Route Element Environmental considerations Land use and economic development Transportation Considerations (e.g. junction (e.g.natural and built heritage, considerations (e.g. impacts upon the local location, travel safety, active travel archaeology, flooding, noise, economy, opportunities for economic opportunities). contaminated land, major growth, proximity to market hazards) Purple P1 Significant flood risk over the Potential impacts upon Culbin Forest- Majority of housing in Forres is to the south majority of this area. impacts on tourist attraction. Culbin is of the High Street and existing A96. Traffic identified in the Moray Forest and will need to travel through built up area to Archaeology- potential moderate Woodland Strategy as having potential to access the A96 dualling. impact - Small areas of prehistoric expand as a tourist destination. settlement, other cropmark Traffic from Southwest Forres housing would features , setting of Brodie Castle Western access would be remote from need to travel via Grantown Road and Garden and Designed Landscape. Forres but close to Brodie Castle (tourist existing A96 to access junctions. Brodie Castle is A listed. destination). Western junction is remote from built up Private water supply affected. Eastern junction would provide access to area, westbound traffic may use U82E and Kinloss Barracks and Findhorn (tourist U83E to access new A96 (both single track Potential impact on listed buildings destination) and good access to employment roads with passing places). including Grange House A listed, land including the Enterprise Park, Forres. Grange Lodge B listed, Moy House Potential impact on Sustrans Route NCN1. A listed, Invererne House A listed. Tourist traffic from south, A940, would still pass through Forres. Potential impact of access linking Forres and Potential impacts upon Moray Firth beyond to Culbin Forest recreational routes? Special Area of Conservation, Moray and Nairn Coast Special Kinloss-Forres cycleway must be taken into Protection Area, Findhorn Bay considered. Local Nature Reserve and the Coastal Protection Zone designated Eastern junction would result in traffic using in the Moray Local Development B9011 which to the north has constrained Plan 2015. crossing over railway. Upgrading of the B9011 may be required. Potential significant landscape impact across open coastal plain. MacBeth’s hillock- undesignated but of 1 Compensatory woodland planting cultural importance. would be required. Impacts on prime agricultural land. P2 Minor surface water issues. Sections of route run parallel to existing A96 at Burgie and Alves Wood Archaeology- potential major impact – cropmarks of prehistoric Section of route runs parallel to railway at settlement, remains of General Alves. Wade’s Military Road. Route in close proximity to old Alves Station, Impacts upon listed buildings C4E must not be severed. Vertical alignment including Burgie Lodge B listed, of public road is determined by crossing of Alves parish church B listed, railway at this location. Private water supply (18 See above comments (P1) regarding junction properties) affected. at Forres. Cuts through Alves wood, affecting recreational opportunities and would require compensatory planting. Impacts on prime agricultural land. P3 Significant surface water flooding Significantly restricts future development to Of the three options on Western side this is near woodside croft. Fluvial the south of Elgin, however, the junction the closest into Elgin. Traffic from north of flooding north east of Miltonduff, strategy could support employment land Elgin would still require to pass through River Lossie and Linkwood Burn. south of Elgin. urban area to access A96 dualling. Possible contamination and waste Potential for new service station area at Flood plain issues would mean a junction 2 management issues associated junction with A941. would need to be located further west than with a former gravel pit on the spur indicated. road through Aldroughty Woods. Possible contamination issues Longer distance traffic coming from South on associated with the former RAF A941 (from A95) would be able to bypass Elgin airfield. Elgin if travelling onwards to east/west. Major Impact – Miltonduff WWII Western junction requires new link road to airfield remains, cropmarks of connect to existing A96, which would cross prehistoric settlement. both the railway and the river Lossie. Private water supply (11 properties Junction with existing A96 would need to be affected). a roundabout (not T junction) as local traffic from north of existing A96 would still be Impacts on prime agricultural land. using this route to access Elgin. Junction on A941 would directly serve new housing at Elgin South. Active travel corridor on old railway