Local Requirements

Air Quality Assessment

Required for:

  • Major dwellings
  • Major heavy industry/ storage/ warehousing
  • Large scale major offices, industry and retail in excess of 10,000 m2
  • Within 1 km of a sensitive area, for example an Air Quality Management Area or an Air Quality Area of Concern (AQMA/AQAC)
  • Car parking more than 100 spaces
  • Introduces new exposure to existing sources of air pollutants such as busy roads
  • Will have a significant impact on traffic in terms of volume or change of vehicle composition
  • Will include biomass boilers, combined heat and power plants, short Term Operating Reserve electricity generating systems
  • Major road infrastructure changes
  • Will introduce its own potentially polluting source, for example power plants, mineral sites, spraying processes or manufacturing
  • Will involve significant dust emissions

Guidance

There are no AQMAs within West Devon.

Proposals that impact upon air quality or are potential pollutants must be supported by an air quality assessment. This should indicate the change in air quality resulting from the proposed development and outlining appropriate mitigation measures as necessary.

An Air Quality Assessment must be prepared by a suitably qualified expert, in accordance with the latest guidance from the Institute of Air Quality Management available.

Development may result in the need for a Section 106 contribution to mitigate impacts and where the presence of a source of odour and/or dust that may affect amenity for future occupants of the development.

Pre-application advice should be sought from the Environmental Health Team in order to determine the level of assessment required.

Useful information