DRAFT Sustainability Appraisal Report for the Emerging Local Plan ...

Section 9.
Introduction
[ER05] Air Quality
9.1 The air quality receptor can be defined as the current and likely future air quality in
Runnymede. Air pollution can affect human health and natural and built environment. Air
quality limit values were set for individual pollutants to protect sensitive human and
ecological receptors, which include:
Residential areas, schools and hospitals;
Ecosystems, designated species or habitats within a designated conservation site; and,
Commercial operations (that may be sensitive to dust).
9.2 The receptor covers the ‘air factor’ as required by the European Directive and UK Regulations
on the environmental assessment of plans and programmes and incorporates a number of SA
sustainable development objectives as outlined in Table 60. This can include the following
areas:
Applicable SA/SEA Objective/Factor
Table 60 – Applicable SA/SEA Objective/Factor to ER05
Objective/Factor
Relevant SA Objective(s)
No. Title Status
SO16 To improve air quality and ensure it continues to improve R
SO17
To address the causes of climate change through reducing emissions of
greenhouse gases
R
SO19 To conserve and enhance the region’s biodiversity A
SO21
SO22
SO25
To improve the efficiency of transport networks by enhancing the proportion of
travel by sustainable modes and by promoting policies which reduce the need to
travel
To reduce the global social and environmental impact of consumption of
resources by sustainably and ethically produced , local or low impact products
To increase energy efficiency , security and diversity of supply and the
proportion of energy generated from renewable sources in the region
A
G
A
Relevant SEA Factor(s)
FA08 Air R
Policy Context
9.3 There is a range of policies relevant to air quality at the international, national, regional and
local level. The key policy documents are set out below and summarised in Table 61 – ER05
Policy Context Summary.
Table 61 – ER05 Policy Context Summary
Strategic Context – Sources of relevant objectives and
goals
Local Plan Relevant
objectives and comment
[ER05] Air Quality
International Policy: Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change
European Policy: The Sixth Environment Action Programme
Objective: Enhancing air quality
will in turn enhance the
Page | 123 Runnymede BC FINAL Sustainability Appraisal Report – Feb 2013