Air Quality Working Group

Policy Measures

Local Transport Plan

The ten Greater Manchester authorities have produced a Local Transport Plan (LTP) setting out how transport resources will be managed. The LTP aims to develop an integrated system to encourage the use of public transport instead of cars for certain trips and other environmentally friendly modes. The second joint Local Transport Plan (LTP2) is currently being produced with a draft due for submission in July 2005. National statutory guidance on LTP2 has stated that air quality is one of the priorities along with road safety, congestion and accessibility.

As road transport is the major source of air pollution within the Greater Manchester area it has been decided that the air quality action plan measures relating to reducing pollution from traffic should be integrated into the LTP.

The government are currently working on arrangements for integrating future annual reporting on the LTP and the AQAP from 2007. More information on the LTP and district plans can be found at: http://www.gmltp.co.uk/

Development Plans (Unitary Development Plans, UDP's)

Unitary Development Plans set out the Council's policies in relation to new development and land use in the area. These could include specific policies in relation to air quality.

Council Environment Strategies

Many councils have clear environmental polices and strategies to promote environmental improvements within the Council, local businesses and local communities.

Development Control

The planning system should take into account air quality issues. This includes the location of developments which may increase air pollution and developments which may be significantly affected by existing pollution levels. The Greater Manchester authorities intend to develop guidance for developers which will set out the types of development for which a detailed air quality assessment would be required. It will also set out the information the assessment should contain and the methodology developers should follow.

Planning Conditions and Section 106 Agreements

The Greater Manchester local authorities will develop a list of mitigating measures which may be appropriate where:

• new development produces a significant increase in air pollution in the area or
• Current or predicted high air pollution levels will affect sensitive new development.

Mitigating measures could be introduced by incorporating features designed to reduce the impact on air quality in the building design, imposing planning conditions or Section 106 agreements. Section 106 agreements are legal agreements that can take place when new developments occur under the planning legislation and the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

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