Air quality in York

The Council has published some air quality measurement statistics which can be downloaded from here.

The results are from some of the Councils nitrogen dioxide diffusion tube monitors including those located on Leeman Road and Clifton Green.

The results are largely inconclusive and tend to demonstrate that prevailing weather conditions are the main factor influencing air quality.

The Council says that corrected results for 2013 are currently being processed and will be available in April.

The annual average air quality objective set by the Government for nitrogen dioxide is 21ppb

British Sugar residential development plans take a step forward – Methane risk revealed

The planned residential development on the former British Sugar site off Plantation Drive has taken a step forward.

click for full report

The owners have submitted a scoping document which will lead to the production of an environmental impact assessment which is an essential precursor to an outline planning application.

The latter is now expected to be lodged in early 2014.

The new development is expected to be a predominately residential led scheme, of up to 1300 homes comprising family housing at a medium density together with

• A retail centre comprising Class Al/A2/A3/A4/A5;

• A multi-use community hub (with potential for uses such as a health centre, crèche, public hall, primary school, changing facilities associated with any intensive sports uses on the site);

• Provision of open space/green infrastructure;

• Access via a new link road through Former Manor School site, Plantation Drive and Millfield Lane; and

• Demolition of the Former Manor School buildings as necessary.

The report warns of potentially harmful levels of methane and carbon dioxide on the site.

However no signs of protected wildlife species, such as Great Crested Newts, have been discovered. A “bee bank” is under threat.

The report also describes how transportation, landscape, noise, air quality and other impacts will be assessed.

Gas levels near Newbury Avenue to be investigated

The City of York Council’s environmental protection unit has completed its investigation of the former refuse tips off Foxwood Lane (comprising Acorn Rugby Club, the playing fields off Foxwood Lane and Hob Moor) last year.

In late August / early September 2012, soil and water samples were collected from across the site and sent for laboratory analysis. The waste material buried onsite was found to contain ash and clinker, brick fragments, glass, ceramics, fabric, coal, metal and timber.

Monitoring wells were also installed around the edges of the site to enable the Council to monitor ground gas.

The Council said, “The laboratory analysis results confirmed that the majority of the soil and water samples were uncontaminated. Some elevated levels of contaminants were detected – but a detailed risk assessment has confirmed that these levels do not pose a risk to people, animals or the environment.

Click to enlarge

Ground gas was monitored on a monthly basis between September 2012 and March 2013. The ground gas concentrations and flows were found to be low in most monitoring wells. Although elevated levels of methane and carbon dioxide were found on part of Hob Moor (to the rear of Newbury Avenue) and we intend to investigate this area further.

Please note that the site has not been determined as contaminated land (under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990), but further investigation is required in the vicinity of Newbury Avenue”.

The environmental protection unit has now confirmed that it has received a government grant of £35,000 to undertake an additional investigation in the vicinity of Newbury Avenue.

The investigation will involve installing gas monitoring wells in a number of gardens and monitoring the external airbricks of eight properties. They will test the gas levels every two weeks for up to six months, to assess whether the gas levels pose a risk to people, property or the environment.

Residents are being notified of the plans this Friday (6 September). A drop-in session is being held at the Gateway Centre between 10am and 12pm on Monday (9 September) to answer resident’s queries.

The answers to frequently asked questions can be found by clicking here.

Ironically the worst affected area appears to be the site selected by the Council on which to build a block of 9 new Council flats!