North Devon Council monitors and models air pollutant levels to assess current and future air quality.
National Air Quality Strategy
The National Air Quality Strategy aims to protect people's health and the environment. It describes government plans to improve and protect ambient air quality and the measures that will help to deliver cleaner air quickly. Find out more about the National Air Quality Strategy on the Defra website.
Our role in the strategy is to make a judgement on whether the air quality objectives are likely to be met. Where objectives are not likely to be met, we are required to designate an air quality management area (AQMA) at the relevant locations.
Air quality management areas - AQMA
We previously had one AQMA in North Devon, for Nitrogen Dioxide, but this was revoked in June 2024.
The AQMA was revoked following 5 years where the levels of Nitrogen Dioxide were more than 10% below the threshold level.
The levels of pollution continue to improve, which is mainly due to improvements in vehicle technology.
As a result of the revocation of the AQMA North Devon Council is now in the process of producing an Air Quality for the whole area.
Local air quality monitoring
Our air quality monitoring sites are:
- Pilton Causeway, Barnstaple
- Rolle Street 1, Barnstaple
- Rolle Street 2, Barnstaple
- Lower Sticklepath Roundabout, Barnstaple
- Sticklepath School, Barnstaple
- Cedars Roundabout, Barnstaple
- Newport Road, Barnstaple
- South Street, Newport, Barnstaple
- Castle Street, Barnstaple
- Alexandra Road, Barnstaple
- Belle Meadow Road, Barnstaple
- The Square, Braunton
- The London Inn, Braunton
- Church Street, Ilfracombe
- High Street, Ilfracombe
- Broad Street, South Molton
Screening assessments, progress reports and assessments submitted and accepted by DEFRA