Background
Bouygues UK commissioned Anderson Acoustics to conduct an air quality assessment and develop a dust management plan for the redevelopment of Aspen House, Maitland Park Estate, in the London Borough of Camden. This assessment was essential for discharging planning condition 22 attached to the consent notice for application 2014/5840/P.
The redevelopment project involves the demolition of Aspen House, a gymnasium, and garages, followed by the construction of 112 residential units, a new Tenants and Residents Association hall, and associated facilities.
What we did
Our involvement aimed to ensure minimal environmental impact, particularly concerning air quality and dust emissions during the demolition and construction phases.
Air Quality Assessment
The air quality assessment focused on evaluating the impact of the development on local air quality and ensuring compliance with relevant policies and guidelines. Key pollutants considered were nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5).
- Policy Compliance: The assessment adhered to European and national air quality standards, including the Air Quality Directive 2008/50/EC and the Air Quality Standards (England) Regulations 2010. Local policies from the London Borough of Camden and the Greater London Authority were also considered.
- Site Suitability: The assessment concluded that the site is suitable for residential development, with modelled NO2 and PM10 concentrations well below the annual mean objectives for 2020.
Dust Risk Assessment
The dust risk assessment identified potential dust emission sources and categorized the risk levels for different phases of the project:
- Demolition: High risk due to the nature of materials and activities involved.
- Earthworks: Medium risk, considering the soil type and volume of material to be moved.
- Construction: High risk, primarily due to the use of potentially dusty materials like concrete.
- Trackout: Low risk, given the measures in place to control dust from vehicle movements.
Mitigation Measures
To manage and mitigate dust and air quality impacts, a comprehensive Dust and Air Quality Management Plan was developed, including:
- Prevention and Suppression: Measures to prevent dust formation, such as using water sprays and enclosing dust-generating activities.
- Monitoring: Continuous monitoring of dust levels with real-time alerts to ensure compliance with site action levels.
- Community Engagement: Regular communication with local residents and businesses, including a complaints hotline and community meetings.
Air Quality Neutral Assessment
The development was assessed for compliance with the “Air Quality Neutral” policy, ensuring that emissions from transport and buildings do not exceed specified benchmarks. The project was found to be air quality neutral, with low emissions from the limited number of parking spaces and the use of air source heat pumps for heating.
Conclusion
The air quality and dust management strategies implemented aimed to minimize the environmental impact of the development. The comprehensive assessment and mitigation measures provided a robust framework for managing air quality and dust emissions throughout the project’s lifecycle.
Our scope of works was then extended to include the s.61 application, baseline survey and 28-week demolition phase air qualitydust, noise and vibration monitoring. Our further appointment meant we were then engaged to deliver the 74-week construction phase s.61 application, dust, noise and vibration monitoring programme ensuring the Client met the London Borough of Camden requirements for both the Aspen Villas and Grafton Terrace sites of the development.
