Agenda item

Report of the Portfolio Holder for Environmental Health and Licensing.

Council considered a report which proposed to make Orders under the Environment Act 1995 to revoke the South Normanton and Barlborough Air Quality Management Areas.

Between 2001 and 2007, three AQMA’s were declared due to high levels of Nitrogen Dioxide in the air outside a small number of residential properties and levels which were well above the national Air Quality Objectives of 40 µg/m³ (micrograms per cubic metre).  These AQMA’s were known as Barlborough No1, Barlborough No2, and South Normanton.

The Council and partners had used a mixture of local planning policy and road network management to compliment changes to vehicle technology to assist in reducing pollution levels in these areas, and there had been significant reductions over the last 7 years in pollution levels, with the annual mean being well below the 40 µg/m³ limit.  These reductions were also showing a continual annual reduction.

The Council’s monitoring data for all the AQMA’s had been independently verified and subject to critical review by an independent consultancy as shown in appendix 2 and 3 to the report.  It should be noted that the data on which the reductions had been based, originated from before the Coronavirus pandemic reduced traffic volumes.

A statutory public consultation took place for a 12 week period for each AQMA on whether they should be revoked.  The Barlborough AQMA’s were subject to a consultation in 2019, and the South Normanton consultation took place in March 2021.  Responses to the consultations could be found in Appendix 4 to the report.

While concerns were raised about the cessation of monitoring and the risks future development may bring in Barlborough, there were no responses indicating a need to continue with any of the AQMA’s.

The report noted that monitoring at these locations would continue, although at a reduced capacity to allow for other locations of concern to be monitored, so that the Council could continue to measure the air quality in the areas and consider future actions based on those results. 

Councillor Andrew Joesbury noted that although the pollution rate had reduced at South Normanton, it was still higher than the rate at which Barlborough had started out at in 2013.  He requested that a letter be sent to the MP and also Highways England urging that the improvement works at Junction 28, be expedited as soon as possible.

Councillor Tom Kirkham queried if there were any future plans to put monitoring points in around areas such as schools.

The Service Manager (Commercial & Environment), advised the meeting that the air quality management area monitoring stations were not necessarily in relation to the motorway – they were with regard to the local areas and small streets outside residential properties.  So the intention of the monitoring was solely about the impact of air quality on residential properties and people in the local area.  The M1 was not part of the monitoring network.

Moved by Councillor Deborah Watson and seconded by Councillor Ray Heffer

RESOLVED that (1) the significant improvements in air quality within the District and the outcome of the independent reviews and public consultations be noted,

(2) the Council makes orders to revoke the three Air Quality Management

Areas under section 83 of the Environment Act 1995.

(Assistant Director of Environmental Health)