Letter for Recorder next week on cumulative study

I am on the record as claiming Cllr Athwal's proposed report on the cumulative impact of so much development has been nobbled. I say this because what happened at planning committee earlier this week where my question on the subject was ignored after Andrew Swaffer stepped in to hint to Cllrs they should stay silent.

The letter below is designed to put pressure on Cllr Athwal to deliver on his promise. I am looking for more signatures by midday this coming Monday 29th June in the hope of being the lead letter in the Recorder.

Dear Sir or Madam

Cllr Athwal said at the June Redbridge Cabinet the following:

"I have asked that all the the cumulative impact of several developments needs to be assessed and that impact, including the air quality,  goes forward and is reported to the planning committee when the applications goes forward." 

However, as yet, Cllr Athwal has not provided any detail as to what developments and pollutants  he has identified.

We argue that Redbridge Council has a duty under paragraph 181 of the national planning policy framework to carry out such a cumulative report and looks forward to Cllr Athwal providing the detail of his report.

We say that the Budoch Drive, Goodmayes Tesco, Seven Kings Homebase, & Seven Kings Lorry Park  developments must all be part of the proposed cumulative assessment which due to the climate change emissions must also include CO2 emissions as will as NO2 emissions which Redbirdge has a statutory duty to reduce.

A longer version of this letter is at https://stopthetescotoxictowers.blogspot.com/

Regards

The below are extracts from the  national planning policy framework 

49 a) the development proposed is so substantial, or its cumulative effect would be so significant, that to grant permission would undermine the plan-making process by predetermining decisions about the scale, location or phasing of new development that are central to an emerging plan; 

109. Development should only be prevented or refused on highways grounds if there would be an unacceptable impact on highway safety, or the residual cumulative impacts on the road network would be severe. 

180. Planning policies and decisions should also ensure that new development is appropriate for its location taking into account the likely effects (including cumulative effects) of pollution on health, living conditions and the natural environment, as well as the potential sensitivity of the site or the wider area to impacts that could arise from the development. In doing so they should: a) mitigate and reduce to a minimum potential adverse impacts resulting from noise from new development – and avoid noise giving rise to significant adverse impacts on health and the quality of life60; b) identify and protect tranquil areas which have remained relatively undisturbed by noise and are prized for their recreational and amenity value for this reason; and c) limit the impact of light pollution from artificial light on local amenity, intrinsically dark landscapes and nature conservation.

181. Planning policies and decisions should sustain and contribute towards compliance with relevant limit values or national objectives for pollutants, taking into account the presence of Air Quality Management Areas and Clean Air Zones, and the cumulative impacts from individual sites in local areas. Opportunities to improve air quality or mitigate impacts should be identified, such as through traffic and travel management, and green infrastructure provision and enhancement. So far as possible these opportunities should be considered at the plan-making stage, to ensure a strategic approach and limit the need for issues to be reconsidered when determining individual applications. Planning decisions should ensure that any new development in Air Quality Management Areas and Clean Air Zones is consistent with the local air quality action plan.

204 f) set out criteria or requirements to ensure that permitted and proposed operations do not have unacceptable adverse impacts on the natural and historic environment or human health, taking into account the cumulative effects of multiple impacts from individual sites and/or a number of sites in a locality; 

205 b) ensure that there are no unacceptable adverse impacts on the natural and historic environment, human health or aviation safety, and take into account the cumulative effect of multiple impacts from individual sites and/or from a number of sites in a locality;