Policy information sourced from Richmond Upon Thames Local Plan

LP 10 Local Environmental Impacts, Pollution and Land Contamination

The Council will seek to ensure that local environmental impacts of all development proposals do not lead to detrimental effects on the health, safety and the amenity of existing and new users or occupiers of the development site, or the surrounding land. These potential impacts can include, but are not limited to, air pollution, noise and vibration, light pollution, odours and fumes, solar glare and solar dazzle as well as land contamination.

Developers should follow any guidance provided by the Council on local environmental impacts and pollution as well as on noise generating and noise sensitive development. Where necessary, the Council will set planning conditions to reduce local environmental impacts on adjacent land uses to acceptable levels.

Air Quality

The Council promotes good air quality design and new technologies. Developers should secure at least ‘Emissions Neutral’ development. To consider the impact of introducing new developments in areas already subject to poor air quality, the following will be required:

  • an air quality impact assessment, including where necessary, modelled data;
  • mitigation measures to reduce the development’s impact upon air quality, including the type of equipment installed, thermal insulation and ducting abatement technology;
  • measures to protect the occupiers of new developments from existing sources;
  • strict mitigation for developments to be used by sensitive receptors such as schools, hospitals and care homes in areas of existing poor air quality; this also applies to proposals close to developments used by sensitive receptors.

Noise and Vibration

The Council encourages good acoustic design to ensure occupiers of new and existing noise sensitive buildings are protected. The following will be required, where necessary:

  • a noise assessment of any new plant and equipment and its impact upon both receptors and the general background noise levels;
  • mitigation measures where noise needs to be controlled and managed;
  • time limits and restrictions for activities where noise cannot be sufficiently mitigated;
  • promotion of good acoustic design and use of new technologies;
  • measures to protect the occupiers of new developments from existing sources.

Light Pollution

The Council will seek to ensure that artificial lighting in new developments does not lead to unacceptable impacts by requiring the following, where necessary:

  • an assessment of any new lighting and its impact upon any receptors;
  • mitigation measures, including the type and positioning of light sources;
  • promotion of good lighting design and use of new technologies.

Odours and Fume Control

The Council will seek to ensure that any potential impacts relating to odour and fumes from commercial activities are adequately mitigated by requiring the following:

  • an impact assessment where necessary;
  • the type and nature of filtration to be used;
  • the height and position of any chimney or outlet;
  • promotion and use of new abatement technologies;

Land Contamination

The Council promotes, where necessary, the remediation of contaminated land where development comes forward. Potential contamination risks will need to be properly considered and adequately mitigated before development proceeds.

Construction and demolition

The Council will seek to manage and limit environmental disturbances during construction and demolition as well as during excavations and construction of basements and subterranean developments. To deliver this the Council requires the submission of Construction Management Statements (CMS) for the following types of developments:

  • all major developments;
  • any basement and subterranean developments;
  • developments of sites in confined locations or near sensitive receptors; or
  • if substantial demolition/excavation works are proposed.

Where applicable and considered necessary, the Council may seek a bespoke charge specific to the proposal to cover the cost of monitoring the CMS.

For more information please see the Local Plan