East Suffolk Council
Updated strategy sets out future air quality improvement measures
East Suffolk Council has adopted a renewed strategy for improving air quality across the district through a range of proactive measures.
The updated Air Quality Strategy takes into account priorities identified during public consultation last spring.
The previous Air Quality Strategy was adopted in 2021 – before East Suffolk’s last remaining Air Quality Management Areas (AQMA), in Woodbridge and Stratford St Andrew, were revoked following consecutive years of nitrogen dioxide concentrations falling within Government-set air quality objectives.
As well as public opinion, consultation on the updated strategy involved workshops with key stakeholders including the Council’s own Environment and Climate Change, Planning, Building Control and Energy Projects teams, alongside Suffolk County Council Highways and Public Health & Communities team.
Required by Defra (the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) to specify proactive measures for improving air quality, the strategy also identifies key emission sources of the three main pollutants – nitrogen dioxide, PM10 and PM2.5 (particulate matter under 10 and 2.5 micrometres’ diameter) – to help focus work and resources.
New Government guidance and legislation produced since adoption of the previous strategy has been included, as well as updated health data specific to East Suffolk.
The updated Air Quality Strategy was approved by Cabinet members in December. Cllr Sally Noble, East Suffolk Council cabinet member for the Environment, said:
“The whole strategy has been simplified and restructured to make it clearer and easier to read for the public and stakeholders.
“It shows just what has been achieved since the 2021 strategy was published and provides an action plan of measures to help further reduce emissions.
“The strategy will be updated as projects develop, and in the light of any new information, and progress on the action plan measures will be reported annually in an Air Quality Annual Status Report to Defra.”
East Suffolk Council’s Air Quality webpage contains various resources, information and guidance on reducing emissions and tackling pollution, while East Suffolk Greenprint Forum provides a link between public and voluntary organisations and community groups, to share skills and experiences, as well as assisting local environmental action.