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Introduction
As part of an Air Quality Strategy process, councils are encouraged
by DEFRA to develop a long term strategy which enables them to
handle air quality in a corporate and multi-disciplinary way. This
allows the Council to take air quality decisions into account in
all their wider policy areas, such as land use planning, transport
planning, energy efficiency, waste management, economic development
and regeneration. The Air Quality
Strategy 2005  (78K) mirrors many of the
recent developments and findings in relation to previously
published documents.
The Council's Role
The Council has two roles with respect to air quality:
- To develop strategic plans with the aim of reducing poor air
quality within the Wyre Forest area
- To monitor and quantify current air pollution status within the
District
Progress to date
The Council has published four Air Quality
Review and Assessment Reports and two progress reports to date.
In addition, there are two air quality management areas declared
within the District:
- Horsefair in Kidderminster
- Welch Gate in Bewdley
The Council is currently consulting on a third air quality
management area declaration for the Radford Avenue area in
Kidderminster.
The Council adopted an Action Plan for these areas late in 2004.
As part of the Government’s rolling programme of reviews, the
Planning, Health and Environment Division is currently preparing
the next update and screening assessment for April 2006.
Consultation
Public Consultation
Following recent detailed assessment work conducted during the
third round of air quality review and assessment, the Council has
identified an additional area in Kidderminster which is exceeding
the current nitrogen dioxide annual average objective value of
40ug/m3. As a consequence the Council is currently
consulting on its third air quality management area
declaration in the Wyre Forest district. There will be a
public meeting at the Earl Baldwin Suite, Duke House, Clensmore
Street, Kidderminster DY10 2JX on Thursday 7th May 2009
between 17:30 and 19:00. You are invited to come along
to express your views and opinions.
Read more about the Air Quality
Management Area Public Consultation
The Air Quality
Strategy 2005 (78K)
was adopted by Council on 16 April 2006.
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