Air Quality Assessments – Kent

There are several Air Quality Management Areas in Kent, including many of those towns and villages through which the A2 transects. Kent has seen a recent boom in development, and this is only expected to increase with the government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF) supporting the construction over 10,600 homes over the next thirty years.

The Kent and Medway Air Quality Partnership includes several local authorities who have come together to help manage air quality across the county.

When do you need an air quality assessment in Kent and Medway?

Air quality assessments in Kent and Medway 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. 

The Kent and Medway Air Quality Planning Guidance set out whether you will need an air quality assessment in the region. Air quality impact assessments are generally required in Kent if a proposal includes more than 10 houses, includes more than 1000m² of commercial floorspace, or introduces highly sensitive uses next to a main road, or other pollution source. Sevenoaks District Council’s validation checklist also requires Air Quality Assessments for all major development and any dwellings located within 10m of an Air Quality Management Area.

Many authorities in Kent also require major development to provide a ‘damage cost’ calculation, which determines the amount a developer should be spending on air quality mitigation. In some cases, a developer would be required to provide a financial contribution if insufficient mitigation is provided on-site.

Air Quality in the Kent region can be poor, especially around the Dartford area near the M25. Furthermore, there is significant development planned in the region. The Kent and Medway Air Quality Planning Guidance is an essential means to prevent an incremental creep in air pollution and to ensure that the design of development in air pollution hotspots is suitable.

Each local authority manages air quality in its own adminstrative area, with many councils adopting their own air quality planning guidance. Authorities with dedicated air quality planning guidance are listed below:

• Maidstone Borough Council: Air Quality Planning Guidance
• Medway Council: Air Quality Planning Guidance
• Swale Borough Council: Air Quality and Planning Technical Guidance
• Thanet District Council: Air Quality Technical Planning Guidance

When might you need an odour assessment in Kent?

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 Kent 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 (WwTW). Southern Water has specific odour assessment requirements to ensure that development does not influence its operation.

How Greenavon can help?

Greenavon have developed close working relationships with several local authority officers across Kent. We routinely consult with local authority officers 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.

If you would like to discuss a project, or learn more about our services (including costs), please do not hesitate to get in contact.

Where We Work?

Ashford│ Canterbury│ Dartford│ Dover│ Gravesham│ Maidstone│ Medway│ Sevenoaks│ Shepway│ Swale│ Thanet│ Tonbridge and Malling│