A96 Dualling Programme Strategic Environmental Assessment Tier 2 Environmental Report An agency of Buidheann le Appendix C - Preliminary Assessment of 16 Improvement Strategy Options May 2015 An agency of Buidheann le A96 Dualling – Strategic Environmental Assessment – Tier 2 Environmental Report Appendix C - Preliminary Assessment of 16 Improvement Strategy Options Appendix C - Preliminary Assessment of 16 Improvement Strategy Options Table C- 1 Option A Overview of Environmental Commentary on Population/ Option Information SEA Topic SEA Comment Constraints Communities Option A Landscape - No national designations identified The main settlements located within While many of the constraints identified could - 9 Landscape Character Areas crossed this option include: potentially be avoided within a 1km wide zone, SEA considers that the key issues and benefits For the purpose of - 43 Scheduled Monuments Alves, Ardgye, Auldearn, Bainshole, Historic associated with this particular option include: assessment, SEA assumes Environment Blackcastle, Blinkbonny, Brackley, - 2 Battlefields Cairnie, Coachford, Colpy, Elgin, that this online option covering 1.4% of the option area (196.50Ha) constitutes a 500m Fochabers, Forgie, Forres, Key benefits: - 7 Conservation Areas buffer zone around the Gollanfield, Hillhead, Huntly, • covering 0.8% of the option area (114.70Ha) On-line dualling reduces the requirement for existing A96 between Inveramsay, Inverurie, Keith, additional land-take Aberdeen and Inverness - 791 Listed Buildings (41 Cat. A) Lhanbryde, Lochside, Milton of Gollanfield, Mosstodloch, Nairn, - 6 GDL sites covering 2.2% of the option area (300.88Ha) Newton, Old Rayne, Pitcaple, Key issues: Approx. Length: 139Km Pitmachie, Port Elphinstone, Skares, • No environmental relief provided for communities Biodiversity, - 2 Ramsar sites Springfield, Tornagrain, and on/ near the existing A96, exacerbating existing Flora & Fauna covering 0.6% of the option area (82.07Ha) Approx. Area: 13,877Ha Whiteford issues such as road safety, noise and air quality - 3 SAC • Large areas of land at risk of flooding span the covering 0.2% of the option area (25.21Ha) As this option represents full dualling breadth of this option - 3 SPA of the existing A96, the communities • Conservation Areas and numerous Listed covering 0.6% of the option area (82.11Ha) likely to be affected by the dualling Buildings are clustered around a number of - 4 Biological SSSIs would be those currently located on settlements throughout this option covering 1.0% of the option area (132.84Ha) or near the A96 • Auldearn Battlefield spans the majority of the - 2 Mixed SSSIs breadth of this option covering 0.2% of the option area (28.66Ha) Impacts on these communities may • Land take around the current A96 has the - Ancient Woodland include demolition of properties, and potential for significant environmental effects on covers 12.3% of the option area increased air and noise pollution the cultural and natural environment and (0.2% (30.59Ha) semi-natural, particularly on the people and communities 12.0% (1,660.86Ha) plantation, currently affected 0.1% (13.42Ha) Roy) Water - SEPA 1 in 200 fluvial flood zone covers 11.6 % of the option area (1,605.27Ha) - SEPA 1 in 200 year coastal flood zone covers 0.8% of the option area (106.79Ha) Soils & - 1 Geological SSSI Geology covering <0.1% of the option area (2.48Ha) - 2 Mixed SSSIs covering 0.2% of the option area (28.66Ha) - Peat and peaty soils cover 2.8% of the option area (383.02Ha) - 3 GCR sites covering 0.3% of the option area (36.77Ha) - Arable agricultural land covers 20.3% of the option area (2,812.31Ha) - Mixed agricultural land covers 63.6% of the option area (8,825.76Ha) • Key risks include the lack of environmental relief and increased disruption to communities along the existing A96 • Includes increased risk to properties either side of existing A96 through settlements SEA Option Review • Benefits include a reduced requirement for additional land take when compared with off-line options Summary • On balance, SEA review considers that option A should not be taken forward for further consideration due to the potential for adverse effects on population and human health, exacerbating existing conditions C-1 A96 Dualling – Strategic Environmental Assessment – Tier 2 Environmental Report Appendix C - Preliminary Assessment of 16 Improvement Strategy Options Table C- 2 Option B North Overview of Environmental Commentary on Population/ Option Information SEA Topic SEA Comment Constraints Communities Option B North Landscape - No national designations identified The main settlements within this While many of the constraints identified could - 8 Landscape Character Areas crossed option include: potentially be avoided within