Agenda item

All new development in Medway is assessed by the planning department against various criteria, including air quality.  The Environmental Protection team uses the Local Plan (Policy BNE24) and Medway’s Air Quality Planning Guidance 2016 to ensure that developments, which meet certain criteria, consider air quality and ensures that relevant mitigation measures are put in place. These mitigation measures are usually secured by relevant planning conditions being placed on the permission. Screening checklists in the guidance, and professional judgement, are used to determine the extent to which air quality needs to be considered.

The Planning department and Environmental Protection team have been requested to provide a general update on the impact of development in Medway, with a focus on air quality, to the Committee.

Discussion

The National Planning Policy Framework 2012 had included planning guidance on air quality with Medway having adopted air quality planning guidance in 2016. This had been rolled out throughout Kent and Medway. A planning application in Newington, Swale that Medway had assisted with was highlighted. This had been refused due to air quality concerns. Appeals by the developer to the Planning Inspector and High Court had been unsuccessful with both having agreed with the advice provided by the Council. The new Local Plan, a draft of which was due for completion in 2020, would contain policies on climate change and air quality. Where planning applications were approved that had associated air quality issues, mitigations or planning conditions could be included to help address this. All new development applications considered by Planning were assessed against criteria that included air quality.

Air pollution was considered to be the most significant environmental public health risk in England. It increased the risk of death from lung cancer, cardiovascular disease and respiratory disease and impacted on quality of life and length of life, reducing average life expectancy by 7-8 months. 125 deaths in Medway each year were estimated to be attributable to particulate air pollution. Public health costs nationally were estimated to be up to £20 billion nationally. Air quality in Medway was generally good and met national air quality objectives although there were some areas of poor air quality. Four Air Quality Management areas had been declared in Medway as a result and an Air Quality Action Plan developed with progress reported to DEFRA annually.

The following issues were discussed:

Air Quality Management Zones, air quality related deaths and mitigation – A Member said that Medway having had, in 2016, a higher percentage of deaths attributable to air pollution was a compelling reason to ensure it did not get worse. The Member was also concerned that action was based on average pollution throughout the year, which did not account for peaks at particular times, and that mitigation took place after rather than during development. Confirmation was requested of the location of the Central Medway Air Quality zone. The Environmental Protection Team Leader confirmed that the zone followed the path of the A2 through central Strood, Rochester and Chatham. Some parts of the zone did not have poor air quality but declaring the whole area as a zone made addressing the issue easier. DEFRA guidance stated that the Council had to use air quality averages across the year. 40 sites were monitored by Medway with only 4 having exceeded Nitrogen Dioxide limits in 2018. Medway was the only local authority in the county of Kent to monitor for certain types of particulate pollution (PM 2.5) and was unfairly named as an area with poor air quality as it was one of the few areas outside London that measured these types of particulate matter. Environmental planning conditions were used to ensure that developers took measures to mitigate noise and air pollution and enforcement action could be taken if they did not comply.

The Head of Planning acknowledged that there could be more proactive working with local communities in terms of communication as new developments took place.

Hoo Peninsula Development – In response to a Member question about the impact of future development on the Hoo Peninsula, the Committee was advised that large scale mitigations could be used to ensure good air quality and that the cumulative impact of development would be considered. More generally there was a need to encourage use of public transport, walking and cycling. It was acknowledged that the cost of public transport was a barrier. All new developments, which met certain criteria, were now required to install electric car charging points. Precise measures would be dependent on the contents of the local plan.

Engine idling, other communication and work with schools – A Member suggested that there should be signs in town centres to discourage engine idling. There was one existing sign at the Rainham level crossing but further signs could be considered. Work was being undertaken with 13 schools on an air quality initiative (KM Green School Awards) and schools were being encouraged to do their own anti-idling campaigns. A Member suggestion that the possibility of establishing car, exclusion zones around schools would be discussed with the Integrated Transport team. It was noted that a local primary school was planning to install a Living Wall. Medway would be assisting with monitoring the impact and support could be offered to other interested schools.

Guidance for Members – In response to a Member request for advice on what Councillors could do to encourage environmentally friendly travel, the Environmental Protection Team leader suggested that a fact sheet be produced for all councillors.

Health and mortality – Members asked if it was known which parts of Medway the people who had died prematurely due to air quality came from. It was also asked what other health data was available. The Director of Public Health said that it was currently not possible to break down the mortality figures by ward due to the way they were calculated and that the figures were statistical estimates. The prevalence of respiratory illnesses was known and this information could be mapped to see, for example, prevalence in each of the Air Quality Management zones. Public Health England was focussing on air quality as a major strand of work in the current year and Medway was working hard on the areas within its remit. The Council was leading by example, such as through sponsorship of the green schools award across Kent, Medway and London and Medway Norse had started to use electric vehicles.  

Decision

The Committee:

i)     Noted the report as an update from the Planning department and Environmental Protection on the impact of development in Medway, with a focus on air quality.

ii)    Requested that information be provided to Councillors on how they could promote green travel to residents.