Executive Summary

The Environment Act 1995 requires local authorities to periodically review and assess the local air quality against the air quality objectives contained in the Air Quality Regulations. Objectives have been set for carbon monoxide, benzene, 1,3-butadiene, lead, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and fine particles (PM10). In areas where an objective is not likely to be achieved, the Council is required to establish Air Quality Management Areas and implement Air Quality Action Plans to improve air quality.

This is the third review and assessment of air quality carried out by East Hampshire District Council. The assessment is undertaken in two stages. The first stage is to carry out an Updating and Screening Assessment. Where a significant risk of exceeding the air quality objective is identified for a pollutant, we move to the second stage which is to carry out a Detailed Assessment. If the second stage is not necessary, an annual progress report has to be produced instead.

This report contains the 2006 Updating and Screening Assessment for East Hampshire. The assessment has been carried out in accordance with the Government’s published guidance.

All relevant air quality monitoring data, transport information and emissions from industrial processes in the District have been considered for each of the seven pollutants listed in the Air Quality Regulations. The Updating and Screening Assessment shows that the air quality objectives for carbon monoxide, benzene, 1,3-butadiene, lead and sulphur dioxide are not likely to be exceeded in the District.

For PM10, the assessment shows that the objectives for 2004 are likely to be achieved, however, the 2010 objectives may be exceeded close to busy roads and junctions. As the 2010 objectives are provisional, the Council is not required to proceed to a Detailed Assessment at this stage.

For nitrogen dioxide, the results from diffusion tube monitoring show that the 2005 and 2010 annual mean objective for nitrogen dioxide may be exceeded at several monitoring locations in the District including:

• A3 Bramshott Chase/Grayshott
• A3 Horndean/ Portsmouth Rd
• A325 Bordon

A Detailed Assessment of the nitrogen dioxide concentrations at these locations is therefore required.

A copy of the full report can be viewed below.

USA_report_easthants_2006.pdf