Infrastructure Strategy: strategic environmental assessment

6 Mar 2026 10:56 AM

The Strategic Environmental (Scotland) 2005 Act requires certain plans and programmes to undergo SEA where they are likely to have significant environmental effects. The draft Infrastructure Strategy was published for consultation on 13 January 2026. This is the accompanying Environmental Report.

Introduction

Background

AECOM has been commissioned to undertake a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) in support of the emerging Infrastructure Strategy on behalf of the Scottish Government. This Environmental Report is the main output of the SEA process, following on from the Screening and Scoping Report (consulted on in December 2025 and finalised in January 2026).

The draft Infrastructure Strategy was published for consultation on 13 January 2026, with a 12‑week consultation period. The accompanying Environmental Report was made available from 5 March 2026, ensuring that consultees are able to review both the Strategy and this Environmental Report together for an appropriate period within the overall consultation window.

The development of the Infrastructure Strategy has also been informed by the 30‑year Needs Assessment, prepared by the Scottish Futures Trust, and published on 13 January 2026 alongside the draft Infrastructure Strategy. Together, these documents provide the evidence base used to support the SEA process and the preparation of this Environmental Report.

Report Chapters

In line with the provisions of the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005 (hereafter referred to as the ‘2005 Act’), this Environmental Report has been structured as follows:

• Chapter 2 presents an overview of the SEA process;
• Chapter 3 presents an introduction to the emerging Scottish Infrastructure Strategy;
• Chapter 4 outlines the scope of the SEA, including a summary of the Screening and Scoping Report, the scoped-in SEA topics, and the SEA Framework;
• Chapter 5 presents an assessment of a number of alternative approaches relating to the broad principles underpinning the Infrastructure Strategy. These have been assessed as reasonable alternatives;
• Chapter 6 presents an assessment of the draft proposals, in terms of their likely significant environmental effects;
• Chapter 7 presents proposals for monitoring the significant environmental effects of the proposals, and opportunities for enhancements;
• Chapter 8 subsequently sets out the next steps for the Infrastructure Strategy and accompanying SEA process.

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