Infrastructure Strategy: strategic environmental assessment

6. Appraisal of the Draft Version of the Infrastructure Strategy

6.1. Introduction

6.1.1. The aim of this chapter is to present appraisal findings and recommendations in relation to the draft version of the Infrastructure Strategy. This chapter presents:

• An outline of the proposals and its component parts;
• An assessment of the proposals under the nine SEA topics identified through scoping;
• Consideration of cumulative effects; and
• The overall conclusions at this stage and recommendations for the next stage of plan making.

6.2. Methodology

6.2.1. The assessment identifies and evaluates ‘likely significant effects’ on the baseline, drawing on the SEA framework identified through scoping as a methodological guide.

6.2.2. Every effort has been made to predict effects as accurately as possible; however, this is inherently challenging given the strategic, non‑spatial nature of the proposals and the limited detail available at this stage. As a result, a number of reasonable assumptions are required (relating both to how proposals may be implemented and to aspects of the baseline that could be affected). These assumptions are made cautiously and are explained within the text where relevant, aiming to strike a balance between clarity and proportionality. In many cases, given the level of uncertainty, it is not possible to predict significant effects with confidence, but it is possible to identify likely directions of change and comment on the potential merits or risks of the proposals in broad terms.

6.2.3. Effects are predicted with reference to the criteria in Schedule 2 of the 2005 Act. This includes consideration, where possible, of the probability, duration, frequency and reversibility of effects. The assessment also considers potential in-combination and cumulative effects, including where the Infrastructure Strategy may interact with other plans, strategies, programmes or projects. These effect characteristics are described within the assessment where appropriate.

6.3. Preferred Approach for the Infrastructure Strategy

6.3.1. The preferred approach for the Infrastructure Strategy has been developed through a multi‑stage process that brings together long‑term evidence, strategic policy direction and the principles set out by the Scottish Government and its advisory bodies. This process reflects the need for a coherent, future‑focused strategy that can guide infrastructure investment over a 10‑year period while remaining aligned with a broader 30‑year horizon of need. The Infrastructure Strategy therefore combines strategic analysis, stakeholder input, and the findings of key evidence documents to establish an approach that is both ambitious and deliverable within the prevailing fiscal context.

6.3.2. A central input to the development of the preferred approach is the 30‑year Needs Assessment, prepared by the Scottish Futures Trust. This assessment provides Scotland’s first long‑term, system‑wide analysis of economic, social and natural infrastructure requirements, identifying cross‑cutting challenges and opportunities that extend well beyond the next decade. Its findings (covering demographic change, climate pressures, public‑service reform, technological trends and natural‑capital considerations) have informed the overarching outcomes and strategic focus of the Infrastructure Strategy.

6.3.3. The preferred approach is also shaped by the work of the Infrastructure Commission for Scotland (ICfS), whose recommendations underpin the current Infrastructure Investment Plan and continue to guide policy direction. The Infrastructure Strategy intentionally maintains continuity with the ICfS themes of Net Zero, Inclusive Growth, and Resilient Places, applying them through a place‑based, outcome‑focused lens. This ensures coherence between past, current and future planning periods and embeds an evidence‑based approach to prioritisation.

6.3.4. In addition, the Strategy draws on the 2024-2025 Horizon Scanning Project, which highlights emerging trends, technological developments and potential disruptions. These insights have helped shape a preferred approach that is resilient, adaptive and responsive to uncertainty, particularly in relation to digital infrastructure, supply‑chain pressures and climatic change.

6.3.5. The preferred approach has also been informed by Scotland’s evolving policy landscape, including the National Planning Framework 4, the Place Principle, the Public Service Reform Strategy, the National Strategy for Economic Transformation and sector‑specific frameworks. These documents provide a clear direction for how infrastructure should support net zero pathways, community wellbeing, economic growth, climate adaptation and place‑based regeneration. The Strategy reflects this by adopting a structure built around three outcomes (Net Zero and Environmental Sustainability; Inclusive Economic Growth; and Resilient and Sustainable Places) and three enablers (Public Assets, Place ‑Making; and Private Investment).

6.3.6. The fiscal and delivery context has further shaped the preferred approach. Rising construction costs, capacity pressures, and the constrained UK fiscal environment have created a need for greater efficiency and a stronger emphasis on optimising existing assets. In response, the Infrastructure Strategy embeds the Infrastructure Investment Hierarchy and places renewed focus on maintenance, repurposing and right‑sizing of Scotland’s public sector estate before considering new build solutions. This aligns with the wider ambition to deliver better outcomes with limited resources while reducing environmental impact.

6.3.7. The preferred approach also integrates the Scottish Government’s growing commitment to place-based decision making, acknowledging that infrastructure needs vary across Scotland’s cities, towns, rural and island communities. The Infrastructure Strategy therefore promotes alignment with local priorities, regional structures, community planning processes and cross‑boundary collaboration. This ensures that infrastructure is not planned in isolation but contributes meaningfully to wider economic, social and environmental outcomes.

6.3.8. Finally, the preferred approach recognises the importance of private sector investment in delivering Scotland’s infrastructure ambitions. It emphasises creating the right policy, regulatory and market conditions to attract private capital (particularly in areas such as housing, energy, digital networks, and innovation) while ensuring public investment remains focused on areas that deliver the greatest public value.

