The Environment Act 1995 (Part IV) requires Suffolk Coastal to
carry out periodic reviews of current and likely future air quality
in its area under
the Local Air Quality Management (new window)
regime. These reviews follow Government guidance issued in 2000
and 2002 that set health-based air quality objectives for seven
key pollutants and target dates for their achievement.
All air quality reports produced by Suffolk
Coastal since 1999 are available on this website for you to view
or download.
Local review and assessment
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
has set out a phased approach to local review and assessment that
becomes increasingly more detailed. At the end of the review and
assessment, if any of the objectives are not likely to be achieved
by the target dates, the Council must declare the location as an
Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) and prepare an action plan to
make improvements.
We have now completed three full rounds of review and assessment
looking at air quality within the district. The first was completed
in 2001, the second in 2005 and most recently the third was
completed in 2008.
The air quality investigations have culminated in the
declaration of 2 AQMAs within the district, both for annual mean
nitrogen dioxide. More information regarding each AQMA is available
if you follow the links below:
Updating and Screening Assessment Report 2009
The fourth round of review and assessment has now been started
with the completion of the 2009 Updating and Screening Assessment
report for the Suffolk Coastal district. This report looks at air
quality across the entire district and provides updates for both of
the AQMAs.
No new sites in the district have been identified in the report
as being of concern. Work is continuing in order to identify any
biomass combustion plant within the district which requires a
screening assessment, details will be presented in the 2010 Air
Quality Progress Report. Any information from the public regarding
the location of biomass combustion equipment would be most
gratefully received.
Draft Air Quality Action Plan for the Woodbridge Junction
AQMA
The Government has approved the Council’s draft Air Quality
Action Plan for the AQMA declared at the busy road junction of Lime
Kiln Quay Road, Thoroughfare and St. John’s Street in
Woodbridge.
Following declaration of the AQMA, extensive public consultation
resulted in 79 potential measures to reduce emissions from road
traffic and improve air quality. Each has been fully investigated
in relation to air quality impact, cost and feasibility,
culminating in a list of 20 measures recommended for
implementation. The draft Action Plan details the 20 measures, how
they will be monitored and an assessment of the benefits that
should occur as a result.
A public consultation on the draft Action Plan was completed on
18 June 2010. Numerous responses have been received which are being
collated for use in producing the final Action Plan for the
junction. This will be sent to Defra and publicised once
completed.
Follow this link for
more information about the AQMA at the Woodbridge
junction.
Send us your views and comments
We are always looking for local views on air quality within the
district and would welcome your comments - they will help
shape future investigations and reports.
You can email your views and comments to
environmental.protection@suffolkcoastal.gov.uk
or you can send them to:
Principal Environmental Health Officer,
Environmental Protection,
Suffolk Coastal District Council,
Melton Hill,
Woodbridge,
Suffolk IP12 1AU.
We may not be able to reply directly to every response, but be
assured that all comments received will be taken into account.
For more information about air quality in the district you can
contact our Environmental Protection team on 01394
444624 or email
environmental.protection@suffolkcoastal.gov.uk