This document reports on a project undertaken by University of Suffolk for West Suffolk Council within their Local Government Association funded Net Zero Innovation Programme. The project sought to improve the process for including air quality monitoring, specifically particulates, as a planning condition, and was based on a case study of a previous such planning condition. This project has built upon and worked closely with specialist officers from West Suffolk Council and other district councils across Suffolk.

Air pollution is the lead environmental health problem in the UK and EU, impacting human health causing serious illnesses, and also ecosystem damage.

Particulate matter (PM) is the non-gas component in the air, forming physical particles which can be a wide range of chemical materials. It is classified by size, and named by a number representing the largest diameter of the particles (hence PM2.5 is particles with a diameter less than 2.5m). In the UK, approximately 15% of PM is considered to be naturally occurring, around 35% from international migration, and around 50% from UK-based anthropogenic sources. PM can travel long distances in the air over time periods of
weeks or more, so sources may not be close to the measurement location and therefore do not correlate with local traffic volume. UK-based anthropogenic emissions of PM2.5 are understood by DEFRA to include:
• 12.9% road transport including exhaust and non-exhaust (brake, tyre and road wear)
• 27.3% domestic combustion
• 26.0% industrial combustion
• 13.4% industrial processes (construction work can lead to local increases)
• 20.4% from other sources

Planning and development plans influence air quality and take into account impact and designated areas.

UK policy has developed targets including reduction targets as well as objectives not to exceed.

A ten-step guide is presented for inclusion of air quality monitoring as a planning condition:
Step Action
1 Identify concern appropriate for planning or other condition
2 Identify air quality and related parameters to monitor
3 Specify sensor requirements, including calibration.
Identify location, power, and access
4 Identify period of monitoring, including pre-, during and post-development
5 Identify other data to collect
6 Identify other organisations collaborating or contributing
7 Analysis requirements
8 Specify reporting requirements, frequency of intermediate and final reporting
9 Monitor implementation, receipt of reporting and values
10 Assess any additional action required

This is included as a stand-alone two-page guide, with brief explanations of the steps and potential draft planning condition. It is further expanded with details and reasoning within the main body of this report. Incorporating air quality monitoring as a condition of planning applications can support the protection of public health and the environment, and the guide may support the formulation of such a planning condition to request and implement air quality monitoring measures.

The case study also analysed data provided from a sensor installed during previous monitoring condition, incorporating additional data from NO2 diffusion tubes, traffic sensor and road closure periods, and regional DEFRA monitoring. This indicated that DEFRA objectives were met over the monitoring period, and that PM varied closely with regional PM, including elevated measurements during a period of international migration (Saharan dust storm). During closure of the adjacent road, NO2 was observed to decrease but PM did not appear to be similarly affected. Strongest correlations with PM values were observed regionally rather than with traffic volumes, indicating geographical spread from national and international sources. Variation during November considered to be associated with bonfires and fireworks was observed.
It is concluded that incorporation of air quality monitoring as a planning condition where appropriate can be useful and well managed.