Project Outline

The proposed residential development consisted of circa 24 units off Coverdale Crescent in the Ardwick area of Manchester. Partially located within Greater Manchester’s Air Quality Management Area and in the vicinity of busy through roads as the A665, A57 Hyde Road and A6, dispersion modelling was undertaken to assess whether air quality from existing traffic could affect future residents.

Whilst there was minimal on-site car parking, the impacts from these vehicles on air quality at existing residences was also modelled, to ensure the air pollution had no materially adverse effect.

What was the challenge?

Temple was requested to produce the air quality assessment within a tight turnaround time, despite needing some data from third party sources to complete it. Considering the difficulties in undertaking traffic surveys during the school holidays (where traffic flows are less and may, if used, underestimate air quality impacts from those vehicles), we worked with the transport consultants to source traffic data appropriate to the Site.

Once we had the traffic data, we were able to complete the dispersion modelling assessment using ADMS-Roads. We used diffusion tube data for 2022 from the Greater Air Data hub to verify our dispersion model using available Defra Local Air Quality Management Technical Guidance 2022.

What was the conclusion?

Air pollution at the development site currently and in the future was not found to affect proposed residences or those around the Site.

Following Temple’s prompt review of available online resources and discussions with transport consultants we were able to meet the two-week deadline given to us provided by the client.