6.4. Appraisal

Air Quality

6.4.1. The draft Infrastructure Strategy contains several themes with potential to influence air quality across Scotland. Its emphasis on reducing emissions through modal shift, improving public transport, strengthening place‑based planning, and supporting the transition to net zero suggests a generally positive long‑term direction. However, certain pathways may also give rise to short‑term or localised adverse effects, particularly where major construction or transport‑related interventions occur. As such, the Infrastructure Strategy presents a combination of beneficial and adverse impacts that will depend on delivery choices made at regional and local levels.

6.4.2. Transport‑related actions are among the most significant for air quality. Enhancements to rail services, continued investment in active travel, and an infrastructure‑first approach, guided by National Planning Framework 4, could reduce reliance on private vehicles, thereby lowering emissions of nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter in urban centres. These benefits are particularly relevant to communities experiencing poorer air quality outcomes or those within existing Air Quality Management Areas. At the same time, ongoing programmes of road upgrades and maintenance may have mixed effects. More efficient networks can reduce congestion‑related emissions, but any increase in road capacity or freight movements could counteract these gains unless accompanied by measures that limit induced traffic and support wider behavioural change.

6.4.3. The Infrastructure Strategy’s strong focus on decarbonisation also has implications for air quality outcomes. Increased deployment of low‑carbon heat, improved energy efficiency, and the anticipated growth in renewable energy infrastructure are likely to reduce combustion‑related pollutants over time. The prioritisation of maintaining and repurposing existing assets can help minimise embodied emissions and limit dust and pollution associated with new construction. Nonetheless, major strategic projects (such as enabling offshore‑wind‑related infrastructure, supporting housing delivery, or providing industrial capacity around green freeports) may generate short‑term air quality impacts from construction activities, traffic movements, and energy use. These can be managed through established mitigation measures, including Construction Environmental Management Plans (CEMPs) and the promotion of low‑emission plant and materials.

6.4.4. Place‑based investment principles within the Infrastructure Strategy may also support local air quality improvements. Regeneration of deprived or post‑industrial areas, expansion of green and blue infrastructure (GBI), and efforts to improve connectivity in rural, island, and remote communities all have the potential to improve air quality exposure and promote healthier environments. Improved greenspace provision can moderate local microclimates and enhance dispersion, while place‑based principles aligned with NPF4 (such as a shift towards more compact, well‑connected settlements) may reduce travel demand. However, targeted investment in strategic economic zones or industrial clusters could increase emissions locally if supporting infrastructure does not embed clean‑technology requirements or adequate transport‑mitigation measures.

6.4.5. Overall, the Infrastructure Strategy is expected to result in mixed but broadly beneficial effects on air quality. Cleaner transport modes, reduced dependence on fossil‑fuel heating, increased use of GBI, and the prioritisation of existing assets all contribute to long-term significant beneficial effects. Moderate short term adverse effects are likely during construction and delivery phases of schemes and in areas experiencing cumulative major development.

Biodiversity, Flora and Fauna

6.4.6. The draft Infrastructure Strategy includes several elements with the potential to influence biodiversity across Scotland. Its emphasis on decarbonisation, GBI, nature‑based solutions (NbS), and a place‑based approach creates clear opportunities to support ecological resilience and contribute to national commitments such as the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy, the 30x30 target, and Nature Networks. However, the Infrastructure Strategy also enables significant infrastructure activity, including energy, housing, industrial development, and transport works, all of which may place additional pressures on habitats and species if not carefully planned. The Infrastructure Strategy therefore presents a mixture of opportunities and risks for biodiversity, dependent on spatial choices, design quality, and the integration of ecological safeguards.

6.4.7. A central influence arises from the Infrastructure Strategy’s focus on climate adaptation and resilience. Measures such as natural flood management schemes, coastal defence enhancements using nature‑based approaches, and efforts to strengthen GBI can provide direct ecological benefits by creating habitat, improving ecological connectivity, and enhancing landscape‑scale resilience. Integration of NbS in the maintenance of trunk‑road networks and in place‑based regeneration can support pollinators, freshwater species, and riparian systems. These actions also align with existing Scottish Government expectations that infrastructure delivery supports ecological recovery and contributes to achieving wider land use and biodiversity goals.

6.4.8. Place‑based investment, as promoted throughout the Infrastructure Strategy, offers further opportunities to embed biodiversity gains. Regeneration of brownfield sites, revitalisation of rural and island communities, and place‑based principles aligned with NPF4 (such as a shift towards more compact, well‑connected settlements) can facilitate habitat restoration, reduce land‑take pressures, and support healthier ecosystems. GBI proposed under National Planning Framework 4 can help address habitat fragmentation in urban and peri‑urban areas. However, targeted investment to accelerate economic development (such as support for green freeports, strategic industrial locations, or major housing sites) may increase the risk of habitat loss, soil disturbance, and ecological fragmentation in sensitive areas unless biodiversity enhancement measures are fully embedded at design and implementation stages.

