Air Quality Assessment Crawley
Chartered environmental consultants providing air quality, dust and odour assessments across Crawley and the Gatwick Diamond area.
Environmental Consultants in Crawley
Crawley is a post-war new town and major commercial centre whose identity is inseparable from Gatwick Airport, the UK’s second busiest airport by passenger numbers. The airport and its associated business ecosystem — including Manor Royal Business District, one of the largest business parks in the South East — make Crawley a nationally significant economic hub. Significant new residential and commercial development is planned both within Crawley town centre and in the surrounding Gatwick Diamond, and this development must be carefully assessed against a local air quality baseline that is materially shaped by aviation activity and motorway traffic.
Crawley Borough Council has declared Air Quality Management Areas covering the A23 and M23 corridors, where a combination of commuter traffic, airport surface access and logistics movements produces elevated nitrogen dioxide concentrations. Gatwick Airport operations contribute to the local air quality picture through aircraft landing and take-off cycles at low altitude, taxiing and ground support equipment emissions, and the substantial HGV movements that service the airport’s cargo and catering operations. Any development that introduces new sensitive receptors close to these corridors or to the airport boundary must properly characterise this baseline and demonstrate that future occupants will not be exposed to unacceptable air quality.
Air Dust Odour provides the full range of air quality, dust and odour assessment services for developers and planning consultants working across Crawley and the wider Gatwick Diamond. Our Chartered Environmentalists understand the specific technical demands of airport-adjacent assessments, including the characterisation of aviation emissions sources and their integration with road traffic dispersion modelling. We work with Crawley Borough Council, West Sussex County Council and the Planning Inspectorate to deliver reports that are technically rigorous, clearly written and accepted at first submission.
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Our Services in Crawley
Air Quality Assessment
Planning-stage air quality assessments for residential, commercial and mixed-use developments across Crawley. We address the A23 and M23 AQMA, Gatwick Airport emission contributions, and the specific requirements of Crawley Borough Council and West Sussex County Council.
Learn more →Dust Assessment & CEMP
Construction dust risk assessments and Construction Environmental Management Plans for development sites across Crawley, including town centre regeneration and Gatwick-adjacent schemes. Prepared in accordance with IAQM guidance to protect sensitive receptors during construction.
Learn more →Kitchen Odour Assessment
Odour impact assessments for restaurants, hotels, cafes and takeaways across Crawley and the Gatwick area. Prepared in accordance with EMAQ+ guidance, covering extraction design, dispersion and impact on neighbouring residential and commercial receptors.
Learn more →Odour Impact Assessment
Odour assessments for catering, logistics and other commercial developments in and around Crawley and Manor Royal. We work to IAQM and Environment Agency H4 guidance on odour impact assessment for planning applications.
Learn more →Areas We Cover in Crawley
- Crawley town centre
- Gatwick Airport
- Three Bridges
- Northgate
- Manor Royal Business District
- Horley
- Ifield
- Langley Green
- Bewbush
- Tilgate
- Pound Hill
- Worth
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need an air quality assessment in Crawley?
Crawley Borough Council has declared Air Quality Management Areas along the A23 and M23 corridors, where road traffic and airport-related emissions have driven nitrogen dioxide concentrations above national objectives. Most planning applications for residential, commercial or mixed-use development in or near these AQMAs will require an air quality assessment. The proximity of Gatwick Airport adds a further layer of complexity, as aircraft emissions, ground-level airport operations and associated HGV movements all contribute to the local air quality baseline.
How do Gatwick Airport operations affect air quality assessments in Crawley?
Gatwick Airport is the dominant air quality pressure across much of Crawley Borough. Aircraft landing and take-off cycles produce significant quantities of nitrogen oxides and particulate matter at low altitude, while ground-level operations including aircraft taxiing, ground support equipment and fuel storage contribute additional emissions. HGV and passenger vehicle movements to and from the airport add further traffic-related air quality impacts across the A23, M23 and local road network. Any development near the airport or its surface access routes must account for these existing baseline conditions in its air quality assessment.
What assessments are needed for development in Manor Royal Business District?
Manor Royal is one of the largest business parks in the South East and sits adjacent to Gatwick Airport, meaning that air quality baseline conditions reflect both road traffic and airport-related emissions. New commercial, industrial or logistics development within Manor Royal will require an air quality assessment addressing the existing baseline, the traffic generated by the proposed use, and the cumulative impact alongside Gatwick. Where significant construction is involved, a dust risk assessment and CEMP will also be required to protect neighbouring businesses and residential areas.
Does Crawley Borough Council require air quality assessments for new housing near the A23?
Yes. The A23 runs directly through Crawley and is within the declared AQMA, making air quality assessment a standard requirement for residential development along this corridor. New dwellings must be assessed for exposure against national air quality objectives, and where concentrations are elevated, mitigation measures such as enhanced glazing specifications, mechanical ventilation with filtration or building orientation may be required. Crawley Borough Council works with West Sussex County Council on strategic transport and air quality matters, and the council expects technically robust assessments from specialist consultants.
How much does an air quality assessment cost in Crawley?
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. Assessments near Gatwick Airport may require additional baseline characterisation of airport emissions, which we factor into our quotes. Contact us for a free, no-obligation quote tailored to your project.