Pollution, Ground Conditions, Minerals and Soils
New development has the potential to have an impact on people and the local environment if not properly controlled. The role of the local plan will be to ensure that we properly manage the impacts of new development on things like ground conditions, pollution, soils and minerals to ensure that any negative effects are avoided or minimised.
Air quality in the borough has improved over recent years and there are currently no Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) in Tamworth. However, compared to other areas in Staffordshire, Tamworth experiences relatively high health impacts pollution from fine particles in the air (known as PM2.5). The Council is working to address this through initiatives such as promoting walking and cycling, reducing traffic congestion and idling, and improving traffic flow, and the local plan will be part of this.
Historically Tamworth was part of the South Staffordshire Coalfield with several collieries operated in and around the area, including Amington, Beauchamp, Kettlebrook, and Wilnecote Collieries which are no longer in operation. The Glascote Clay Pit also operated in the area, supporting the local brickworks and ceramics industries and there is still an operational brick and tile works in the Borough.
Land contamination also exists in some areas of the borough as a result of historic industrial activities and past waste disposal practices. Examples of those industries include gas works, chemical works, landfill sites, sewage works, petrol stations and scrap yards. In some instances, substances and waste materials from these activities may have caused pollution to the ground. This contamination has the potential to cause harm to human health, ground and surface waters, ecological systems and the built environment if not properly managed.
Tamworth is a small borough which is predominantly urban in nature, with limited areas of countryside. Around the edges of the borough, more open areas include pockets of agricultural land, some of which is classified as higher-quality Grade 2 and 3 farmland.
Our proposed approach
The local plan will need to ensure that development does not lead to levels of pollution (including air, light, noise, or water pollution) that would be harmful to the health of residents or the environment. Some types of development may cause or contribute to air quality, water or land pollution. The role of the local plan will be to ensure that we properly manage the impacts of new development and ensure that they are not detrimental to human health, the environment, or the amenity of neighbouring or nearby users, or the users of the development itself.
Proposed local plan policies
The proposed approach will be reflected in the policies that will be used to assess planning applications that may have an impact on pollution, ground conditions, minerals, or soils. A summary of each of the policies we think should be in the plan is set out below.
* Please note policy direction numbers follow on from other topic areas available to comment on. This section covers policy directions 18 to 20 *
Phases
Review and Feedback
Once the consultation period has closed, we will review all of the comments we have received and share the results.