6.4.9. Large‑scale construction associated with transport, energy, and development‑enabling infrastructure remains a key source of potential adverse effects. Habitat disturbance, loss of species assemblages, introduction of invasive non‑native species (INNS), and pressures on freshwater environments may occur during construction and maintenance activities. In some rural and island locations, development constraints are heightened due to the presence of nationally and internationally designated sites, protected marine environments, and sensitive breeding or migratory species. As the Infrastructure Strategy intends to create conditions to attract private investment, careful coordination with environmental regulators and protected‑site management plans will be essential to prevent cumulative impacts on already stressed ecosystems.

6.4.10. The Infrastructure Strategy’s prioritisation of maintaining and repurposing existing assets can help limit land‑take, thereby reducing potential habitat loss. Investment in renewable energy, if aligned with national spatial guidance and sensitive siting principles, can also support climate mitigation without undermining ecological integrity. Conversely, poorly coordinated grid, transport, or port‑related upgrades required for offshore‑wind expansion or industrial clustering may exert pressures on coastal, intertidal, or marine habitats unless strong ecological assessment and mitigation frameworks are implemented.

6.4.11. The Infrastructure Strategy is likely to result in mixed effects on biodiversity, flora, and fauna. Significant long ‑term beneficial effects may arise from NbS, expansion of GBI networks, reduced land‑take through asset optimisation, and ecological opportunities linked to place‑based regeneration. Adverse effects may occur in the short to medium term, primarily through construction disturbance, habitat loss, and potential cumulative pressures in areas targeted for substantial economic activity. The overall significance will depend on how well biodiversity considerations are embedded across programme development, spatial prioritisation, and investment governance.

Climatic Factors

6.4.12. The draft Infrastructure Strategy places strong emphasis on enabling Scotland’s transition to net zero and improving national resilience to climate change. These priorities create substantial opportunities for reductions in greenhouse‑gas emissions and for strengthening the country’s capacity to cope with more frequent extreme weather. At the same time, the scale of infrastructure activity envisaged, including construction, energy networks, and industrial expansion, may generate short‑term emissions and carbon‑intensive construction processes if not carefully managed. Overall, climatic factors represent one of the areas in which the Infrastructure Strategy has the greatest potential to drive long‑term national benefit, provided that mitigation and adaptation measures are embedded consistently across investment decisions.

6.4.13. Mitigation benefits arise primarily from the Infrastructure Strategy’s focus on low‑carbon energy, improved energy efficiency, and a shift towards more sustainable transport systems. Support for public transport enhancements, active travel expansion, and the wider electrification of infrastructure can reduce emissions from the transport sector, which remains Scotland’s largest source of greenhouse gases. Increased deployment of heat networks, renewable‑energy infrastructure, and more efficient public buildings also contributes to decarbonisation across multiple sectors. Furthermore, the Infrastructure Strategy’s continued application of the Infrastructure Investment Hierarchy, favouring refurbishment over new build, helps to reduce embodied carbon and avoid unnecessary consumption of carbon‑intensive materials. However, major capital programmes, particularly those supporting industrial clusters, housing delivery, or large‑scale grid upgrades, will generate construction‑related emissions, and these will require robust carbon‑management planning.

6.4.14. Adaptation considerations are also prominent in the Infrastructure Strategy, reflecting the reality that Scotland is already experiencing warmer, wetter winters, drier summers, and increased flood risk. The Infrastructure Strategy recognises the need to improve resilience across infrastructure systems, including investment in flood defences, coastal protection, and NbS. These measures support hydrological stability, reduce heat‑stress impacts, and help maintain infrastructure functionality during extreme events. Strengthening supply‑chain resilience and improving the durability of the public estate will also help limit climate‑related disruption. Nonetheless, adaptation requires careful spatial planning, as poorly sited infrastructure could increase exposure to risks such as coastal erosion, landslip, or pluvial flooding. The Infrastructure Strategy’s reliance on place‑based approaches provides a mechanism to integrate adaptation with local risk assessments, but effective implementation will depend on consistent alignment with climate risk mapping and local development planning.

6.4.15. Place‑based investment may further influence climatic outcomes. The Strategy’s alignment with NPF4’s principles of compact growth, local living and an infrastructure‑first approach supports settlement patterns that reduce travel demand, lower transport emissions and enable low‑carbon lifestyles. Additionally, its support for regeneration of vacant or derelict land through GBI can enhance carbon sequestration and reduce localised flood risk. In rural and island areas, upgrades to energy systems, improved building performance, and low carbon transport links may help reduce reliance on fossil fuels and mitigate climate‑related isolation. However, increased development activity in sensitive areas (particularly coastal zones or exposed upland locations) may exacerbate climate risks unless guided by robust spatial policies, including National Planning Framework 4 and local climate adaptation strategies.

6.4.16. Overall, the Infrastructure Strategy is anticipated to deliver significant long ‑term beneficial effects on climate change mitigation and adaptation. Significant long-term beneficial climate mitigation effects are expected from decarbonisation of heat, energy, and transport, and from reduced embodied emissions through asset optimisation. Significant beneficial adaptation outcomes are expected to be generally beneficial over the medium to long term, though the significance will depend on local siting, design, and coordination across sectors. Minor short ‑term adverse effects may arise from construction emissions and from increased energy demand associated with new industrial activity.

