Appendix 2: Local Plan Policy DM6 - Air Quality

The National Planning Policy Framework requires planning policies to sustain compliance with EU limit values or national objectives for pollutants and the cumulative impacts on air quality from individual sites in local areas. The council has a responsibility to work towards achieving these targets and does this through the Local Air Quality Management (LAQM) regime. Through this function the council has identified 6 areas currently exceeding EU guideline values (exceedance areas) and has an Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) in place in order to identify measures aimed at reducing air pollution at these locations.

The significance of any air quality impact arising from development can be affected by a number of factors, including the scale, nature and location of development. For instance, a large housing development located outside of the AQMA may still have significant negative impacts on air quality within the AQMA, whereas a small scale residential extension within the AQMA may not have any perceptible impact on air quality. Similarly, a single additional dwelling may have a negative impact on an exceedance area whilst major development located elsewhere in the borough may not impact the AQMA itself, but may generate significant negative impacts in other locations. The council will review the potential significance of the air quality impacts from new proposals taking account of these factors and in line with national guidance.

Where an Air Quality Impact Assessment (AQIA) is required, development proposals will be required to assess the existing air quality in the study areas, to predict the future air quality without the development in place and to predict the future air quality with the development, and mitigation, in place. As part of this process, the assessment should consider the potential cumulative impacts of development. The AQIA should also take into account how the impacts from the development relate to the principles and measures contained within the council's Air Quality Action Plan and other relevant strategic guidance documents. Where the need for mitigation measures is identified through an AQIA, the delivery of these measures will be secured through planning condition or through s106 planning obligations.

It is recognised that planning can play an important role in improving air quality and reducing individuals’ exposure to air pollutants. Whilst planning cannot solve existing air quality issues, it can ensure that any likely impacts are effectively mitigated.

It is also important to ensure however that these existing air quality issues, and the cumulative impacts of developments, are responded to in a proactive and effective fair and proportionate way. In order to achieve this, the Council is in the process of updating the AQMA Action Plan and is currently preparing a Low Emission Strategy. These documents provide a timely opportunity to address these long-standing issues, and the council will consider a wide range of options and measures, including further support for sustainable transport measures and the possibility of establishing Low Emission/Clean Air Zones, as part of this process. As well as the AQMA Action Plan and the Low Emission Strategy, forthcoming national policy changes are likely to have implications for the local plan policy.  The Council is therefore committed to preparing a DPD on the subject of air quality to ensure the local policy framework is both effective and up to date.     

Policy DM6 Air Quality

1.        Proposals that have an impact on air quality will be permitted, subject to the following criteria being met:

i.          Proposals for development which have the potential, by virtue of their scale, nature and/or location, to have a negative impact on air quality at identified exceedance areas, as defined through the Local Air Quality Management process, will be required to submit an Air Quality Impact Assessment (AQIA) to consider the potential impacts of pollution from individual and cumulative development, and to demonstrate how the air quality impacts of the development will be mitigated to acceptable levels;

ii.        Proposals for development which have the potential, by virtue of their scale, nature and/or location, to have a significant negative impact on air quality within identified Air Quality Management Areas will be required to submit an AQIA to consider the potential impacts of pollution from individual and cumulative development, and to demonstrate how the air quality impacts of the development will be mitigated to acceptable levels, even where there will be no negative impact at identified exceedance areas;

iii.      Other development proposals, where criteria 1 and 2 do not apply, but which by virtue of their scale, nature and/or location have the potential to generate a negative impact on air quality within identified Air Quality Management Areas will not be required to submit an AQIA, but should demonstrate how the air quality impacts of the development will be minimised.

iv.      Development proposals which have the potential, by virtue of their scale, nature and/or location, to have a significant negative impact on air quality outside of identified Air Quality Management Areas will submit an AQIA to consider the potential impacts of pollution from individual and cumulative development, and to demonstrate how the air quality impacts of the development will be mitigated to acceptable levels.

2.        The Council will prepare an Air Quality DPD which will take account of the AQMA Action Plan, the Low Emission Strategy and national requirements to address air quality.