An Update on Aether's Recent AQA Services

22 March 2024

Aether’s air quality team has been busy providing air quality consultancy services across the UK. From supporting planning applications requiring Environmental Impacts Assessment (EIA) to supporting changes to consented schemes and discharging conditions. Aether has also supported planning applicants responding to air quality queries resulting from the review of planning applications referred by the Greater London Authority (GLA).

Aether recently completed two Environmental Impacts Assessments (EIA) for a residential development with up to 650 dwellings in South Somerset and a mix-use development with up to 400 dwellings and employment area in North Somerset. The ADMS-Roads dispersion model was used to determine the impact of emissions from road on existing sensitive receptors and future site occupiers and predicted concentrations were compared with the air quality objectives. The sites was deemed suitable for the proposed developments without the need for additional mitigation. The proposed developments were not expected to generate significant air pollutant emissions, however, to further reduce the impacts of traffic associated with the developments several measures will be implemented to further encourage trips by sustainable and healthy active means.

Another example of a recent air quality assessment is an outdoor air quality and odour assessment in support of a full planning application for partial demolition, rebuild and retrofit of an existing office building in Westminster. A detail analysis of air quality constraints, including dispersion modelling, was provided during design stage to inform the redevelopment MEP and ventilation strategy. The ADMS-Roads dispersion model was used to determine the impact of existing poor air quality on future site occupiers and predicted concentrations were compared with the air quality objectives. Recommendations for the location of the air intakes and the use of filtration were given in line with the dispersion model results.

Other recent examples include:

  • Aether prepared a Dust Risk Assessment and Air Quality Dust Management Plan (AQDMP) required to discharge a planning condition for the provision of a community centre within the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames.
  • Aether prepared a Emission Control Statement required to discharge a planning condition for a retirement home in Tunbridge Wells.
  • Aether prepared an emergency generator assessment for two planning applications referred to GLA within London Borough of Southwark and London Borough of Islington.
  • Aether prepared an assessment for a temporary energy plant for a consented scheme required due to delays with the planned connection to a district heating network within London Borough of Brent.

Please contact us at the following email address if you need any air quality assessment work: enquiries@aether-uk.com

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Testimonial

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“Chris was excellent to work with and always very pro active in making suggestions, taking work forward and applying his considerable technical knowledge in effective ways.”

Robert Vaughan, Defra Air Quality Team

“From their winning bid to final delivery, Aether's work with North Norfolk District Council was positive and thorough. They brought a clear understanding of the challenges local authorities face regarding carbon emissions and quickly understood the unique nature of the Coastwise project. Communication was effective, and the outcomes combined a depth of research with real-world utility for the council's activities around carbon emissions and mitigation.”

Alastair Zangs, North Norfolk District Council

“A heartfelt thank you to all the Aether team for this very comprehensive review – this is certainly turning out to be one of the most beneficial capacity building projects I have ever been involved in.”

Saviour Vassallo, Senior Environment Protection Officer, Malta Resources Authority

“Aether was a great asset in involving/engaging with Member States experts on highly technical subjects regarding GHG reporting. Very clear communication of issues and results.”

Andreas Pilzecker, DG CLIMA

“We have worked with Aether since 2019 to baseline, and subsequently update, our council and borough greenhouse gas inventories. It is a pleasure working with Aether’s professional, responsive, collaborative and helpful team. ”

Merton Council

“If we have a need for any more reports in the future Aether will be first on my list.”

Alan Hardy, Kyson Design

“The Aether team were a joy to work with and I would recommend the consultancy - the service provided throughout the process was exceptional. Where there were problems, they provided solutions. The team were working to very short time scales but were able to deliver a high quality piece of work within the specified time frame.”

Sefton Council - for the Merseyside Atmospheric Emissions Inventory

“Both the face-to-face training and the online version have been of high quality, with dynamic methods and a practical orientation that have allowed students to reach a solid knowledge base. The products have been delivered within the stipulated deadlines with an excellent quality and the team has always shown willingness to make adjustments according to the requirements of CONAF. We are very satisfied with the work. ”

Javier Cano Martín, Professional Unit for Climate Change and Environmental Services, CONAF (National Forestry Corporation), Chile

“Aether delivered training workshops and generated learning materials for our SSN members, providing technical content in a manageable and comprehendible format. We particularly benefitted from their extensive knowledge and ability to interpret the needs of our members into the training materials.”

Jennifer Anderson, Sustainable Scotland Network

“The support provided by Aether for this project was especially remarkable considering the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic. The tools and methods used in order to engage local stakeholders really added value to the capacity building of the national team.”

Shanna Emmanuel, Saint Lucia BUR Project Coordinator

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