Plans for fifth Ipswich AQMA to be considered

Proposals to implement a fifth air quality management area (AQMA) — and to amend three existing AQMAs — are to be considered by Ipswich borough councillors at a meeting next week (5 September).

The plans have been tabled following planning and consultation by the local authority as it considers measures to improve air quality across the borough by limiting nitrogen dioxide emissions from road transport.

The Waterfront area at Ipswich has one of the town’s four current AQMAs

Three AQMAs were declared in April 2006 and one in December 2010, the first one encompassing Norwich Road, Chevalier Street and Valley Road; a second covering the junction of Crown Street with Fonnereau Road, St Margarets Street and St Margarets Plain; a third which encompasses the junction of Grimwade Street with St Helens Street, the Starr Lane gyratory system including Fore Street, Salthouse Street, Key Street, College Street, Bridge Street, Foundation Street and Slade Street and the 2010 AQMA which includes Bramford Road/Yarmouth Road/Chevallier Street junction and part of Chevallier Street.

According to documents published ahead of the meeting of the council’s executive committee last week, the borough has carried out a detailed air quality assessment exercise in 2015, which resulted in recommendations to amend three AQMAs in the town. This was then followed by a public consultation, which concluded this summer.

Proposals have been put forward to make amendments to the three 2006 AQMAs, as well as the establishment of a further AQMA at St. Matthews Street/Norwich Road between the Civic Drive roundabout and Bramford Road.

Planning

Boundaries for three of the four Ipswich AQMAs could be moved, following next week’s meeting

Other work to tackle air pollution within Ipswich has included the drafting of new planning guidance to take into account measures that will help to lessen the air quality impact of future developments within the Suffolk town (see airqualitynews.com story).

The council’s Low Emissions Strategy supplementary planning document (SPD), which is currently being drawn up by council planning officers, will aim to provide ‘consistency’ in the approach to dealing with air quality and planning within the town, the council has said.