Issue - meetings

Air Quality Development Plan Document - Scoping

Meeting: 05/12/2017 - Strategic Planning, Sustainability and Transportation Committee (Item 107)

107 Air Quality Development Plan Document (Local Plan) - Scoping pdf icon PDF 97 KB

Minutes:

The Principal Planning Officer (Strategic Planning) presented this item and highlighted to the Committee that:

 

·  The second recommendation on the papers should refer to paragraphs 1.7 to 1.12 instead of paragraphs 1.6 to 1.11.

 

·  The Planning Department could play a significant role in the objectives of the Low Emissions Strategy in securing mitigation measures in conjunction with development. This included encouraging the use of sustainable transport modes, as well as the adoption of new technologies such as electric vehicle charging points which had the potential to reduce emissions.

 

·  The Local Plan Inspector considered air quality in depth during the Local Plan process. The Inspector considered that there was a need for more robust mitigation measures centred on modal shift for purposes of both the transport strategy and for improving air quality.

 

·  Policy DM6 of the Maidstone Borough Local Plan set out a sequential approach for assessing and addressing the air quality impacts of new development and that Policy DM6 would continue to have full weight whilst the new Local Plan was being prepared.

 

·  The Inspector had signalled that there was a changing local and national context and that more urgent work needed to be done to improve air quality. This was the reason why the Council could not wait until the Local Plan was reviewed to carry out this work.

 

The Committee requested that the following items be included in the scoping of the Air Quality Development Plan Document:

 

·  Agricultural and horticultural practices, as these can have large impacts on air quality;

 

·  The use of emerging technologies in mitigating the effects of poor air quality;

 

·  The consideration of renewable energy; and

 

·  The accessibility of electric vehicle charging infrastructure for all residents.

 

RESOLVED:

 

  1. That the Head of Planning & Development be instructed to prepare the Air Quality Local Plan.

 

2.  That the scope of the Air Quality Development Plan Document, described in paragraphs 1.7 to 1.12, be agreed as the basis for progressing the preparation of the plan, but that it also include: consideration of agricultural and horticultural practices, emerging technologies and renewable energy options, with the further addition of accessibility to charging infrastructure.

 

Voting: Unanimous