Latest Insights

What Does an Air Quality Assessment Actually Look Like?

Air Quality May 2026

What Does an Air Quality Assessment for Planning Actually Look Like?

If you’re commissioning an AQA for the first time, it can be hard to know what you’re actually paying for. This article is a plain-English walk-through of what a UK air quality assessment for planning contains — the screening test, baseline data, dispersion modelling, receptor identification, IAQM/EPUK significance criteria, mitigation, the report itself, and realistic lead times and fees. Written for developers, architects and planning consultants who haven’t seen one before.

By Malcolm Pounder CEnv MIAQM MIEnvSc Read more

IAQM 2024 V2.2 Dust Methodology Changes

Dust May 2026

IAQM 2024 V2.2 Dust Methodology: What Actually Changed

In January 2024 the IAQM published V2.2 of its construction dust guidance — the first substantive revision in a decade. The headline change is an order-of-magnitude relaxation of the earthworks Large-magnitude threshold (10,000 m² to 110,000 m²), but V2.2 also strengthens PM_2.5 emphasis, formalises outline-stage screening, and updates mitigation and monitoring expectations. A practitioner’s walk-through of what changed and what it means for live and forthcoming projects.

By Malcolm Pounder CEnv MIAQM MIEnvSc Read more

NO₂ Diffusion Tube Monitoring — Practical Guide

Air Quality April 2026

Diffusion Tube Monitoring for NO₂: A Practical UK Guide

When you need diffusion tubes, where to put them, how long for, what bias adjustment means in practice, and how to spot a competent monitoring programme from a sloppy one. A practical UK guide covering siting, exposure period, UKAS laboratory analysis, QA/QC, and how the data are used to verify dispersion models — plus the recurring errors that get monitoring data set aside by reviewing officers.

By Malcolm Pounder CEnv MIAQM MIEnvSc Read more

What is a Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv)?

Professional Practice May 2026

What is a Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv) — and Do You Need One?

The CEnv post-nominal isn’t a job title or a marketing claim. It’s a regulated professional status awarded by the Society for the Environment, with a public register and an enforceable code of conduct. Here’s what it actually means, what it doesn’t, how to verify a claim — and when insisting on chartered involvement materially changes how your air quality assessment is received by the local planning authority.

By Malcolm Pounder CEnv MIAQM MIEnvSc Read more

Choosing a Representative Met Station for Dispersion Modelling

Air Quality May 2026

Choosing a Representative Meteorological Station for UK Dispersion Modelling

Few decisions on an air quality assessment affect the modelled result as much as the choice of meteorological dataset — and yet the most common approach in practice is also the most defensible-sounding and the most wrong: pick the nearest meteorological station and use whatever data come out. This article sets out why “nearest” is rarely a good enough answer, what a representative station actually looks like, and how to structure the choice so that it stands up to local-authority scrutiny.

By Malcolm Pounder CEnv MIAQM MIEnvSc Read more

Air Quality Neutral Under London Plan SI 1

Air Quality April 2026

Air Quality Neutral Assessments Under London Plan Policy SI 1

Major development in London faces a planning policy regime that has no direct equivalent in the rest of England. Policy SI 1 introduces a benchmark-based emissions test — Air Quality Neutral — that operates in parallel with the conventional air quality assessment. This article sets out what the two-stage test actually requires, when AQ Neutral applies, where most submissions go wrong, and how AQ Neutral relates to a standard AQA.

By Malcolm Pounder CEnv MIAQM MIEnvSc Read more

Agricultural Odour: When a Site Visit Isn’t Needed

Odour April 2026

Agricultural Odour Assessment: When a Site Visit Isn’t Needed

For most conventional agricultural sources — farmyard manure, slurry stores, livestock housing — the qualitative IAQM odour assessment can be done from the desk. The FIDOR characteristics (Frequency, Intensity, Duration, Offensiveness, Receptor sensitivity) can be judged from windrose data, OS mapping, aerial imagery and published source characteristics. This article explains when the desktop default is the proportionate response, and the specific cases where a physical visit still adds evidential value.

By Malcolm Pounder CEnv MIAQM MIEnvSc Read more

Construction Phase Dust Impact Assessment

Dust March 2026

Construction Phase Dust Impact Assessment

Construction activities generate dust across four key phases: demolition, earthworks, construction, and trackout. Each phase presents different risks to nearby receptors and requires specific mitigation measures. The latest IAQM guidance now recommends dust monitoring during sensitive construction projects, marking an important shift in best practice. Understanding how each phase is assessed and what monitoring may be required is essential for developers and contractors working near residential areas or other sensitive locations.

Read more

EMAQ Plus Kitchen Odour Assessment

Odour February 2026

EMAQ Plus Kitchen Odour Assessment

Kitchen odour from commercial restaurants, takeaways and food production facilities is one of the most common causes of odour complaints in urban areas. The EMAQ Plus framework provides a structured methodology for assessing these impacts as part of the planning process. It evaluates factors including the size of the kitchen, the type of cooking, proximity to sensitive receptors and the effectiveness of proposed extraction and filtration systems. Planning authorities increasingly require EMAQ Plus assessments before granting permission for new food premises.

Read more

Choosing an Air Quality Assessment Company

Air Quality January 2026

Choosing an Air Quality Assessment Company

Selecting the right air quality consultant can make the difference between a smooth planning process and costly delays. When evaluating potential consultants, check their professional qualifications through the Institution of Environmental Sciences. Look for Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv) status and membership of the Institute of Air Quality Management (IAQM), which demonstrate that the consultant meets recognised professional standards and keeps their expertise current.

By Malcolm Pounder Read more

Air Quality Management Areas and Planning

Planning December 2025

Air Quality Management Areas and Planning

Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) are designated by local authorities where air quality objectives are not being met, most commonly for nitrogen dioxide from road traffic. Developments proposed within or near an AQMA face additional scrutiny during the planning process and are likely to require an air quality assessment. Understanding how AQMAs affect your development and what mitigation measures may be required is crucial for a successful planning application.

Read more