Local planning decisions have significant potential to affect local air quality in many ways including:

• Location and design of industrial emissions sources

• Location of receptors

• Creation of traffic flow impacts

Local Air Quality Management

The increasing importance of this field within Local Air Quality Management (UK) (LAQM) has been recognised with the recent publication of two guidance documents as follows:

• Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs - Air Quality 

• Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, 2004: Planning Policy Statement 23: Planning and Pollution Control - Appendix 1B, Air Quality Policy

Air Quality Steering Group

Dudley Council have recently set up an air quality steering group comprising planning, transport and air quality officers; the group have been tasked with developing effective policies that will integrate local air quality issues into land use and transport planning. They will meet on a regular basis to discuss how these policies can be amended and applied to resolve problematic situations and improve air quality or minimise receptor exposure.

A copy of Dudley Council's guidance for officers interpreting potential air quality impacts of new development can be downloaded from the link below.