Cultural Heritage

6.4.17. The draft Infrastructure Strategy contains several elements with potential to affect Scotland’s cultural heritage, including both designated and non‑designated assets, historic landscapes, and the wider historic environment. Scotland’s heritage assets are deeply embedded within its towns, cities, rural areas, and island communities, and they play an important role in place identity, tourism, and local wellbeing. The Infrastructure Strategy’s emphasis on reusing existing assets, regenerating places, and delivering development in line with National Planning Framework 4 provides opportunities to support the conservation and adaptive reuse of historic buildings. However, the Infrastructure Strategy also sets the framework for substantial infrastructure activity which, if poorly sited or designed, could result in adverse effects on built heritage, archaeological resources, and the setting of important historic landscapes.

6.4.18. Beneficial effects are most likely to arise from the Infrastructure Strategy’s commitment to the Infrastructure Investment Hierarchy, prioritising maintenance and repurposing over new construction. This approach may reduce pressure for new development on sensitive historic sites and encourage the conservation and rejuvenation of older buildings within the public estate, including health, education, and civic facilities. Place‑based regeneration, particularly in town centres, offers opportunities to restore historic fabric, bring vacant listed buildings back into productive use, and enhance historic streetscapes. Investment in GBI and public‑realm improvements may also strengthen the historic character of settlements when designed in sympathy with local heritage values.

6.4.19. At the same time, infrastructure projects required to support economic growth, renewable‑energy expansion, industrial development, and transport connectivity may create risks for cultural‑heritage assets. Large‑scale energy infrastructure, port upgrades, and grid reinforcements, particularly in coastal or upland areas with rich archaeological landscapes, could affect the setting of historic sites or necessitate ground disturbance that impacts buried remains. Urban infrastructure associated with housing delivery or transport interventions may also place pressure on conservation areas or undesignated heritage with local significance. In rural and island settings, where historic environment sensitivities are high and settlement patterns are strongly linked to heritage, cumulative effects may be particularly significant.

6.4.20. The Infrastructure Strategy’s place‑based approach has the potential to embed cultural‑heritage considerations within earlier stages of decision making. By requiring infrastructure to align with Local Development Plans, Regional Spatial Strategies, and local regeneration objectives, the Infrastructure Strategy provides mechanisms to ensure that heritage assets and Historic Environment policies are considered alongside other spatial priorities. This could help avoid insensitive development in heritage‑rich locations and support strategic heritage‑led regeneration. However, the degree of protection afforded will depend on how effectively cultural heritage evidence, including historic environment records and conservation area appraisals, is integrated into infrastructure planning at regional and national scales.

6.4.21. The Infrastructure Strategy is expected to generate mixed effects on cultural heritage. Moderate beneficial long ‑term effects may arise from asset reuse, heritage‑led regeneration, and the alignment of infrastructure planning with place‑based principles. Potential significant adverse effects are most likely where construction and development pressures lead to disturbance of historic fabric, buried archaeology, or the setting of valued landscapes. A degree of uncertainty remains, with the overall significance depending on the strength of heritage‑sensitive design, early assessment, and appropriate mitigation across infrastructure programmes.

Landscape and Geodiversity

6.4.22. The draft Infrastructure Strategy has the potential for both beneficial and adverse effects with regard to Scotland’s landscapes and geodiversity. Scotland’s landscapes are diverse, highly valued, and integral to national identity, tourism, and local quality of life, while its geodiversity underpins natural processes, land stability, ecosystem functioning, and cultural heritage. The Infrastructure Strategy’s emphasis on place‑based investment, GBI, and a presumption in favour of reusing assets provides opportunities to protect and enhance valued landscapes. At the same time, major infrastructure development, including energy networks, industrial expansion, and transport interventions, could affect landscape character, tranquillity, and geological features without careful spatial planning and mitigation.

6.4.23. Beneficial effects are most likely to arise from the use of NbS, which the Infrastructure Strategy promotes for climate adaptation and resilience. Measures such as natural flood‑management schemes, river‑restoration works, and coastal‑protection approaches using natural systems can help restore landscape character and protect geomorphological features. Investment in GBI networks and high‑quality public realms may strengthen local distinctiveness and enhance visual amenity, especially within regeneration areas and town centres. The Infrastructure Strategy’s commitment to the Infrastructure Investment Hierarchy also reduces pressure for extensive new construction, limiting landscape intrusion and conserving geological features by prioritising maintenance and repurposing of existing assets.

6.4.24. However, risks arise where large‑scale infrastructure is required to meet net zero ambitions and support economic growth. Renewable‑energy infrastructure, grid reinforcements, port upgrades, and strategic industrial developments have the potential for significant changes in landscape character, especially in rural, coastal, and upland areas where scenic sensitivity is high. Enabling the development of new transport links, significant road improvements, or expanded settlement footprints could alter visual baselines, increase light, and noise pollution, or fragment landscape patterns. In addition, construction activity can disturb geodiversity features, including rock exposures, geomorphological landforms, and sensitive coastal or riverine systems. In island and remote rural areas, where landscapes have high cultural associations and contain internationally important geological features, cumulative intrusion may be particularly challenging to manage.

