Green light for A737 works with no full impact review
The Scottish Government has decided that resurfacing work on the A737, northwest of Paisley, can go ahead without needing the detailed assessment.
To view the full public notice, go to https://tinyurl.com/3eddrvt3.
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The decision follows a determination under the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984, which considers the potential environmental effects of public and private projects.
The project has been classified as a "relevant project" under the Act, as it falls within Annex II of Directive 2011/92/EU, which deals with the environmental assessment of certain projects.
However, the authorities have concluded that the resurfacing work will not have significant effects on the environment.
This conclusion was reached after considering various factors, including the use of natural resources, waste production, potential pollution, and risks to human health.
The authorities also considered the potential impact on areas protected under national legislation, such as the Black Cart Special Protection Area and the Inner Clyde RAMSAR site.
The determination was made based on the results of an environmental screening assessment and an assessment under the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994.
The assessments concluded that there would be no significant effects on the Black Cart Special Protection Area, the Inner Clyde Special Protection Area, and the Inner Clyde RAMSAR site.
The Record of Determination, dated April 22, 2025, contains more details about the decision.
The main reasons for not requiring an environmental impact assessment are: the assessment under the 1994 regulations concluded there would be no significant effects on protected areas; there will be no impacts on the Black Cart Site of Special Scientific Interest and the Inner Clyde Site of Special Scientific Interest; and any potential impacts of the works are expected to be temporary, short-term, non-significant, and limited to the construction phase.
The project has been designed to avoid or prevent significant adverse effects on the environment.
Mitigation measures and best practices will be implemented to ensure no short-term or long-term significant negative impacts.
Containment measures will be in place to prevent debris or pollutants from entering the surrounding environment, and appropriate removal and disposal of waste will be ensured.
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