line south of Elgin must be safeguarded. P4 Archaeology- minor impact – Junction offers reasonable access to The junction would require improvements to cropmarks of prehistoric Barmuckity business park. be made to connecting existing local roads. settlement. Potential impact on A listed Coxton Tower. From position of the new junction to the south of the railway line, the main access to/from the dualling to/from the old A96 3 (and Elgin), would be under a restricted height bridge. This could significantly compromise and constrain HGV movements around Elgin. Potential impacts on Gypsy/ Traveller site at Doohill. P5 Archaeology- moderate impact – See above comments (P4) on junction at cropmarks of prehistoric Elgin. See below comments (P6) for junction settlement, setting of stone-circle. near Mosstodloch Potential impact upon Loch Oire SSSI. Compensatory woodland planting will be required. Impacts upon Pittensair A listed building P6 River flooding at junction onto Western junction would provide good access The intersection at P6 is quite removed from Fochabers by-pass. for Baxters, business and tourist destination. Mostodloch. Archaeology- moderate impact – Cuts through employment land site Alignment would follow existing A96 cropmarks of prehistoric designated in the Moray Local Development Mosstodloch bypass, which has the potential settlement. Plan 2015. to reintroduce a significant amount of traffic to the village, including HGVs. Private water supply (2 properties affected) The middle intersection ties into the A96 but not at a key junction point, connection would Compensatory woodland planting be required to the existing roundabout at 4 required. “Baxters”. The eastern junction includes a new link road to the existing A96. The junction onto the existing A96 would need to be a roundabout (not T junction) as local traffic from north of existing A96 would still be using this route. Eastern junction with the existing A96 would be in close proximity to existing roundabout at western end of Mosstodloch and would require a new link to existing A96. (P5 & P6) Opportunity to use proposed route from Lhanbryde to Mosstodloch to provide an active travel link between settlements. P7 Archaeology- minor impact – Could conflict with a housing site identified See above comments (P6) on junction for Former railway line in the Moray Local Development Plan 2015. Mosstodloch. Potential significant impact on No direct access to B9014 (Spey Bay tourist Route requires new crossing of River Spey Gordon Castle Garden and attractions). Traffic would need to travel and then follows alignment of existing A96. Designed Landscape and A and B through Fochabers/ Mosstodloch. listed buildings. Potential impacts Eastern junction would be provided with upon Fochabers Conservation Route could impact upon Moray Monster dualling route then connecting into existing Area. Trails/ woodland walks (Whiteash woods), A96 alignment (P8) Eastern junction would an important recreation and tourist provide access to A98 and Fochabers. Potential significant impacts on the attraction. River Spey SSSI and Special Area of Conservation and the Moray and Junction is well located to serve current and Nairn Coast Special Protection Area future employment aspirations at Buckie and 5 and Ramsar site. for tourist access to the coastline. Significant woodland removal, which would require to be compensated. Cuts through ENV designations on the west of Fochabers, as identified in the Moray Local Development Plan 2015. Red R1 Some flooding at Brodie but should Junction would provide good access to the Western section runs parallel to existing A96 not affect road. north/ western part of Forres and would be and may have an impact on C10E junction in close proximity to Brodie Castle and (Feddan Farm). Darnaway Gate piers are A listed. Brodie Countryfare. Immediately adjacent to Darnaway The new corridor should not follow the Castle Garden and Designed alignment of the existing A96 at eastern end Landscape. Feddan farmhouse is B of this section otherwise it will sever access listed and Tearie farmhouse C to Forres. Positioning of this section of the listed. route is therefore very important. Impacts on prime agricultural land. R2 Flooding east of Newton of Dalvey. Impacts upon Mundole caravan park and Provides three junctions instead of two retirement village. (junction at A940). Possible contamination issues associated with the former RAF Close to existing development and site Intersections at east end will create/ increase Forres airfield, including the bomb designated in the Moray Local Development development demand in that location and store. Plan 2015 for development at Whiterow. must facilitate access to Kinloss Barracks. Archaeology- major impact – Junction on A940 would