Air Quality in Uttlesford
An introduction to Uttlesford and issues related to air quality in the area...
Air Quality Management Area (AQMA)
Uttlesford declared an AQMA in May 2012 to include major road junctions in Saffron Walden, based on the annual mean for nitrogen dioxide not being met at the Debden Road/London Road junction and the Thaxted Road/East Street junction. The area is centred on Elm Grove off Hill Street and a map of the area is shown below:
Saffron Walden AQMA [250.52KB]The AQMA enables the Council to take air quality into account as a material consideration when determining planning applications or appeals for larger developments inside or close to the AQMA. An application must be accompanied by an Air Quality Assessment if one or both of the following apply:
- The development could lead to a measurable deterioration in air quality as a direct result
- The development would introduce or increase human exposure in areas where existing air quality does not meet the air quality standard
- The existing air quality in the vicinity of the proposed development
- The likely impact on local air quality as a result of the proposed development including additional traffic and/or introduction of new emissions sources, such as combustion plant
- Proposed measures for mitigating the impact on air quality including design measures to limit public exposure
- The level of increased exposure by the public to pollutants taking account of any mitigation measures
If an application is approved, the Council can seek financial contributions towards mitigating the impacts.
What Uttlesford is doing to promote improvements in Air Quality
Having declared the centre of Saffron Walden as an Air Quality Management Area, the Council is obliged to develop and carry out remedial action aimed at meeting the air quality objectives within the AQMA and to reduce the likelihood of future exceedances over for the 5 year life of the plan.
An Action Plan has been developed, and following a period of statutory consultation, was adopted by UDC Cabinet in October 2017.
Air Quality Action Plan 2017 - 2022 [1.88MB]A key measure is traffic management and other physical intervention like cycle routes, and development of the plan has been dependent upon input from Essex County Council Highways officers. Other measures focus on behavioural change and modal shift towards sustainable forms of transport, and ensuring a consistent and integrated approach towards development control, through policies and technical guidance to developers.
An annual review of the plan will be undertaken to assess progress of implementing the measures and to ensure the proposed actions remain appropriate. Progress each year will be reported in the Air Quality Annual Status Report as part of our statutory duties set by Defra.
The plan has the co-benefit of reducing exposure to fine particulates, a duty which Defra has placed with local authorities due to the known health impacts.
Apart from the Action Plan measures, Uttlesford continues to enforce legislative controls to reduce emissions throughout the district, and to provide public information and guidance on air quality issues.