Air Quality Assessments – East Anglia

Despite its rural nature, East Anglia, a region encompassing counties such as Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk, is not exempt from the challenges associated with maintaining clean and healthy air. There are several areas in the region where air pollution levels exceed the national air quality objectives, including Cambridge, Ipswich, and Norwich.

When do you need an air quality assessment in East Anglia?

Air quality assessments in East Anglia are required to ensure that proposals do not significantly impact neighbours during construction (e.g., from the release of dusts and odorous gases from construction and demolition), during operation (due to the release of emissions from central heating systems, or from associated road vehicles) and to make sure the design is sensitive to existing areas of poor air quality.

Air Quality Assessments are generally required in East Anglia if a proposal is classified as Major or if the site is located in, or near to, an Air Quality Management Area. However, the individual council’s planning validation checklists should always be consulted.

Several local authorities in East Anglia, have their own dedicated air quality planning guidance setting out their expectations for proposed development in terms of assessment and mitigation. These include:

• Cambridge City Council’s Air Quality Guidance for Developers
• Broadland District Council’s Air Quality Technical Guidance
• South Norfolk District Council Air Quality Technical Guidance
• Ipswich Borough Council Low Emission Supplementary Planning Document.

When might you need an odour assessment in East Anglia?

Local authorities also often require that for any new kitchen extract system (e.g. for an application for a restaurant, or takeaway) that the planning application (e.g. change of use) provides evidence that the new kitchen extract system is designed to minimise the potential for any odour impacts.

Development in the East Anglia occurs on greenbelt land, on the edge of towns and villages. This can put proposed development at risk from odorous emissions from wastewater treatment works.

How Greenavon can help?

Greenavon have developed working relationships with several local authority officers across the UK. We routinely consult with them to discuss a project and, where possible, agree the assessment approach, in advance of planning submission. This is done to maximise the project’s chances of gaining planning permission and minimising the need for any additional work which might be required via planning condition.

Where We Work

Cambridge City Council│ East Cambridgeshire District Council│ Fenland District Council│ Huntingdonshire District Council│ South Cambridgeshire District Council│ Norfolk County Council│ Breckland District Council│ Broadland District Council│ Great Yarmouth Borough Council│ King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council│ North Norfolk District Council│ Norwich City Council│ South Norfolk District Council│ Suffolk County Council│ Babergh District Council│ East Suffolk Council│ Ipswich Borough Council│ Mid Suffolk District Council│ St Edmundsbury Borough Council│ Waveney District Council