Redmore Environmental was commissioned to undertake an Odour Assessment in support of a residential development on land off Pond Hall Lane, Hadleigh. The proposals included the conversion of an existing barn to provide two residential properties with shared parking and associated amenity space.
Why was an Odour Assessment Required?
A planning application for the development was submitted to Babergh District Council in February 2022. Following submission, concerns were raised by the Council regarding potential odour impacts as a result of emissions from industrial units to the east of the site. Subsequently, an Odour Assessment was undertaken to evaluate any impacts and identify any requirement for mitigation to control adverse effects.
An Odour Assessment, including three Field Odour Surveys and a Risk Assessment, was undertaken to determine baseline conditions at the site. The findings were subsequently used to evaluate the potential for loss of amenity at the development. The project was completed in accordance with the Institute of Air Quality Management (IAQM) Guidance on the Assessment of Odour for Planning v1.1. The FIDOL factors outlined in the Environment Agency H4: Odour Management document were also considered. The analysis included details of local meteorological conditions, potential sources within the vicinity of the site and the risk of odour exposure.
Results and Findings
The results of the assessment indicated that odours associated with vegetation, manure, saltwater and a local cosmetics manufacturer were detected at several positions during the Field Odour Surveys. However, these led to negligible impacts at all locations.
The results of the Risk Assessment indicated that the odour effect significance ranged between negligible and slight as a result of emissions from the identified sources. This was due to the following factors:
- The small or medium source odour potential associated with the premises within the industrial estate;
- The potential offensiveness of odours associated with the sources;
- The frequency of winds from sources to the development;
- The level of containment for the odour sources; and,
- The dispersion arrangements for point sources associated with the industrial premises.
As maximum impacts were determined to be negligible and slight from the Field Odour Surveys and Risk Assessment, respectively, overall odour effects at the development were considered to be not significant in accordance with the IAQM methodology. As such, the conclusion of the Odour Assessment for Hadleigh indicated that emissions from the industrial units were not considered to represent a constraint to planning consent for the development.
How Can We Help?
If you have a development within the jurisdiction of Babergh District Council, or elsewhere in the UK, and are concerned about odour issues, then get in touch today to discuss how we can support your planning application.