Source: Defra / UK-AIR
Air Quality Map UK
Search any UK location to check AQMA status and modelled NO2, PM2.5 and PM10 levels before you buy, plan or develop.
Updated: annually as Defra republishes modelled pollutant data · Last checked by Maplify: August 2026
What This Layer Shows
This layer maps Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) — zones declared by local authorities where national air quality objectives are unlikely to be met, most commonly for nitrogen dioxide along busy roads or junctions — alongside modelled background concentrations of NO2, PM2.5 and PM10 published by Defra and UK-AIR under the Environmental Noise Directive-style annual review cycle.
Once declared, an AQMA obliges the local authority to prepare and maintain an Air Quality Action Plan setting out measures to improve air quality within the zone, and this designation is a recognised material consideration in planning decisions for both new development and traffic-generating proposals.
Why It Matters
Air quality affects both public health assessment and development viability, particularly for sensitive uses such as housing, schools and care homes located within or near an AQMA. Developers and environmental consultants check this layer early because an air quality assessment — and associated mitigation such as low-emission design, mechanical ventilation or a travel plan — can add cost and design constraints that are best identified before land is committed.
Because background pollutant levels are also modelled outside formal AQMA boundaries, checking the modelled NO2, PM2.5 and PM10 layers is useful even for sites that fall outside a declared area, since air quality can still be a material consideration in a planning decision without a formal designation.
How to Interpret the Map
AQMA boundary
Local authority declared zone where at least one national air quality objective is not being met.
Modelled NO2 / PM2.5 / PM10
Background pollutant concentration estimates published annually, useful for screening even outside a formal AQMA.
Planning and Development Implications
Development within or near an AQMA, or generating significant additional traffic that would affect one, may require an air quality assessment as part of the planning application, assessing both construction dust and operational traffic emissions. Mitigation measures commonly required include low-emission boiler specifications, electric vehicle charging provision, mechanical ventilation for sensitive uses, and green travel plans to reduce car dependency.
For sensitive uses specifically — schools, care homes, hospitals — closer scrutiny is typically applied given greater occupant exposure risk, and some authorities apply an "air quality neutral" or "air quality positive" test requiring a scheme to demonstrate no net worsening of local air quality.
What to Do When a Site Is Affected
- 1Confirm the exact AQMA boundary and current Air Quality Action Plan with the local authority.
- 2Commission an air quality assessment for sensitive uses or traffic-generating development within or near an AQMA.
- 3Consider low-emission design measures — EV charging, mechanical ventilation, green travel plans — early in scheme design.
- 4Check background pollutant levels even outside a formal AQMA, since these can still be a material consideration.
- 5Check the Noise Maps and wider Transport Infrastructure layers for the same site for the fuller environmental picture.
This is general guidance, not professional or legal advice — confirm specifics with the relevant authority or a qualified professional.
Official Data Source
Data Freshness
Important Limitations
- AQMA boundaries and modelled pollutant levels shown on Maplify are for screening — confirm current status with the local authority.
- Modelled concentrations are annual average estimates, not real-time measurements, and can vary from actual conditions on any given day.
- This map does not replace a professional air quality assessment for a planning application.
- A very recently declared or revoked AQMA may not yet appear if source data has not been updated.
Common Use Cases
Property Developers
Screen sites for air quality assessment requirements before committing to a scheme.
Environmental Consultants
Scope air quality assessments and mitigation strategies.
Planning Consultants
Advise on likely mitigation requirements and "air quality neutral" tests.
Architects
Design ventilation and layout solutions for sensitive uses near an AQMA.
Surveyors
Factor air quality status into valuation and feasibility reports.
Landowners
Understand development constraints before commissioning design work.
Related Layers
Air quality checks are commonly run alongside these related layers.
Related Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check if a site is in an AQMA?
Search the site on Maplify and enable the AQMA layer. If the site falls within a shaded boundary, an Air Quality Action Plan applies and additional assessment requirements may follow for sensitive uses.
What is an Air Quality Management Area?
A zone declared by a local authority where one or more national air quality objectives are unlikely to be met, most commonly for nitrogen dioxide along busy roads. Declaration requires the authority to prepare an Air Quality Action Plan.
Does an AQMA automatically block new housing?
No, but residential development within or contributing significant additional traffic to an AQMA may require an air quality assessment as part of the planning application, along with mitigation such as low-emission design or a travel plan.
Are sensitive uses treated differently?
Yes. Schools, care homes and other uses housing vulnerable people typically face closer air quality scrutiny than general commercial development, given greater exposure risk to occupants.
Is background pollution only a concern inside an AQMA?
No. Modelled background NO2, PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations are useful for screening sites even outside a formal AQMA boundary, since air quality can still be a material planning consideration without a formal declaration.
How often is AQMA and pollution data updated?
AQMA boundaries change as local authorities review them, and modelled pollutant concentration data is republished by Defra and UK-AIR on an annual cycle.
Check Air Quality on Maplify
Open the map, generate a site report or save your search to come back to it later.
References and Methodology
Reviewed by the Maplify data & editorial team
Maplify displays official-source data for desktop screening and due diligence. We document where each dataset comes from, how it is processed, when it is checked and where its limitations matter.