Merton's air quality already a cause for concern - another nail in the coffin for Workspace Glebe's proposals

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 17th Jul 2009

Shas with Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon and local residents concerned about air quality outside Rainbow Industrial Estate in Raynes Park

London's air quality is the worst in the UK and among the worst in Europe. It currently fails to meet EU limits on nitrogen oxides and fine particles. These emissions can cause breathing problems and can make asthma worse. Fine particles contribute to heart and lung disease and lead to premature death in those already ill. Estimated deaths from prolonged exposure to fine particles range from 1,600 to 4,000 per year for London alone.

As such, you would expect the Council to carefully measure air quality. On the contrary, we found out that Merton Council has no monitors that measure the concentration of fine particles within its boundaries.

We have recently discovered that there used to be a monitor in Grand Drive, but it became faulty in November 2006, soon after the Tories took control of Merton, and has never been replaced (this process took a long time, as the Council's document was full of errors and contradictions that took quite some time to sort out - which doesn't say much for the scrutiny undertaken by councillors or for the cabinet member for the Environment). That is nearly three years of missing data - frankly that just isn't good enough. The Council has a duty to manage local air quality. We think that it has failed.

Most air pollution in urban areas is generated by traffic, by exhaust emissions and tyre and brake wear. So in order to improve air quality, local authorities need to implement policies to ease congestion and ensure a smooth flow of traffic.

*Air Quality and Planning Applications:*

The council's website states, "Air quality is a material consideration in planning applications when:

• A development is likely to cause a deterioration in local air quality

• A development is located in an area of poor air quality

• Granting of planning permission would conflict with, or render unworkable, elements of an air quality action plan

• The construction/demolition phase of the development would have a significant impact on the locality."

In addition to the above, which are all very relevant to the proposed development on the Rainbow Industrial Estate, the GLA report on London's air quality also states that with respect to fine particles, "There are additional local problems on residential streets close to waste management sites."

Taken together with the planning considerations I've outlined previously, it is inconceivable to me that planning permission could be granted for a waste processing/energy generation facility on this site. And equally bemusing is the fact that this site made it on to South London Waste Management's list of possible future sites for waste management.

The Tory councillors always seem to be taken by surprise by the decisions taken by Merton Council - amazing really, given that they run it!