Air Quality Assessment – Gas Lane, Bristol

Redmore Environmental was instructed to undertake an Air Quality Assessment in support the redevelopment of an industrial heritage site off Gas Lane, Bristol. The proposals form part of the Bristol Temple Quarter, one of the UK’s largest urban regeneration zones.

The Gas Lane proposals comprise the construction of a Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) scheme to provide:

• 260 beds in a mix of 219 en-suite cluster bedrooms; and,
• 41 self-contained studios.

Future residents will also be able to enjoy a communal lounge and further amenities including a landscaped roof terrace, and they will have access to 84 bicycle parking spaces.

Bristol Air Quality Assessment

The site is located within an Air Quality Management Area which has been declared by Bristol City Council due to high pollution levels. An Air Quality Assessment was therefore undertaken to determine whether the proposals would exposure future residents to poor air quality, as well as cause air quality impacts during the construction and operational phases.

Air Quality Assessment Methodology and Findings

During the construction of the new building there is the potential for any dust released from the various activities on site to cause health effects to people nearby, as well as nuisance due to deposition on cars, windows and other surfaces. These impacts were assessed using the Institute of Air Quality Management (IAQM) document ‘Guidance on the Assessment of Dust from Demolition and Construction’. Based on the outcome of the risk assessment, site-specific dust control measures were provided to reduce dust emissions to an acceptable level during construction.

Potential impacts associated with new traffic emissions were assessed using the screening criteria contained within the Institute of Air Quality Management document ‘Land-Use Planning & Development Control: Planning for Air Quality‘. This allowed effects to be defined as negligible due to the decrease in vehicle movements associated with the redevelopment of the site, providing a cost effective solution for the client and limiting the amount of detailed assessment required for the project.

Outcome

Following submission of the Air Quality Assessment, the report was accepted by Bristol City Council’s Environmental Health Officer, and the development has since received planning consent.

How Can We Help You?

If you have a project that requires an Air Quality Assessment in support of planning then get in touch today to discuss how we can help you ensure permission is granted.