6.4.25. The Infrastructure Strategy’s place‑based approach may support early identification of landscape and geodiversity sensitivities, as alignment with Local Development Plans, Regional Spatial Strategies, and National Planning Framework 4 encourages spatial choices that respect distinct local characteristics. Regeneration of vacant and derelict land, if sensitively designed, can reduce development pressure on open countryside and protect valued natural landscapes. However, the extent to which landscape and geodiversity are safeguarded will depend on consistent integration of landscape character assessments, coastal‑change information, and geodiversity datasets into infrastructure investment decisions at national, regional, and local levels.

6.4.26. The Infrastructure Strategy is likely to lead to mixed effects on landscape and geodiversity. Significant long ‑term beneficial effects may arise from NbS, high‑quality regeneration, and reduced land‑take through asset reuse. However, long-term significant adverse effects may also arise, particularly where large‑scale energy or industrial infrastructure affects sensitive rural or coastal landscapes, or where construction disturbs geological features. The overall significance of effects will depend on spatial choices and the strength of landscape‑responsive design.

Material Assets

6.4.27. The draft Infrastructure Strategy has several implications for Scotland’s material assets, particularly in relation to the safeguarding of mineral resources and the generation and management of waste. Scotland’s mineral resources (including aggregates, sand, gravel, hard rock, and construction minerals) play a critical role in infrastructure delivery, and are governed through national policy, Local Development Plans, and the National Planning Framework 4 requirement to safeguard known workable mineral reserves. The Infrastructure Strategy’s strong emphasis on asset maintenance, reuse, and repurposing reduces pressure on primary mineral extraction by lowering demand for new construction materials. This approach can help extend the lifespan of mineral reserves and support circular‑economy objectives.

6.4.28. However, the Infrastructure Strategy also sets out ambitions which may drive significant construction activity, including the expansion of renewable‑energy infrastructure, regeneration of urban areas, and improvements to transport and grid networks. These interventions may increase the need for construction aggregates, specialist mineral products, and engineering materials. Demand could be especially pronounced in areas associated with offshore‑wind supply chains, green freeports, and large‑scale industrial redevelopment. Without careful resource planning, this may place pressure on existing mineral reserves and increase reliance on imported materials, with associated environmental and economic implications. Continued safeguarding of mineral deposits within Local Development Plans, along with improved forecasting of material demand, will therefore be essential.

6.4.29. The Infrastructure Strategy also has implications for waste generation and management. Refurbishment and repurposing of existing assets (which are important elements of the Infrastructure Investment Hierarchy) can significantly reduce demolition waste and prevent unnecessary generation of construction and demolition material. Asset‑optimisation programmes across the public estate may lead to increased volumes of waste in the short term as outdated buildings are rationalised or replaced, but in the longer term the shift away from new build development is likely to support reductions in overall material use. Place‑based regeneration, if designed with circular‑economy principles, can further improve resource efficiency by supporting reuse of materials on site or within local supply chains.

6.4.30. Major infrastructure activity, however, will inevitably generate significant waste from construction and demolition. Projects associated with industrial growth, energy infrastructure, and transport upgrades may produce large volumes of soil, aggregates, demolition waste, and surplus materials. Where not managed carefully, these could contribute to landfill pressures or increase the need for long‑distance transport to disposal sites.

6.4.31. Decommissioning of oil and gas infrastructure, highlighted within the Infrastructure Strategy, represents a further source of waste. This process will generate substantial quantities of materials, including metals and specialist components. With appropriate planning, this presents an opportunity to recover high‑value materials, support recycling industries, and minimise the environmental footprint of the energy transition.

6.4.32. The Infrastructure Strategy is expected to have mixed effects on material assets. Significant beneficial long ‑term effects are likely from reduced demand for primary minerals due to asset reuse, improved resource efficiency, and strengthened circular‑economy practices. Potential significant short to medium term adverse effects may arise from increased material demand associated with major infrastructure projects and from the generation of C&D waste. The overall significance will depend on how effectively mineral safeguarding, waste‑minimisation measures, and circular‑economy principles are embedded across delivery programmes.

Population and Human Health

6.4.33. The draft Infrastructure Strategy contains several elements with potential to influence population health and wellbeing across Scotland. Demographic trends, health inequalities, access to services, and environmental quality all intersect with infrastructure planning, meaning the Infrastructure Strategy can deliver benefits or risks depending on how investment is spatially and socially targeted. The Infrastructure Strategy’s acknowledgement of population growth in some areas, decline in others, and the significant ageing of Scotland’s demographic profile provides a useful backdrop for identifying where infrastructure may have the greatest implications for health and wellbeing.

6.4.34. A major positive influence arises from the Infrastructure Strategy’s place‑based approach, which promotes alignment between infrastructure provision and local needs. Many areas experiencing disadvantage face poorer health outcomes, reduced access to services, and greater exposure to environmental stressors. Investment in public transport, digital connectivity, and local service hubs has the potential to improve access to healthcare, education, employment, and community facilities (factors known to support physical and mental wellbeing). In rural, island, and remote communities, improved energy systems, resilient transport links, and better housing can help address vulnerability linked to isolation, fuel poverty, and limited access to essential services. These actions also support an ageing population, which has growing needs for accessible buildings, community‑based care, and reliable transport.

