Find out how we review air quality across the borough, and view our progress reports
Annual Status Report 2022
The Annual Status Report is our annual review of air quality across the district.
DEFRA comments
The air quality Annual Status Report 2022 has been recently completed and sent to DEFRA for auditing. We await their findings.
Report findings
The main findings of the ASR 2022 are as follows:
- No exceedances of the National Air Quality Strategy standards were identified for Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) during 2021. This is the second year running where compliant results have been observed with no exceedances of the NO2 annual mean objective noted.
- Trends associated with the NO2 annual mean concentrations in 2021 have shown a slight increase when compared to the first Covid outbreak year of 2020 but remain below 10% of the objective levels.
- The level of traffic rebound following the recovery period from Covid is still being closely monitored. As such it is not considered appropriate at this stage to alter or seek a revocation of either Air Quality Management Areas.
- No exceedances of PM10 objectives level were noted during 2021
- No exceedances of the PM2.5 annual mean level were noted during 2021
Planning applications
- 89 planning applications were considered for air quality issues in 2020
- The 24 most significant applications are listed in Appendix C
Priorities for 2022/23
Our main priorities for 2022/23 are to:
- Continue with the current air quality monitoring programme
- Review and amend the monitoring programme as required
- Continue to implement the current Air Quality Action Plan
- Complete a review and put forward an updated Air Quality Action Plan for adoption during 2022/23
- Continue to work closely with partners to implement King’s Lynn Transport Strategy and assess regeneration and traffic management projects which will assist with reducing traffic related emissions
- Continue to review planning applications
- To continue to work closely with Norfolk County Council Public Health to review options to assess the impact of PM2.5 emissions and what measures are available to reduce local residents’ general exposure
- Develop an Air Quality Strategy to help reduce PM2.5 exposure
The Director of Public Health at Norfolk County Council has reviewed the report and signed it off.
A copy of the full report can be found here.