a 1km wide zone, SEA considers that the key issues and benefits - 43 Scheduled Monuments Alves, Auldearn, Ardgye, Bainshole, For the purpose of Historic associated with this particular option include: Environment Balhalgardy, Blackburn, Blackcastle, assessment, SEA assumes - 2 Battlefields Blinkbonny, Brackley, Cairnie, Chapel that this online option covering 2.1% of the option area (473.24Ha) of Garioch, Chapel of Stoneywood, Key benefits: constitutes a 500m - 2 Conservation Areas Coachford, Colpy, Fochabers, Forgie, • buffer zone around the covering 0.1% of the option area (16.51Ha) Bypasses around major settlements will improve Gollanfield, Hillhead, Househill, road safety and air quality existing A96 between - 217 Listed Buildings (16 Cat. A) Huntly, Kinellar, Kintore, Lhanbryde, Aberdeen and Inverness • Also reduces the potential impact on Listed - 6 GDL sites Lochside, Milton of Gollanfield, with bypasses to the Buildings within settlements covering 2.6% of the option area (501.29Ha) Moss-side, Mosstodloch, Muir of north of Forres, Elgin and Nairn, Newton, Old Rayne, Pitmachie, • On-line dualling of the existing A96, on sections Biodiversity, - 2 Ramsar sites Inverurie Skares, Springfield, Tornagrain between bypasses, will reduce the additional Flora & Fauna covering 0.5% of the option area (91.82Ha) land-take required The major settlements of - 2 SAC covering 0.1% of the option area (21.51Ha) All of these communities could Keith and Nairn, also potentially be affected by dualling Key issues: situated within this - 3 SPA within option B North, however it • Contains more land at risk of fluvial and coastal option, are bypassed to covering 0.5% of the option area (91.85Ha) should be noted that settlements flooding when compared with option B South the south - 3 Biological SSSIs including Inverurie, Keith, Elgin, (spanning the breadth of this option at multiple covering 0.6% of the option area (121.24Ha) Forres and Nairn would be bypassed points) - 2 Mixed SSSIs Approx. Length: 155Km by this option, providing • Contains more productive agricultural land when covering 1.2% of the option area (235.67Ha) environmental relief and reducing compared with option B South (spanning the - Ancient Woodland the risk of potentially adverse Approx. Area: 19,564Ha breadth of this option at multiple points) covers 10.7% of the option area impacts on these communities when • Areas designated as Ancient Woodland could be (0.2% (31.84Ha) semi-natural, compared with the online dualling adversely affected 10.4% (2,042.18Ha) plantation, option A 0.1% (23.17Ha) Roy) • Keith Hall GDL spans the breadth of this option near Inverurie Water -SEPA 1 in 200 fluvial flood zone • Auldearn and Harlaw Battlefields span the covers 11.2% of the option area (2,184.85Ha) majority/ all of the breadth of this option - SEPA 1 in 200 year coastal flood zone • The River Spey SAC/ SSSI crosses the breadth of covers 1.5% of the option area (301.24Ha) the option Soils & - 2 Geological SSSIs (however it should be noted that this is also the Geology covering <0.1% of the option area (8.61Ha) case for options A and B South) - 2 Mixed SSSIs covering 1.2% of the option area (235.67Ha) - Peat and peaty soils cover 2.2% of the option area (432.19Ha) - 4 GCR sites covering 1.3% of the option area (252.76Ha) - Arable agricultural land covers 25.7% of the option area (5,025.12Ha) - Mixed agricultural land covers 66.5% of the option area (13,012.70Ha) • Key risks include more land at risk of flooding (fluvial and coastal) when compared with option B South, and the presence of more historic environment designations spanning a large proportion of the breadth of this option • Key benefits include bypasses around major settlements, providing environmental relief for communities SEA Option Review • B North and B South only vary in terms of the bypass options around Forres, Elgin and Inverurie and, on balance, SEA review considers that option B North is Summary more significantly constrained than option B South • However, bypass options to the North of these settlements should be taken forward for further consideration, in order to provide flexibility at this early stage should the PES engineering studies determine that options to the South of these settlements are particularly constrained in engineering terms C-2 A96 Dualling – Strategic Environmental Assessment – Tier 2 Environmental Report Appendix C - Preliminary Assessment of 16 Improvement Strategy Options Table C- 3 Option B South Overview of Environmental Commentary on Population/ Option Information SEA Topic SEA Comment Constraints Communities Option B South Landscape - No national designations identified The main settlements within option B While many of the constraints identified could - 8 Landscape Character