6.4.35. The Infrastructure Strategy’s focus on regeneration, reuse of existing assets, and support for well‑connected neighbourhoods may also help reduce health inequalities. Investment in GBI, high‑quality public space, and active travel networks can encourage physical activity, reduce traffic‑related pollution, and support mental health through improved access to nature. Regeneration of vacant and derelict land, when designed to create safe and attractive spaces, can improve perceptions of local environments and contribute to reductions in crime and antisocial behaviour. These benefits may be particularly important in deprived urban areas, where poor housing conditions, limited greenspace, and higher crime rates intersect to affect health.

6.4.36. However, there are also potential adverse effects that may arise from the Infrastructure Strategy. Major construction and infrastructure upgrades (particularly around industrial zones, transport corridors, and energy hubs) may generate short‑term noise, air pollution, and disruption, affecting nearby communities. Large‑scale economic development in targeted growth areas could increase traffic, alter local character, or place pressure on public services if not matched by social infrastructure improvements. In areas with limited existing provision, intensification of industrial or logistics activity could heighten perceptions of inequality or reduce local amenity unless accompanied by accessible community benefits. For some vulnerable groups, including older people and those with disabilities, changes in service models or estate consolidation could create risks if access considerations are not embedded early.

6.4.37. Climate‑related risks also form an important dimension of population health. The Infrastructure Strategy’s emphasis on adaptation (such as flood‑defence improvements, coastal‑resilience measures, and NbS) has direct implications for safeguarding communities from climate‑induced hazards. These measures protect homes, key services, and transport routes, reducing physical and mental health impacts associated with extreme weather events. Without such interventions, the burden of climate risks is often disproportionately felt by disadvantaged communities and those living in exposed rural or coastal areas.

6.4.38. Overall, the Infrastructure Strategy is likely to have significant long-term beneficial effects on population and human health, particularly through improved access to services, enhanced local environments, reduced inequalities, and strengthened climate resilience. There remains some risk of short-term adverse effects, associated with construction disturbance, localised environmental pressures, or uneven distribution of economic development. Over time, benefits are expected to strengthen as place‑based approaches and regeneration programmes mature.

Soil

6.4.39. The draft Infrastructure Strategy has the potential to influence soil resources across Scotland, including soil quality, soil functions, carbon storage, erosion risk, contamination, and the safeguarding of high‑value agricultural land. Scotland’s soils support a wide range of ecosystem services (food production, carbon sequestration, water regulation, habitat provision, and cultural landscapes) making their protection a key consideration in long‑term infrastructure planning. The Infrastructure Strategy’s focus on asset reuse and NbS provides opportunities to reduce pressures on soil resources, although major development and construction activity may also give rise to adverse effects if not managed carefully.

6.4.40. Beneficial effects on soils may arise from the Infrastructure Strategy’s strong emphasis on reusing existing public assets rather than building new infrastructure. This reduces land‑take, thereby lowering the likelihood of soil sealing, disturbance, and loss of productive or ecologically valuable soils. Regeneration of brownfield land, where appropriately designed, can further help protect undeveloped soils by diverting development away from greenfield locations. The Infrastructure Strategy’s support for NbS (such as woodland expansion, peatland restoration, river‑restoration projects, and sustainable drainage) may also contribute to improved soil structure, reduced erosion, and enhanced soil carbon storage. These actions offer co‑benefits for water quality, flood management, and biodiversity, reinforcing the wider environmental objectives of the Infrastructure Strategy.

6.4.41. However, infrastructure activity may also lead to significant adverse effects on soil resources. Large‑scale construction associated with transport upgrades, energy infrastructure, industrial developments, housing delivery, and port or grid reinforcement are likely to lead to soil compaction, erosion, loss of soil organic matter, and increased contamination risks. Disturbance to peat soils is of particular concern, given their importance for carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation. Soil loss or degradation may be especially significant in areas where multiple projects occur in proximity or where individual infrastructure schemes are sited on previously undeveloped or sensitive soils. In rural and island settings (where soils may be thin, fragile, or highly sensitive to erosion) the risks are more pronounced, and disturbance may have knock‑on effects for biodiversity, water quality, and landscape character.

6.4.42. Cross‑boundary issues are also relevant for soils, especially in relation to erosion and sediment transfer within shared river catchments. Soil disturbance or loss in one area can contribute to downstream sedimentation, affecting water quality, aquatic habitats, and flood risk management in neighbouring local authority areas. Similarly, pressures on soil carbon in upland areas can influence Scotland’s overall emissions profile, highlighting the need for coordinated management across regional boundaries and between terrestrial and hydrological systems.

6.4.43. Future baseline challenges further underscore the importance of soil protection. Climate change is expected to increase the risk of soil erosion, drought‑related degradation, and flooding impacts, particularly in lowland agricultural areas and upland peatlands. Land use pressures associated with population growth, industrial expansion, and infrastructure upgrades may intensify demand for developable land unless strategic planning prioritises soil conservation. The Infrastructure Strategy’s place‑based approach and emphasis on spatial alignment create opportunities to integrate soil‑management objectives within broader land use decisions.

