These schemes include the delivery of at least 80 to over 500 dwellings. The transport planning input to such projects typically involves the production of an initial Access Appraisal, scoping out our input with the Local Highway Authority and, in some instances, National Highways, designing the site access arrangements, and the production of a Transport Assessment and Travel Plan. Larger projects may also require the production of a Transport Chapter for an Environmental Impact Assessment. If the application is for detailed approval, we review the internal road layout via swept path analysis to ensure it complies with the Local Highway Authority’s design standards for road/footpath width, dimensions of turning heads, and pedestrian/vehicular visibility splays.
Sustainable access to these types of developments is a key factor in gaining planning permission. The Transport Assessment for such schemes also considers the ability to access the development proposals by sustainable modes of transport. This is typically undertaken via the production of walking, cycling, and bus journey time isochrones using specialist GIS software, but now also includes the completion of the Active Travel England Planning Application Checklist.
If any shortfalls in sustainable access are identified, we are required to suggest improvements to these sustainable connections to the site. This involves the identification of improvements to footways, upgrades of Public Rights of Way, the identification/provision of new sections of cycle infrastructure, and negotiations with local public transport operators as to how to improve bus access to the site. The level of improvements does, however, need to be commensurate with the size of the scheme and be Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) compliant. A capacity assessment of the highway network is also typically undertaken with these types of schemes.
The design of any mitigation measures, whether that be improvements to sustainable access to the site or any off-site junction improvements, needs to be agreed with the Local Highway Authority.
We have also provided Expert Witness support for such schemes, which has entailed producing and presenting evidence at Public Inquiries and Hearings.
The following is a selection of large-scale housing projects that Prime has been involved with:
- The Balk, Pocklington, East Riding of Yorkshire | 380 dwellings
- Chalgrove, Oxfordshire | 230 dwellings
- Hollys Road, Yoxall, Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire | 135 dwellings
- Trafalgar Drive, Flitwick, Bedfordshire | 141 dwellings
- Leeming Lane, Boroughbridge, North Yorkshire | 175 dwellings
- Creech St. Michael, Somerset | 100 dwellings
- Comeytrowe Road, Trull, Somerset | 125 dwellings
- Melksham Road, Holt, Wiltshire | 90 dwellings
- Ratcliffe Road, Leicester | 94 dwellings
- Abbotsham Road, Bideford, Devon | 290 dwellings
- Beechwood Road, Littlethorpe, Leicestershire | 155 dwellings
- The former Whittingham Hospital, Preston, Lancashire | 750 dwellings
- Taunton Road, Wellington, Somerset | 300 dwellings
- Aerodrome Road, Hawkinge, Kent | 110 dwellings
- Sidegreaves Lane, Preston, Lancashire | 102 dwellings
- Dig Lane, Frodsham, Cheshire | 90 dwellings
- Sykes Close, Swanland, East Riding of Yorkshire | 150 dwellings
- Ratcliffe Highway, Hoo St Werburgh, Medway | 240 dwellings
- Carisbrook Road, Mitcheldean, Gloucestershire | 180 dwellings
- Peakirk Road, Glinton, Peterborough | 250 dwellings