic Flood Risk Assessment 295 13.4. Key Issues 296 13.5. Methodology 297 13.6. Baseline Conditions 304 13.7. Impacts (Opening Year 1) Without Mitigation 315 13.8. Mitigation Measures 319 13.9. Impacts (Design Year 15) 322 13.10. Conclusions 323 14. Geology and Soils 327 14.1. Introduction 327 14.2. A9 Dualling Strategic Environmental Assessment 328 14.3. Key Issues 329 14.4. Methodology 329 14.5. Baseline Conditions 332 14.6. Consultations 337 14.7. Impacts (Opening Year) Without Mitigation 338 14.8. Mitigation Measures 339 14.9. Impacts (Design Year 15) 339 14.10. Conclusions 340 15. Materials and Waste 345 15.1. Introduction 345 15.2. A9 Dualling Strategic Environmental Assessment 345 15.3. Key Issues 346 Page 8 15.4. Scoping Assessment 346 15.5. Simple Assessment 348 15.6. Conclusions 352 16. Policies and Plans 361 16.1. Introduction 361 16.2. Methodology 361 16.3. Summary of Plans and Policies 362 16.4. Emerging Guidance 379 16.5 Potential Effects and Scheme Compliance with Policy 379 16.6. Conclusions 393 17. Environmental Impact Survey 397 17.1. Introduction 397 17.2. Environmental Impact Table 397 18. Environmental Commitments 417 18.1. Introduction 417 18.2. Schedule of Environmental Commitments 417 References 437 Tables Table 2.1 Environmental Considerations 54 Table 3.1 Stages of EIA according to DMRB, Volume 11 62 Table 3.2 Mitigation Hierarchy 66 Table 4.1 Air Quality Objectives and Limit Values 73 Table 4.2 Human Health Receptors Used in the Local Air Quality Assessment 77 Table 4.3 Definition of Impact Magnitude for Changes in Annual Mean Pollutant Concentrations 80 Table 4.4 Air quality impact descriptors (extract from EPUK guidance) 80 Table 4.5 Annual mean monitoring results from Telford Street, Inverness (µg/m3) 83 Table 4.6 Emissions of Air Pollutants in 2010 (tonnes) from Different Sectors 83 Table 4.7 Annual mean background pollutant concentrations (µg/m3) used in the assessment 84 Table 4.8 APIS data used in the assessment of air quality effects on the River Spey and Insh Marshes designated site 84 Table 4.9 Annual Mean NO2 concentrations (μg/m3) 85 Table 4.10 Annual Mean PM10 concentrations (μg/m3) 86 Table 4.11 Annual Mean NOx concentrations (μg/m3) along the transect into the River Spey and Insh Marshes designation 86 Table 4.12 N Deposition within woodland habitat (kg N/ha/yr) 87 Table 4.13 N Deposition within wet fen habitat (kg N/ha/yr) 87 Table 4.14 Comparison of conditions at identified sensitive ecosystems within 200 m of the proposed Scheme 88 Table 4.15 Summary results of the regional assessment 90 Table 5.1 Criteria for Establishing Value of Heritage Assets 98 Page 9 A9 Dualling Kincraig to Dalraddy Environmental Statement Table 5.2 Assessing the Magnitude of Impact 99 Table 5.3 Determining the Significance of Effect 100 Table 5.4 Known Cultural Heritage Sites within the Study Area 101 Table 5.5 Impact Assessment of Cultural Heritage Assets 114 Table 5.6 SEA Mitigation Principles 112 Table 6.1 Example Threshold of Significance Effec 131 Table 6.2 Noise Limits 131 Table 6.3 Construction Noise Impacts – Earthworks Phase 132 Table 6.4 Significance of Noise Effects Due to Construction 133 Table 6.5 Guidance on effects of vibration levels perceptible to humans 134 Table 6.6 Transient vibration guide values for cosmetic damage 135 Table 6.7 Estimated Excavation and Fill Volumes 138 Table 7.1 Nature Conservation Value and Criteria 152 Table 7.2 Evaluation of Impact 154 Table 7.3 Qualification of Mitigation 155 Table 7.4 Wild cat Records for the A9 Kincraig - Dalraddy Alignment 167 Table 7.5 Breeding Birds of the Dunachton Fen, 2010 177 Table 7.6 Potential Impacts on Sensitive Receptors outside the Scheduled Sites 184 Table 7.7 Mitigation for Severance of Animal Pathways 188 Table 7.8 Mitigation for the identified Receptors along the A9 and Accommodation Areas 194 Table 7.9 Mitigation for the identified Receptors along the A9 and Accommodation Areas 194 Table 8.1 Criteria used to assess landscape quality (*) 203 Table 8.2 Relationship between Sensitivity of Receptor and Magnitude of Change 205 Table 8.3 Significance of Landscape Character And Visual Amenity Effects (*) 206 Table 8.4 Opening Year 1: Landscape Character Impacts – Summary Table 220 Table 8.5 Residual Landscape Character Impacts (Design Year 15) – Summary Table 230 Table 9.1 Scale of Impacts 239 Table 9.2 Main Impacts and Mitigation Measures for the Preferred Option 244 Table 10.1 Classification of Magnitude of Noise Impacts in the Short Term 250 Table 10.2 Classification of Magnitude of Noise Impacts in the Long Term 251 Table 10.3 WHO recommended night noise guidelines values 251 Table 10.4 Noise Assessment Traffic Data – A9 255 Table 10.5 Noise Assessment Traffic Data - Other Roads 256 Table 10.6 Summary of Measured Baseline Noise Levels 258 Table 10.7 Opening Year Predicted Noise Impacts 260 Table