In 2017 EPIC's predecessor Environmental Protection UK published Land-Use Planning & Development Control: Planning For Air Quality. This guidance was published jointly with the Institute of Air Quality Management (IAQM).

Since the guidance was published, there has been considerable flux in the land-use planning landscape. For example, the Government is revisiting its planning guidance, Environmental Outcomes Reports (EOR) are likely to replace environmental statements for reporting Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), and Defra is developing final guidance on the PM2.5 targets in the planning regime. In addition, evidence related to additional pollutants of potential concern (e.g. those used in carbon capture) has developed over recent years.

EPIC is now working with the IAQM to do a full review of the guidance. The intent is to publish a fully revised guidance document that is aligned with the changing landscape and is supported by stakeholder engagement across the sector. EPIC wants to make sure that guidance is fully relevant to and supported by local authorities.

To gather these insights, EPIC is holding an online community meeting for its members working in local authorities. This will involve an update from guidance working group Chair Kieran Laxen, as well as discussion hosted by EPIC Chair Ruth Calderwood.

This event is only for EPIC members working in local authorities. All local authority environmental professionals can join EPIC for free.

If you would like to join but cannot attend this date, or have any other questions, please contact EPIC Officer Ellie Savage (ellie@the-ies.org). If there is demand a second community meeting may be held on an additional date.