Air quality in Chester-le-Street

Air quality monitoring and assessment in Chester-le-Street

Non-continuous monitoring of air quality is carried out at a number of locations close to either busy junctions or on major routes and in areas where people could be exposed to pollution. To see the locations, please view our air quality monitoring map. This monitoring has provided an annual mean nitrogen dioxide concentration reading at the various locations where the non-continuous monitors are located in the Chester-le-Street area.

Chester-le-Street air quality monitoring on a map

See our Chester-le-Street air quality monitoring on a map,

Because nitrogen dioxide levels have been identified as a problem to the west of Chester-le-Street town centre at Menceforth Cottages, a more detailed assessment of air quality has been carried out. The detailed assessment can be downloaded below:

• Air Quality Management Order - Detailed Assessment Report - Menceforth Cottages Chester-le-Street (PDF, 1.1mb)

There are other areas of the town where the air quality objectives may be exceeded and these are currently being assessed.

Declaration of an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) in Chester-le-Street

An AQMA was declared to the west of Chester-le-Street town centre that incorporates Menceforth Cottages and Glen Terrace on 17 May 2013 after consultation with the residents on both of these terraces and other interested parties. A copy of the Air Quality Management Order is available to download below:

• Chester-le-Street Air Quality Management Order (PDF, 35.5kb)

The full extent of the AQMA is marked by a red boundary on the map and by a list of properties falling within the Chester-le-Street AQMA. Both of these are available to download below:

• Chester-le-Street Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) Associated Roads and Residential Areas (PDF, 13.2kb)
• Map of Chester-le-Street Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) Associated Roads and Residential Areas (PDF, 361.6kb)

Variation of Air Quality Management Area (AQMA)

The AQMA was subsequently varied on 20 May 2015 and the boundary of the designated AQMA area reduced to solely include Menceforth Cottages, situated on Pelton Fell Road to the west of Chester-le-Street  town centre. A copy of the Air Quality Management Order is available to download below.

Chester-le-Street Air Quality Management Variation Order (PDF, 493.2kb)

The full extent of the reduced AQMA is marked by a boundary line on the map below. A list of properties falling within the revised AQMA is also shown below.

• Map of revised Air Quality Management Area Chester-le-Street (PDF, 309.8kb)
• Chester-le-Street Air Quality Management Area variation roads and residential properties (PDF, 264.3kb)

What happens now that the AQMA has been declared?

A further assessment of the air quality within the declared Air Quality Management Area has been undertaken to identify the source of the pollution and to determine the extent of the boundary of the Air Quality Management Area. A copy of the completed Further Assessment Report of Air Quality within the Chester-le-Street AQMA is available to download below:

• Chester-le-Street Air Quality Management Further Assessment Report 2014 (PDF, 706.0kb)

The Air Quality Action Plan

The information from the further assessment of air quality will be used to help us target effective solutions to the air pollution problem. 

We will also be working with key partners and the local community, who are affected by the AQMA, to produce an air quality action plan which will look at ways of  reducing pollutions levels and improving the standard of air quality.

Once a draft action plan is prepared it will be subject to a full consultation exercise with all those within, and surrounding, the declared AQMA before the action plan is finalised and approved.

Further information

Please contact us:

• for hard copies, or alternative formats of any of the electronic reports on this page
• with any questions about air quality in Chester-le-Street or elsewhere in the county