EHG3750 - DBA and walkover survey - Beauly-Mossford OHL replacement

A desk-based assessment and walkover survey were conducted for the proposed route of the replacement Beauly-Mossford OHL by Wardell Armstrong in 2011 as contributions to the Cultural Heritage chapter of an Environmental Statement. The baseline study area was divided into three parts. The Inner Study Area comprised a 100m wide corridor centred on the proposed replacement OHL, its associated infrastructure and the Section 37 diversions of lower voltage lines. Within this area, all cultural heritage assets were considered for potential impacts and for potential impacts upon setting. The Middle Study Area comprised a 1km wide corridor, again centred on the proposed replacement OHL and associated infrastructure. Within this area, known assets were considered to allow flexibility in the final route selection and to provide an indication for the potential for unknown assets within the inner study area to be affected by the project. In addition, designated assets (scheduled monuments, listed buildings and historic gardens and designed landscapes) were considered for potential impacts upon setting. The Outer Study Area comprised a 2km wide corridor again centred on the proposed route of the OHL. Within this area, designated assets (scheduled monuments, listed buildings and historic gardens and designed landscapes) were considered for potential impacts upon their setting. The desk-based study took in the inner, middle and outer study areas and was intended to identify and characterise the cultural heritage resource and provide an indication of the archaeological potential of the study areas. The walkover survey was restricted to the inner study area and was intended to verify the findings of the desk-based study and identify previously unrecorded cultural heritage features. <1>