COOPER'S Hill in Alvechurch was due to be declared an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) today following the results of a Bromsgrove Council study which revealed nitrogen dioxide levels may exceed Government targets by 2005.

It is predicted the site will contain 41.9 microgrammes of nitrogen dioxide per cubic metre when Government limits dictate 40 microgrammes, which is mainly due to high volumes of traffic using the M42.

Bromsgrove Council's executive cabinet is likely to approve the recommendation for an AQMA to be declared and if set up, the council is required within 12 months to prepare an action plan showing how it is looking to achieve national air quality standards.

But David Williams, Bromsgrove Council's head of environmental services, said a stage four review of the site was already underway, which homed in on the situation in even finer detail.

He added: "It may be that more detailed investigation and monitoring within the area will reveal limits may not exceed the Government targets in the next four years since it has been predicted the area may only marginally surpass the limit.

"But if we find levels of pollutants are predicted to be higher than targets set by Government, for example through monitoring current levels of traffic, we are required by law to declare it an AQMA and produce an action plan.

"The whole issue of air quality is ongoing and is something we will continue to do across the district because situations can change, for example with new developments and road work which can potentially impact on air quality.

"We are not talking about air quality which is a health concern but about enhancing it to a nationally acceptable standard. We have to think in terms of the environment."