Air quality guidance for planning applications

Question:
Air quality guidance for planning applications
Answer:

Read the council's Air Quality planning flowchart.

Documents to be submitted in preparation of a planning application for major developments

  • Air Quality Assessment (AQA)
  • Air Quality Neutral Assessment (AQN)
  • Air Quality Positive Statement
  • Dust Management Plan (DMP)

Guidance documents to be referenced in preparation of a major development

  • London Plan Guidance - Air Quality Neutral, February 2023
  • London Plan Guidance - Positive, February 2023
  • National Planning Policy Framework
  • Land Use Planning & Development control: Planning for Air Quality January 2017 IAQM
  • Guidance on Air Quality Monitoring in the Vicinity of Demolition and Construction Sites IAQM
  • Guidance on the Assessment of Dust from Demolition and Construction Version 1.1 June 2016 IAQM
  • London Plan 2021
  • The Control of Dust and Emissions During Construction and Demolition SPG July 2014 (Mayor of London)
  • Sustainable Design and Construction SPG April 2014 (GLA)
  • Air Quality Neutral Planning Support Update: GLA 80371 April 2014
  • LBTH Local Plan (Supplementary Planning Document)
  • LBTH Air Quality Action Plan
  • Technical Guidance 2016 (LLAQM.TG (16))
  • Technical Guidance Note (Monitoring) M8 – EA
  • London Councils Air Quality and Planning Guidance January 2007

Informative Air Quality Assessment (AQA)

An AQA should:

  • Identify site location and give a brief description of the proposed development as it relates to air quality, including a description of all receptors

  • It should include any sensitive receptors and may include ecological receptors. The AQA should also assess the current air quality/dust/odour in the area of the proposed development

  • Give full details of the measures that will be implemented to maintain and to improve air quality in the area of the development

  • Include mitigation measures to protect the air quality inside buildings

  • Identify how the building works, related activities, future operation and use of the development may impact local air quality (prediction of the impact of the proposed development)

  • Identify measures that will be implemented or continue to be implemented after the development is completed with clear timescales of when information will be provided

  • Include an Air Quality (Dust) Risk-Assessment (AQDRA) giving detailed risk assessments for each construction sub-phase as outlined in the Control of Dust and Emissions During Construction SPG 2014, Mayor of London

  • Include current baseline and future year projections of NO2, PM10 and PM2.5 based on monitoring data and the LAEI (20 m2 grid reference)

  • LBTH 2020 data (published in the ASR 2021) and LBTH 2021 data (published in the ASR 2022) should not been used as they do not accurately predict NO2 concentration levels.

  • Model the impact of the development (parking emissions and building emissions) on local air quality using suitable modelling software

  • Ensure the latest date measurements are used and nearest full meteorological datasets (as outlined in the Mayor of London SPG 2014)

  • Ensure the report of the model state:
    • datasets used
    • methodologies (monitoring, modelling, and scenarios)
    • meteorological data
    • background concentrations
    • traffic data (flow, speeds, etc.)
    • dispersion model type

  • Include a quantitative assessment to understand any major affects within the surrounding area.

  • The potential for cumulative construction traffic effects is to be considered and assessed, as required.

  • Ensure the approach to working out major effects from construction effects are based on the number of demolition and construction trips of each cumulative scheme considered.

  • Work out the projected traffic flows from cumulative schemes should be gathered based on information available in the public domain

  • Ensure the applicant contacts the relevant developers of cumulative schemes to obtain required information if such information is not yet publicly available.