The Environment Act requires the Council to review and assess air quality. Where air pollution exceeds or is at risk of exceeding health objectives, an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) must be declared and an Air Quality Action Plan developed within 18 months to reduce pollution.
The report seeks Cabinet approval to revoke the urban AQMA, which is no longer appropriate as measured levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) are well below nationally set health based Air Quality Objective (AQO) levels, and declare a smaller area from St Lawrence to Shah Place, Ramsgate where pollution levels are at risk of exceeding health based objectives for NO2 due to the area being heavily trafficked.
Decision type: Key
Reason Key: Significant effect on communities;
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Wards affected: Nethercourt Ward;
Notice of proposed decision first published: 11/01/2023
Decision due: 15 Jun 2023 by Cabinet
Lead member: Councillor Heather Keen, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods Cllr-Heather.Keen@thanet.gov.uk
Lead director: Penny Button
Contact: Morgan Sproates, Regulatory Services Manager Email: morgan.sproates@thanet.gov.uk.
What the decision will mean: Revocation and re-designation of AQMA required to comply with Defra guidance.