THIS week Cornwall councillors discussed a proposed strategy to address the serious air quality issues in six areas of the county, including Gunnislake, which could involve relocating residents away from pollution hotspots.

The council’s Communities Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) met on Tuesday to discuss the Clean Air for Cornwall Strategy and agreed the recommendation that the strategy should be approved by Cabinet.

Gunnislake was declared an Air Quality Management Area in 2014 after long-term monitoring found that the village had excessive levels of traffic-related nitrogen oxide (NO2). The main cause was heavy vehicles such as lorries passing through the village on the A390.

As part of the Clean Air for Cornwall Strategy, six approaches have been explored, which it is believed will provide a ‘coherent and consistent approach to dealing with poor air quality in the county’.

The approaches include a taxi licensing review, an anti-idling enforcement, a Cornwall Council air quality programme (for the council to have ‘its own house in order’ before expecting others to make improvements), planning air quality priority areas (planning constraints on new developments on areas where air quality is poor), clay area dust review and the most controversial approach of compulsory purchase/relocation.

In the strategy recommendation to the committee, the environmental protection officer said about the compulsory purchase/relocation approach: ‘In areas where air quality is poor, it can be very difficult to identify feasible and affordable measures that will provide any meaningful reduction in pollution levels.

‘In the meantime, residents are exposed to unacceptably poor air quality, with little prospect of achieving the air quality objective before 2030 in some locations. Therefore one possible option could be to move residents away from the pollution. This is likely to be very controversial and carry a reputational risk, however it is felt that the option should be further explored rather than simply discounted.’

The officer said the project would involve the development of land in a suitable, nearby location to create a new neighbourhood where those exposed to the poorest air quality could be provided with a new property, either through compulsory purchase or an optional swap.

They said initial discussions indicated that such a project would cost Cornwall Council several million pounds to implement, but would be considerably cheaper than a bypass, which may be the only other option available to improve air quality.

It was acknowledged that the scheme presented a number of risks to the council and the officer highlighted that it would be preferable to resolve the air quality problems and allow residents to stay in their homes. It was recommended that further legal advice was sought and consultation undertaken before a decision was made.

A spokesperson for Cornwall Council told the Times before the meeting on Tuesday: ‘The purpose of the PAC item is to seek members’ views on the principle of compulsory purchase as a means of reducing residents’ exposure to air pollution. There is no specific area in question and further work is required before a final decision could be taken.’

Following discussions at the meeting, the committee recommended to Cabinet that the Clean Air for Cornwall Strategy be approved. The committee also made a recommendation to the Miscellaneous Licensing Committee that further work be undertaken with regard to the promotion of electric vehicles, taking into consideration the numerical limits and pricing against diesel vehicles.

The spokesperson said: ‘No decision has been taken on the compulsory purchase and relocation option outlined in the strategy. All options are being kept open, but this of course would be a last resort. The Clean Air for Cornwall Strategy will be considered by Cabinet at a future meeting.’

The council is currently trialling a traffic priority scheme for Gunnislake’s Sand Hill in a bid to improve the air quality in the village. The scheme involves a temporary build out, installed to narrow the road above Alma Terrace, where the level of pollution is worst, giving priority to vehicles travelling uphill out of Gunnislake.

The spokesperson added: ‘The trial is due to be in place until the end of February. We are continuing to monitor air quality throughout the trial but we are not in a position to provide any data or comment on the success of the trial until it is complete.’