This is the Kent and Medway Air Quality Monitoring Network. The network is funded by the district and borough councils within the county, with an additional contribution from Kent County Council. The aims of the network are to promote the improvement of air quality within the region.

New Air Quality Planning Guidance

The Kent and Medway Air Quality Partnership have prepared all new Air Quality Planning Guidance aimed at local authorities, developers and consultants. The new guidance has been produced following an extensive review of the partnership guidance published in 2011, and made in response to changes in national planning policy, through the National Planning Policy Framework. The guidance uses a method for assessing the air quality impacts of a development which includes the quantification of impacts, calculation of damage costs, and the identification of mitigation measures to be implemented to negate the impact of development on air quality. It is hoped that the new guidance will provide clarity and consistency of approach for developers, the local planning authority and local communities.

The guidance has been made available to all Kent local authorities for use as technical guidance, or for adoption as a Supplementary Planning Document. Two versions of the guidance have been produced (Option A and option B), which differ only in terms of their approach to mitigation. Clarification should be sought from the respective local authority concerned at an early stage as to what version of the guidance is being used locally before any assessment is carried out.

» Download the air quality planning guidance - Mitigation option A (PDF)

» Download the air quality planning guidance - Mitigation option B (PDF)