Expert air quality, dust and odour assessments across the London Borough of Brent. Our chartered professionals support planning applications at Wembley Park, Old Oak Common and the Park Royal HS2 growth corridor.
The London Borough of Brent is home to some of the most ambitious development programmes in the United Kingdom. Wembley Park — one of the country's largest urban regeneration projects — is transforming the area around Wembley Stadium into a vibrant mixed-use neighbourhood with thousands of new homes and significant commercial space. On the borough's southern boundary, the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation is delivering a new urban quarter of around 25,700 homes and 65,000 jobs centred on a new HS2 and Elizabeth line super-hub station at Old Oak Common.
Brent has declared Air Quality Management Areas along the North Circular Road (A406), Harrow Road and other major arterial corridors. The entire borough falls within the London Ultra Low Emission Zone, and the Mayor of London's London Plan requires new development to be Air Quality Neutral or better. For major schemes and those in Air Quality Focus Areas, an Air Quality Positive assessment is required. The combination of heavy traffic, complex road networks and large-scale development activity makes air quality a central planning consideration across the borough, and Brent Council's officers expect technically robust assessments that address cumulative impacts.
At Air Dust Odour, our Chartered Environmentalists understand both Brent Council's requirements and the specific guidance of the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation. We deliver authoritative assessments that address the ULEZ policy context, the borough's AQMAs and the complexities of major regeneration sites. From a small residential application in Kilburn to a large mixed-use scheme at Wembley or within the OPDC boundary, we provide the right level of assessment to support your planning application.
We provide specialist air quality, dust and odour assessment services for planning applications across the London Borough of Brent and within the OPDC area.
Screening and detailed air quality assessments for residential, commercial and mixed-use developments across Brent. Our assessments address the requirements of Brent Council, the OPDC and the Greater London Authority, including Air Quality Neutral and Air Quality Positive demonstrations, dispersion modelling for sites near the A406 and A40 road corridors, and exposure assessment for sensitive receptors in the Wembley Park and Old Oak Common growth areas.
Dust risk assessments and Construction Environmental Management Plans for demolition, earthworks and construction projects across Brent. The Wembley Park programme and the OPDC area involve multiple concurrent construction projects, making robust dust management and cumulative assessment essential. We prepare assessments that satisfy both Brent Council and OPDC planning conditions and protect neighbouring communities throughout the construction programme.
Odour risk assessments for restaurants, takeaways, cafes and commercial kitchens following the EMAQ+ methodology. Brent's vibrant food and drink economy — particularly along Wembley High Road, Ealing Road, Harlesden High Street and Kilburn High Road — means kitchen odour assessments are routinely required. The high density of residential uses above commercial premises makes odour management a key consideration for food business planning applications.
Demonstrating that a proposed development will not worsen local air quality by exceeding transport and building emission benchmarks. The London Plan requires Air Quality Neutral assessment for all major developments in Brent, with Air Quality Positive required in Air Quality Focus Areas. The OPDC Local Plan similarly requires strong air quality performance from new development within the Old Oak Common and Park Royal area. We advise on achievable compliance strategies and mitigation design.
We provide air quality, dust and odour assessment services across all neighbourhoods and development sites in the London Borough of Brent.
Most developments in Brent that require planning permission will need at least a screening-level air quality assessment. The borough has declared Air Quality Management Areas along the North Circular Road (A406), Harrow Road and other major arterial routes. The entire borough falls within the London ULEZ, and the Mayor of London's London Plan requires new developments to be Air Quality Neutral. Brent Council's planning officers routinely request air quality assessments for residential, commercial and mixed-use applications, with the Wembley, Old Oak Common and Park Royal growth areas subject to particular scrutiny given the scale of planned development.
Old Oak Common is one of the most significant regeneration opportunities in the United Kingdom, centred on a new super-hub station that will serve HS2 and the Elizabeth line. The Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation is delivering a new urban quarter of around 25,700 new homes and 65,000 jobs across a 650-hectare area straddling the borders of Brent, Ealing and Hammersmith and Fulham. Given the proximity to major road corridors including the A40, A406 and the Westway, air quality assessments are a fundamental requirement for all planning applications within the OPDC area, with robust dispersion modelling and cumulative assessment expected as standard.
Costs depend on the type and complexity of assessment required. Screening assessments typically start from around £500, detailed air quality assessments with dispersion modelling from around £1,500, and kitchen odour assessments from around £800. An air quality neutral assessment, required by the London Plan for developments above certain thresholds, adds to the scope. For sites within the OPDC area, the assessment scope may be more extensive. Contact us for a free, no-obligation quote tailored to your project in Brent.
Yes. Brent Council expects a construction dust risk assessment and Construction Environmental Management Plan for most development projects that require planning permission. This is particularly important in the Wembley Park area and within the OPDC boundary, where multiple major construction projects are active simultaneously and cumulative dust impacts must be managed carefully. The assessment follows IAQM guidance to evaluate dust risk and specify mitigation measures appropriate to the proximity of sensitive receptors.
Wembley Park is one of the largest urban regeneration projects in the United Kingdom, transforming the area around Wembley Stadium into a new mixed-use neighbourhood with thousands of new homes, significant retail and commercial space, and public realm improvements. The site attracts very high traffic volumes associated with stadium events. Air quality assessments for developments in the Wembley Park area must address both background traffic conditions and elevated pollution levels during major events, as well as demonstrating compliance with the London Plan's Air Quality Neutral requirements.