6.4.44. Overall, the Infrastructure Strategy is expected to have mixed effects in relation to soil. Long ‑term moderate beneficial effects are likely through asset reuse, brownfield regeneration, and nature‑based adaptation measures. While significant long-term adverse effects may occur primarily through soil disturbance, sealing, erosion, and peatland impacts associated with construction and land‑take. Cross‑boundary soil issues (especially relating to sediment movement and soil‑carbon loss) underscore the need for coordinated planning across catchments and regions. The overall effects will depend on the strength of mitigation and the degree to which soil considerations are embedded in project‑level decisions.

Water

6.4.45. The draft Infrastructure Strategy has the potential to influence Scotland’s water environment across a range of topics, including the condition and management of water resources, the quality of drinking and bathing waters, and pressures such as diffuse pollution, wastewater discharges, abstraction, INNS, and emerging contaminants. Scotland’s rivers, lochs, groundwater, coastal waters, and wetlands are subject to existing regulatory frameworks, including the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003 and River Basin Management Plans, meaning infrastructure decisions must align with national water‑environment objectives. The Infrastructure Strategy’s emphasis on resilient infrastructure, NbS, and asset optimisation offers opportunities to support water‑environment improvements, though major development activity may also introduce new pressures.

6.4.46. Infrastructure investment linked to climate adaptation may deliver significant benefits for water resources and hydrological systems. Measures such as natural flood‑management schemes, sustainable drainage systems, and coastal adaptation using nature‑based approaches can improve catchment function, reduce surface‑water flooding, and support the ecological status of water bodies. The Infrastructure Strategy’s commitment to maintaining and repurposing assets can help reduce pressures arising from new impermeable surfaces, while investment in GBI within regeneration areas can enhance groundwater recharge and moderate runoff. These actions may also support compliance with bathing‑water and shellfish‑water standards by reducing pollution transfer during high‑rainfall events.

6.4.47. However, the Infrastructure Strategy also has the potential to result in adverse effects on Scotland’s water environment, for example, through major construction works, including those connected to energy networks, transport improvements, and industrial development, which may increase risks of sedimentation, accidental spills, and disturbance of watercourses. Diffuse pollution from urban runoff, soil disturbance, or construction activity remains a recognised challenge in many catchments. Wastewater‑system pressures could intensify where new development occurs without accompanying upgrades to drainage and treatment capacity. The Infrastructure Strategy’s acknowledgement of population growth in some areas and declining demand in others underscores the need for careful alignment between infrastructure delivery and Scottish Water’s long‑term investment plans to avoid both over‑capacity and localised stress on existing systems.

6.4.48. Abstraction pressure, though generally well regulated, may increase in areas experiencing industrial expansion or growing housing need. In rural and island settings, where private water supplies and sensitive freshwater habitats are more common, infrastructure works may affect local water availability or hydro‑ecological conditions if not sensitively delivered. There is also potential for the spread of INNS through construction, transport, or dredging activities, requiring robust biosecurity measures. Infrastructure planning will need to remain adaptive to evolving evidence on issues such as emerging contaminants, ensuring that delivery decisions respond to future regulatory expectations.

6.4.49. Future baseline challenges, particularly those linked to climate change, may intensify water‑environment pressures. More frequent intense rainfall, prolonged dry periods, and rising sea levels will affect water quality, dilution capacity, and flood risk. The Infrastructure Strategy’s focus on resilience provides an opportunity to embed climate‑responsive design across infrastructure networks, reducing long‑term risks to water bodies and ensuring continuity of essential services, including drinking‑water supply and wastewater treatment.

6.4.50. The Infrastructure Strategy is likely to have mixed but broadly beneficial long ‑term effects on the water environment. Significant beneficial effects may result from nature‑based adaptation measures, improved drainage systems, catchment‑led approaches, and better alignment between strategic planning and water‑infrastructure investment. However, localised significant adverse effects may also arise through construction impacts, increased surface‑water runoff, pressures on wastewater systems, or risks to sensitive water bodies. Long‑term outcomes will depend on effective integration of water‑environment considerations across programme design and delivery.

6.5. Cumulative and In-Combination Effects

6.5.1. Cumulative and in-combination effects refer to the combined impacts of multiple policies, proposals, or developments:

• Cumulative effects arise when several policies or developments affect the same environmental receptor or issue over time; and
• In-combination effects occur when the Infrastructure Strategy’s impacts interact with those from other plans or projects, potentially leading to greater overall effects.

Cumulative Effects

6.5.2. The Infrastructure Strategy has the potential to generate cumulative environmental effects due to the scale and variety of infrastructure activity it supports. Many cumulative effects are expected to be beneficial, particularly where programmes to decarbonise transport, improve public and active travel infrastructure, regenerate communities, and implement NbS operate in combination. Together, these actions may strengthen climate resilience, enhance GBI networks, reduce emissions, and support healthier and more equitable communities. Over the Infrastructure Strategy’s 10‑year period, the combined benefits of asset reuse, targeted investment in disadvantaged areas, and improved public‑realm quality may become progressively more significant.

