Environmental Protection UK (EPUK) and the Institute for Air Quality Management (IAQM) have recently launched their completed ‘Guidance on land-use planning and development control: Planning for air quality’ document.
Two years in development, and produced by a working group consisting of air quality professionals and regulatory bodies, the guidance updates and replaces the 2010 EPUK document on the same topic. It is hoped by the IAQM that the guidance will help provide consistency and raise standards within the air quality community.
The major changes to the guidance include:
- A greater requirement for mitigation measures, such as electric vehicle charging points, to be included within new developments;
- Increased significance to be placed on air quality impacts, particularly in Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs);
- Stricter screening criteria for determining if a full Air Quality Assessment is required; and,
- Greater emphasis on professional judgement in determining the overall significance of an air quality impact.
The changes are likely to affect proposals, particularly in areas of poor existing air quality, and developers may need to start considering mitigation where none was required before. The guidance also presents a challenge to consultants, with a requirement to identify novel techniques to help improve air quality.
If you have a project that requires air quality support, or if you would like to discuss how the new guidance may affect you, then please do not hesitate to get in touch and find out how we can help you today.
The guidance can be downloaded from here.