Air Quality Consultants Ltd. formed part of the project team, led by Barton Willmore, which achieved planning approval in 2020 for the construction of a residential development on the outskirts of Watlington, South Oxfordshire, which is now under construction. The project involved the demolition of an existing pig farm and its associated buildings; the erection of 183 dwellings; the creation of two new vehicular access points; as well as various other ancillary works.
The air quality assessment provided a review of existing air quality conditions in the area, and incorporated detailed dispersion modelling to assess the air quality impacts of the potential traffic generated by the development on the AQMA in Watlington. The model included a detailed consideration of canyons within the Watlington AQMA.
Specific consideration was given to mitigation. Associated with the site was a relief road, which would take traffic out of the AQMA, but could not be implemented until three adjoining sites had been developed. The assessments therefore had to show impacts without the relief road in place. Shorter term mitigation was delivered by the temporary removal of two sections of on-street parking in the town centre, secured via a S106 agreement, which are to be in place until the Edge Road is completed.
An appeal was made against the failure of South Oxfordshire District Council to determine the application within the prescribed period. The Council set out what would have been the 4 reasons for refusal in its statement of case dated April 2019, the second of which related to air quality effects. The Council withdrew all reasons for refusal, in relation to air quality due to further assessment work undertaken by AQC and negotiations between the appellants and the Council’s air quality specialists. However, two Rule 6 parties were involved with this inquiry, and Watlington Parish Council (WPC) contested the decision on air quality.
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