6.5.3.1 At the same time, adverse cumulative effects may arise in areas where multiple projects occur at the same time and place. Construction associated with transport upgrades, grid reinforcements, housing delivery, and industrial development may collectively increase temporary pressures on air quality, noise, traffic, water bodies, and local amenity. In environmentally sensitive locations (such as islands, coastal areas, river catchments, and upland landscapes) multiple interventions may cumulatively affect habitats, species, geodiversity features, or landscape character. There is also potential for cumulative impacts on cross‑boundary environmental receptors, particularly water bodies shared across catchments and biodiversity networks that extend across local authority boundaries. Without coordinated planning, these pressures could become significant, especially in regions hosting clusters of strategic development.

6.5.3. Overall, cumulative effects arising from the Infrastructure Strategy are expected to be mostly beneficial in the long term, with gains across several SEA topics. Localised adverse cumulative effects may arise where concentrated development occurs, including across environmental boundaries, but these are likely to be effectively managed through coordinated planning, embedded safeguards, and ongoing monitoring.

In-Combination Effects

6.5.4. In‑combination effects may occur where the Infrastructure Strategy interacts with other national, regional, and local plans. Many such interactions are likely to be positive, as the Infrastructure Strategy broadly aligns with National Planning Framework 4, River Basin Management Plans, climate change legislation, biodiversity recovery frameworks, Local Development Plans, and regional spatial strategies. Together, these policies can reinforce sustainable land use patterns, improve climate adaptation, enhance habitat connectivity, and support efficient use of resources. In‑combination benefits are also expected where place‑based regeneration, active travel networks, and nature‑based adaptation measures operate alongside local regeneration or health‑improvement programmes.

6.5.3.2 However, in‑combination risks may arise where major programmes overlap spatially or temporally. For example, port upgrades, renewable‑energy infrastructure, and industrial development linked to offshore wind may interact to increase pressure on coastal habitats and marine biodiversity. Similarly, the Infrastructure Strategy’s infrastructure ambitions may interact with water‑management plans, flood risk strategies, and land use changes to create cross‑boundary water‑environment effects, especially in catchments that span multiple local authorities. Urban areas undergoing several concurrent housing, transport, and regeneration programmes may experience short‑term increases in construction disturbance, traffic, and localised environmental pressures. Interactions with UK‑wide energy‑transmission programmes may also result in wider landscape and ecological effects unless managed through strategic coordination.

6.5.4 Overall, in‑combination effects are expected to be broadly beneficial where the Infrastructure Strategy works alongside other aligned plans, particularly in supporting climate resilience, biodiversity recovery, and sustainable place‑making. Adverse in ‑combination effects may occur in areas where overlapping programmes generate environmental pressures, including across ecological and hydrological boundaries, but these can be mitigated through joint planning, integrated assessments, and close coordination between national, regional, and local strategies.

Recommendations for Implementation of the Infrastructure Strategy

6.5.5 The following overview highlights a number of recommendations which should be considered for the Infrastructure Strategy, including through its implementation.

• The Infrastructure Strategy already highlights the ambition to use infrastructure as a means of reducing carbon emissions. This could be strengthened by also referring to the role of infrastructure in supporting improvements in local air quality outcomes and by encouraging alignment with national and local Air Quality Management objectives. This would help ensure that future infrastructure investment contributes to long‑term improvements in air quality across Scotland (SEA topics: Air Quality; Population and Human Health).
• The Infrastructure Strategy could explicitly acknowledge the climate and nature emergencies as overarching drivers for long‑term infrastructure decision making. This would help frame investment choices within a wider context of net zero commitments and ecological recovery (SEA topics: Climatic Factors; Biodiversity, Flora, and Fauna).
• Whole‑life carbon assessments could be encouraged for significant infrastructure programmes to support consistent carbon‑reduction approaches and help ensure that opportunities to reduce embodied and operational emissions are identified at an early stage (SEA topic: Climatic Factors).
• Support for sustainable resource and waste practices could be strengthened by encouraging the preparation of Resource and Waste Plans for major infrastructure programmes and by promoting the use of recycled or secondary materials, or wider circular‑economy principles, where these are technically and economically feasible (SEA topic: Material Assets).
• Early strategic engagement with water and wastewater providers could be promoted to ensure that future capacity needs are considered at an early stage. This would be particularly relevant for infrastructure with high or fluctuating water demands, such as potential data centres or industrial sites (SEA topics: Water; Population and Human Health).
• The Infrastructure Strategy could acknowledge the potential for infrastructure investment to enhance the historic environment at a national scale, including in rural and island areas, not solely within towns and cities (SEA topic: Cultural Heritage).
• Sensitive siting and design of major energy and industrial infrastructure (such as wind farms, solar installations, ports and grid‑reinforcement works) could be promoted to minimise landscape impacts (SEA topic: Landscape and Geodiversity).
• The Infrastructure Strategy could encourage catchment‑based approaches when planning infrastructure that may influence water bodies or hydrological processes, recognising that many water‑environment and biodiversity effects extend across local authority boundaries and require coordinated management (SEA topics: Water; Biodiversity, Flora and Fauna).