Road route will damage environment
A conservation charity has warned Perth and Kinross Council it must redesign its proposed Cross Tay Link Road or its construction will cause “irreversible” damage to the environment.
Woodland Trust Scotland says the council’s current intention to put the £117 million road through part of the Highland Plantation, plus five other areas of ancient woodland north of Perth, will have “majorly adverse impacts” on local flora and fauna.
The Perth-based organisation reckons designers ought to radically alter their plans so the link road never reaches within 50 metres of these “irreplaceable” areas “so as to avoid root damage and construction impacts and ... ameliorate the potential impacts of pollution from the scheme”.
It has now filed an official objection to the council’s most recent planning application to build the road being passed, taking the total number of objections received by officials to 48.
The charity’s objection comes after the council’s own tree and biodiversity officer Joanna Dick conceded that severing the six woods in order to link the A9 to the A93 and A94 north of Scone will have “longterm and irreversible” effects on the environment.
Woodland Trust Scotland campaigner Nicole Hellier has told PKC: “Development in ancient woodland can lead to long-term changes in species composition, particularly ground flora and sensitive fauna, i.e. nesting birds, mammals and reptiles.
“Majorly adverse impacts would occur as a result of the removal of valuable ancient woodland to make way for the construction of this proposal.
“Many indirect impacts are also likely to occur as a result of the proposed route, with dust, soil compaction, spillages and waste potentially affecting the woodland, namely during the construction phases but also in the operational use of the road.
“These impacts will largely be irreversible and permanent in their nature.
“Furthermore, the trust is concerned that for the remaining woodland, there will be additional impacts of increased noise and light pollution from traffic, as well as dust pollution during construction of the proposal.
“The woodlands will also be subjected to increased nitrogen oxide emissions from vehicles, which can change the character of woodland vegetation (in terms of species composition) by altering nutrient conditions.”
And Ms Dick admitted in her assessment of the scheme: “Ancient woodland regarded as UK Biodiversity Action Plan priority habitat type with a high biodiversity value are to be destroyed to allow this development to proceed.
“The effect of this is longterm and irreversible.
“After mitigation, the residual effect of ancient woodland loss is still of moderate magnitude which is significant in environmental impact assessment terms.
“Planting new woodland will not offset the permanent loss of ancient woodland habitat with the biodiversity found in centuries-old habitat, including soils, dead wood, invertebrate life and seed bank.”
She added: “Cumulative effects have been assessed with respect to four developments: Scone North, Luncarty South, Bertha Park and Almond Valley. With the specified mitigation in place, the potential intercumulative effects for biodiversity will be reduced but the loss of habitat and ancient woodland will result in a significant cumulative effect.
“In addition, the A9 dualling project will also result in woodland loss, including ancient woodland. Cumulatively across the area, woodland loss is significant considering the Scottish Government targets to increase forest and woodland cover.”
A council spokesperson remarked: “We can confirm receipt of an objection to the application from the Woodland Trust and will consider the matters raised and set out a response to them in the report of handling to be presented to the planning and development management committee, where councillors will further consider all the issues before coming to a decision.”