5. Planning Policy Guidance

5.1 Whether air quality is relevant to a planning decision will depend on the proposed development and its location. Concerns could arise if the development is likely to have an adverse effect on air quality in areas where it is already known to be poor, particularly if it could affect the implementation of air quality strategies and action plans and/or breach legal obligations. Air quality may also be a material consideration if the proposed development would be particularly sensitive to poor air quality in its vicinity. It is important that applicants engage early on with the local planning and environmental health departments to establish the need and scope of any assessment to support an application.

5.2 The PPG sets out what specific issues may need to be considered when assessing air quality impacts. These include: changes in vehicle emissions; the introduction of new point sources of air pollution; exposure of people to harmful concentrations of air pollutants, for example, by introducing further development in places with poor air quality; potential adverse effects on biodiversity. It also sets out guidance on the approach to assessment.

5.3 The PPG advises that mitigation options will:

• Need to be specific to the location
• Depend on the proposed development
• Need to be proportionate to the likely impact.

5.4 Planning conditions and obligations can be used to secure mitigation where the relevant tests are met. Examples of mitigation include: maintaining adequate separation between sources of air pollution and receptors; using green infrastructure; appropriate means of filtration and ventilation; electric vehicle charging points; contributing funding to measures designed to offset the impact of air quality arising from new development.