Emissions Mitigation Assessment

The purpose of an emissions mitigation assessment is to assess the local emissions from a development and to determine the appropriate level of mitigation required to help reduce the potential effect on health and/or the local environment.

Integrating Emissions Mitigation into a Scheme

The intention of the guidance is to identify and ensure the integration of appropriate mitigation into a scheme at the earliest stage. Where mitigation is not integrated into a scheme, the Local Planning Authority may require this through a planning condition(s). If on-site mitigation is not possible then the Local Planning Authority may seek compensation for air quality impacts through a section 106 agreement.

Calculating the required Emissions Mitigation for Developments

The emissions calculator provides a calculation to determine the amount of pollutant emissions a development is likely to produce. This in turn, by multiplying the damage cost for the key pollutants (PM10 and NOx see below), determines the amount (value) of mitigation that is expected to be spent on measures to mitigation those impacts. There are numerous tools now available, and we typically use these when calculating burdens from proposed devlopments.

• Emissions Factors Toolkit - For estimating vehicle emissions
• Exempt Model - For estimating excess emissions due to engine cold starts.
• Biomass Emissions Screening Tool - For screening emissions from biomass plant.
• Industrial Emissions Screening Tool - For screening emissions from industrial plant.
• Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Emissions Screening Tool - For screening emissions from gas-fired CHP plant.
• Emission Factors for Small Combustion Appliances - Typical emission factors for small combustion appliances, and estimates of emissions per household and per hectare of service sector floorspace.
• Total Oxidant Concentrations - Estimates of 99.8th percentile concentrations of total oxidant (i.e. NOx+O3, as NO2) for AURN sites.
•  Emission Factors Database - This database contains the emission factors used in the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (NAEI) as well as factors specifically designed for local inventories.

Emissions Mitigation for Minor Developments

If the development is not classified as major but is within or in relevant proximity to an AQMA, then it will be at the discretion of the Local Authority Officer responsible for air quality to suggest reasonable mitigation options for these types of development. For other developments use the emissions calculator.

Emissions Mitigation for all other developments

The emissions assessment and mitigation calculator provides a formula to calculate the emissions resulting from a development or change of development use and produces a cost for mitigation measures and/or compensation.

Air Emission Mitigation Options

There are numerous methods that can be used. There is no doubt that the majority of the below suggestion as taken from relavent guidance are all very laudable. But unless the development is of a particular type, and the management structure is set up appropriately few of the below measures will have a lasting effect:

• EV recharging infrastructure within the development (wall mounted or free standing in-garage or off-street points).

• Car club provision or support to local car club/eV car club.

• Designation of parking spaces for low emission vehicles.

• Differential parking charges depending on vehicle emissions

• All commercial vehicles should comply with either current or previous European Emission Standard.

• Fleet operations should provide a strategy for considering reduced emissions, low emission fuels and technologies.

• Use of ultra low emission service vehicles.

• Support local walking and cycling initiatives

• On-street EV recharging

• Contribution to low emission vehicle refueling infrastructure

• Low emission bus service provision or waste collection services

• Bike/e-bike hire schemes

• Contribution to renewable fuel and energy generation projects

• Incentives for the take-up of low emission technologies and fuels