Policy information sourced from Newham Local Plan 2018

SC5 - Air Quality

Proposals that address the following strategic principles, spatial strategy and design and technical criteria will be supported:

  • Strategic Principles:
    • All development should be at least Air Quality Neutral, supporting a net decrease in specified pollutants and making design, access, energy, and management decisions that minimise air pollution generation and exposure at demolition, construction, and operation stage; and
    • Development will support implementation of Newham’s Air Quality Action Plan, ensuring identified actions and mitigation are incorporated where relevant.
  • Spatial Strategy:
    • Development along major roads or in other locations that experience air quality exceedances1 should be configured to improve the dispersal of identified pollutants and reduce exposure without compromising SP7 objectives; and
    • Development close to navigable waterways should maximise use of waterborne freight and waste movement during construction and operation.
  • Design and technical criteria:
    • Air quality neutrality should be demonstrated using methodologies set out by the London Plan and related guidance;
    • All Major development should detail how it aligns with the Mayor of London’s Control of Dust & Emissions during Construction & Demolition SPG2 or subsequent updates;
    • Waste facilities and other dust and emissions-generating uses should be fully enclosed or provide an equivalent level of environmental protection with respect to air emissions;
    • Developments should only deploy combustion-based energy sources (including CHP, biomass boilers, and wood-burning stoves) as a last resort; those that do should demonstrate use of low-emission plant and post process mitigation/treatment where necessary to avoid an increase in controlled pollutants; and
    • Developments likely to generate any significant traffic, and hence air quality impacts, on the A12 and A406 (whether alone or in combination with other development) which pass within 200m of the Epping Forest SAC will need to undertake an assessment of impact on the SAC as part of the HRA.

For more information please see the Local Plan 2018