Decision details

Following a review of the air quality across the authority several areas of Bath have been identified as exceeding the government's limits for air quality.  The authority is therefore required to vary the existing air quality management area.

(1) To VARY the Air Quality Management Area in Bath to include the blue/dotted areas on Appendix 1. Any residential property whose façade is within the area is deemed to be included. and

(2) To VARY the Air Quality Management Area in Bath to include the 1-hour Nitrogen dioxide objective.

Declaring the area outlined as an Air Quality Management Area will meet the statutory obligation placed on the authority.  Varying the existing Area to include the 1-hour nitrogen dioxide objective means that separate Action Plans will not be required for each new area.

Not to vary the Bath AQMA

This is not an option as the Council would be in breach of Part IV of the Environment Act 1995.

To vary the Bath AQMA to include the proposed extensions to the annual mean nitrogen dioxide objective but not to include the 1-hour nitrogen dioxide objective

This is not an option as the Council would be in breach of Part IV of the Environment Act 1995.

To vary the Bath AQMA to include the proposed extensions to the annual mean objective and to declare separate AQMAs for each hotspot location for the 1-hour nitrogen dioxide objective

This is more difficult to manage and would require separate Action Plans for each area.  The diffusion tube monitoring sites which measure above 60 microgrammes per cubic metre (indicating a possible breaching of the 1-hour objective) vary each year so the Air Quality Management Areas would need to be changed.