Policy ENV12 – Air Quality The policy and associated text should recognise that poor air quality arising from development (e.g. flue gasses and exhaust from traffic) can damage protected and important habitats. Critical Loads/Levels of various pollutants are much lower for many habitat types than for human health.

Air Quality/Pollution The air quality in and around Ashford needs careful monitoring. With the expected growth in freight traffic on the motorway and expected increase in general traffic, coupled with the fact that the area now appears to be directly beneath major flight paths means that we desperately need regular monitoring on the pollution levels and air quality I would like to see encouragement of freight transport moving to rail and away from the road network as much as possible to assist

Air Quality/Pollution The air quality in and around Ashford needs careful monitoring. With the expected growth in freight traffic on the motorway and expected increase in general traffic, coupled with the fact that the area now appears to be directly beneath major flight paths means that we desperately need regular monitoring on the pollution levels and air quality I would like to see encouragement of freight transport moving to rail and away from the road network as much as possible to assist

Page 248: The Parish Council feels that the infrastructure in new development should be in place to encourage the usage of public transport. This would help to improve the air quality.

CPRE broadly supports this policy. It is understood, however, that there are areas of the borough where air quality impacts are likely to be exceeded. The Council needs to ensure that it understands the potential impacts of Local plan allocations on air quality conditions. This is necessary to demonstrate sustainable development. The health of both current and future generations must be a priority.

ENV12 Air Quality measured at The William Harvey Hospital site suffers from unacceptable levels of carbon dioxide already, whilst Willesborough's proximity to Jct 10 creates a CO2 air quality problem. Will Sevington and Mersham's proximity to the future Jct 10a create similar problems? Sevington Park Warehousing, Waterbrook lorry park and the additional traffic on the A2070 will add to the problem, creating a decrease in air quality. Diesel vehicle emissions are proved to be damaging to health.

Air quality issues need to be given much more thought in the Local Plan. The Environment Agency tells us that the William Harvey Hospital site suffers higher than acceptable carbon dioxide production of up to 100,000 tons produced pa (see extract from Environment Agency website below). The area around Henwood and the Water Sewage Works has similar problems. CO2 production is a major contributor to the "greenhouse effect" and the problem at these sites in Willesborough may be due to the proximity