Issue - meetings

Recommendation on page 12

RESOLVED – That Executive approve the making of Orders revoking the Barlborough No1 Air Quality Management Area and the Barlborough No2 Air Quality Management Area.

Executive considered the report of the Portfolio Holder – Environmental Health and Licensing which sought authorisation under the Environment Act 1995 to revoke two Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs), namely The Barlborough No 1 Air Quality Management Area and the Barlborough No 2 Air Quality Management Area.

The Council had been monitoring Nitrogen Dioxide concentrations in the AQMA around 14 Chesterfield Road, Barlborough since August 2005 when it was identified that the area had an annual mean Nitrogen Dioxide concentration above the national Air Quality Objective. For the past 7 years the concentrations had fallen to a level well below the 40 µg/m³ standard.

In 2007, a further exceedance of the annual mean Air Quality Objective had been identified in the Barlborough area and another AQMA was declared at 17-25 (odd numbers only), Orchard Close, Barlborough. Monitoring at this location had similarly confirmed that the concentrations over the past 7 years had been well below the 40 µg/m³ Air Quality Objective.

Due to the prolonged period that the concentrations had been significantly below the Air Quality Objective in both the AQMAs, the Council was confident that the reduction was permanent and not due to annual variations as a result of, for example, meteorological conditions. 

Following consultation, it was therefore proposed that the two AQMAs be revoked.

It was noted that monitoring would continue to take place in both areas for the foreseeable future.

Moved by Councillor Deborah Watson and seconded by Councillor Steve Fritchley

RESOLVED – That Executive approve the making of Orders revoking the Barlborough No1 Air Quality Management Area and the Barlborough No2 Air Quality Management Area.

REASON FOR DECISION:

The air quality in both the Barlborough No1 and Barlborough No2 Air Quality Management Areas had been well within the National Air Quality Objectives for at least the last five years and had shown a gradual reduction over that period.  There was no indication or reason to believe that air quality in these areas would have worsened in the foreseeable future.

OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED:

The only alternative would have been to keep the Air Quality Management Areas (AQMA) in place.  There was no justification for this as the purpose of an AQMA was to enable actions to be prioritised by the local authority to tackle high levels of Nitrogen Dioxide exceeding the annual mean Air Quality Objective.