The Air Quality Management Resource Centre (AQMRC) in the School of Architecture and Environment is pleased to offer an exciting suite of Air Quality short courses. This new suite consists of five distinct courses covering the following topics with an online (Distance Learning) option for each:

• Air Quality Management
• Air Quality Management (Distance Learning)
• Air Quality Monitoring
• Air Quality Monitoring (Distance Learning)
• Air Quality Modelling
• Air Quality Modelling (Distance Learning)
• Air Quality Assessment
• Air Quality Assessment (Distance Learning)
• Air Quality Action Planning 
• Air Quality Action Planning (Distance Learning)

Delivered as self-learning (materials access only) or blended learning (materials + live session), where each topic will provide you with a set of interactive web-based materials to work through in advance of a live online session with the course leaders and your peers, which will provide an opportunity to discuss the materials in more depth and undertake related activities to that topic.

Individuals are invited to book on as many or few of the topics as they wish.

"I can use what I learnt all week to improve my Councils' AQ arrangements, write accurate review and assessment reports, review 3rd party reports and attract developer contributions to air quality via CIL and S106." Mike Jephcott, Senior Environmental Health Officer

What does it cover?

This course looks at the relationship between local planning processes and local air quality management. Focusing upon the role of the local planning process in air quality management and the implementation and evaluation of Air Quality Assessments in the local planning process, there is specific reference to the Environmental Protection UK guidance 'Development Control: Planning for Air Quality'.

This course would be of value to anyone interested or involved in preparing or evaluating Air Quality Assessments for developments, including air quality and planning professionals.

Who is it for?

"I enjoyed getting to meet other people from other industries, local authorities, consultancies and having practical exercises that brought data to life." Kirsty Thomas, Senior Permitting Officer, Natural Resources Wales

The courses will be of interest to students, practitioners and policy makers involved in air quality management in:

•         Environmental health/protection
•         Public health
•         Transport
•         Land-use planning

Extra information

IT requirements 

This programme is delivered fully online. UWE Bristol has invested significantly in online resources to support your study. We use the 'Blackboard' online platform to deliver an integrated learning experience to you. Access to this course will require you to be enrolled as a UWE student.

To ensure you able to access materials and can participate fully in the live sessions, if you plan to attend these, please see the following required computer specifications: 

• Operating system: Windows 7+, Mac OS 10.9 
• Web browser: Firefox is the optimal browser. However other browsers such as Google Chrome (version 79 or later) are also compatible. 

Additional requirements: 

• 256 MB RAM
• 20 MB free disk space
• Internet Access - 28.8 kbps speed or above (broadband connection highly recommended). Slower internet connections may cause issues with audio and video. 
• Microphone and speakers/headphones
• Webcam

We also recommend you check your firewall setting in advance, especially if you are using a work computer, to ensure your firewall will allow you to access our sites and programmes. 

For further information

Email: For specific questions in relation to the course, i.e. content, suitability, assessments, etc. please contact the Programme Leader, Dr Jo Barnes (Jo.Barnes@uwe.ac.uk). For all queries regarding administration aspects of registration, i.e. dates, fees, etc. please contact us using the enquiry form at the bottom of this page or by calling the telephone number below.

Telephone: +44 (0)117 32 81043 (option 1, then option 3)

Content

This course will cover the following areas:

• Introduction to planning for air quality professionals
• Implications of the National Planning Policy Framework
• Rationale for air quality as a material consideration
• Supplementary Planning Documents
• What is required in an Air Quality Assessment
• Assessing significance
• Evaluation of Air Quality Assessments
• Planning conditions
• Planning appeals

Learning and Teaching

How is the programme delivered?

There are two options to access each session

• Online Materials Access Only: This option will provide you with access to the online interactive materials for 12 weeks from 06 March 2023.
• Online Materials + Live Online Session: This option provides you with access to the online interactive materials for 12 weeks from 06 March 2023. The online materials will be released 6 weeks before the live online session and will be available for a further 6 weeks after this has taken place.

Study time

This course will take approximately 6hrs of individual learning (online materials), plus 3hrs live session time if selecting 'materials + live online session'.

It is recommended to work though the online materials in advance of the live session.