Policy information sourced from the Richmond Upon Thames Local Plan

Policy 53 Local Environmental Impacts

A. 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.

B. 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.

C. In accordance with London Plan Policy D13 Agent of Change, the Council will apply the Agent of Change principle, which places the responsibility for mitigating impacts from existing noise and other nuisance-generating activities or uses firmly on the proposed new development sensitive to noise and other nuisances.

Air Quality

D. The Council promotes good air quality design and new technologies. All developments must comply with London Plan Policy SI 1 Improving Air Quality.

E. Major developments and large-scale development subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) are required to achieve “Air Quality Positive”.

F. All developments must be at least “Air Quality Neutral”. Proposals that would materially increase exceedances of local air pollutants will be resisted unless the development mitigates this impact through physical measures and/or financial contributions to implement proposals in Richmond’s Local Air Quality Management Plan.

G. To consider the impact of introducing new developments in areas already subject to poor air quality, the following will be required:

  1. an air quality impact assessment, including where necessary modelled data; this also applies to change of use to residential at street level;
  2. mitigation measures to reduce the development’s impact upon air quality, including the type of equipment installed, thermal insulation and ducting abatement technology;
  3. measures to protect the occupiers of new developments from existing sources;
  4. 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;
  5. mitigation measures to reduce the impact of transport from the development upon air quality, including support for active travel, electric vehicles and car club membership.

H. The Council will require financial contributions towards off-site air quality measures where a proposed development is not air quality neutral, or mitigation measures do not reduce the impact upon poor air quality. Specific guidance for air quality in new developments is set out in the Council’s Air Quality SPD (2020).

Noise and Vibration

I. 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:

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

J. Specific guidance for where noise and/or vibration will be an important consideration is set out in Development Control for Noise Generating and Noise Sensitive Development SPD (2018).

Light Pollution

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

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

Odours and Fume Control

L. 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:

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

Land Contamination

M. 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. New development must not pose an unacceptable risk to water quality. Development which has the potential to adversely impact water quality will be required to provide appropriate mitigation to alleviate the risk.

Construction and demolition

N. 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 Plans (CMPs) for the following types of developments:

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

O. Where applicable and considered necessary, the Council may seek a bespoke charge specific to the proposal to cover the cost of monitoring the Construction Management Plan (CMP).The Council will encourage early connection to electric power in the course of development to avoid nuisance from generators. In addition, CMPs will need to demonstrate how they meet the conditions and adhere to the Environment Agency’s regulatory position statements on dewatering where applicable.

For more information please see the Richmond Upon Thames Local Plan