Land to the Rear of the Stag, Little Easton, Essex

Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex

Transport Statement

April 2021

Waterman Infrastructure & Environment Ltd Pickfords Wharf, Clink Street, London, SE1 9DG www.watermangroup.com

Client Name: Montare LLP Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 Project Number: WIE14412

Quality Assurance – Approval Status

This document has been prepared and checked in accordance with Waterman Group’s IMS (BS EN ISO 9001: 2015, BS EN ISO 14001: 2015 and BS EN ISO 45001:2018)

Issue Date Prepared by Checked by Approved by 103.R.1.2.1 April 2021 D. Martin M. Powers M. Powers Senior Engineer Technical Director Technical Director

Comments

Disclaimer

This report has been prepared by Waterman Infrastructure & Environment Limited, with all reasonable skill, care and diligence within the terms of the Contract with the client, incorporation of our General Terms and Condition of Business and taking account of the resources devoted to us by agreement with the client. We disclaim any responsibility to the client and others in respect of any matters outside the scope of the above. This report is confidential to the client and we accept no responsibility of whatsoever nature to third parties to whom this report, or any part thereof, is made known. Any such party relies on the report at its own risk.

Contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...... 1 1. INTRODUCTION ...... 3 General ...... 3 Background ...... 3 Document Purpose ...... 3 Document Structure ...... 3 2. POLICY FRAMEWORK ...... 4 National Planning Policy Framework (2019) ...... 4 Essex County Council, Local Transport Plan (2011) ...... 5 Uttlesford Local Plan (2005) ...... 10 Planning History ...... 11 3. EXISTING SITUATION ...... 13 Site Location ...... 13 Accessibility ...... 14 Census Data ...... 18 Road Safety ...... 19 4. PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT ...... 21 Development Description ...... 21 Access and Internal Layout ...... 21 On-Site Parking ...... 22 Servicing & Refuse Collection ...... 24 5. TRANSPORT STRATEGY ...... 25 Background ...... 25 On-Site Measures ...... 26 Off-Site Measures ...... 30 Road Safety Audit & Designer’s Response ...... 32 6. TRIP GENERATION & HIGHWAY IMPACT ...... 33 General ...... 33 Trip Generation ...... 33 Highway Impact ...... 38 7. CONCLUSIONS ...... 41

Contents Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

Figures Figure 1: Site Location ...... 13 Figure 2: Extract from Great Dunmow Neighbourhood Plan – Woodlands Way Development ...... 14 Figure 3: Public Right of Way Network ...... 15 Figure 4: Walking Catchment Plan ...... 15 Figure 5: Propensity to Cycle Tool – Extract ...... 16 Figure 6: Cycling Catchment Plan ...... 17 Figure 7: Census Data Areas ...... 18 Figure 8: Road Traffic Incidents within 1km of the Site ...... 20 Figure 9: Proposed Cycle Route Enhancements ...... 31

Tables Table 1: Bus Services ...... 17 Table 2: Local Car Ownership (numbers per household) ...... 18 Table 3: Method Travelled to Work (Percentage) ...... 19 Table 4: Anticipated Parking Accumulation – Non-residential Uses ...... 23 Table 5: Anticipated Mode Shift Targets ...... 30 Table 6: Proposed Residential Use – TRICS Survey Sites ...... 33 Table 7: Proposed Residential Use – Total Vehicle Trip Rates & Trips (47 dwellings) ...... 33 Table 8: Potential Workspace/Office Use – TRICS Survey Sites ...... 34 Table 9: Potential Workspace/Office Use – Total Vehicle Trip Rates & Trips (52sq.m) ...... 34 Table 10: Potential Retail Use – TRICS Survey Sites ...... 35 Table 11: Potential Retail Use – Total Vehicle Trip Rates & Trips (52sq.m) ...... 35 Table 12: Potential Workshop Use – TRICS Survey Sites ...... 36 Table 13: Potential Workshop Use – Total Vehicle Trip Rates & Trips (52sq.m)...... 36 Table 14: Potential Combined Commercial Use – Total Vehicle Trip Rates & Trips ...... 36 Table 15: Combined Proposed Residential and Commercial (Total Vehicle) Two-Way Trips ...... 37 Table 16: Potential Combined Commercial Use – Total Vehicle Trip Rates & Trips ...... 37 Table 17: Combined Proposed Residential and Commercial (Total Vehicle) Two-Way Trips ...... 38 Table 18: B184 Dunmow Rd / Duck Street / B184 2024 Base + Committed Development ...... 40

Appendices A. ECC Pre-Application Meeting Minutes B. Walking Catchment Plan C. Cycling Catchment Plan D. Automatic Traffic Count Data (2021) E. Access Visibility Splay F. Proposed Masterplan G. Swept-Path Analysis H. Car Club Offer – Enterprise I. Off-Site Measures J. Stage 1 Road Safety Audit & Designer’s Response K. TRICS Database Outputs L. Junction Modelling Outputs (Software: ‘Junctions 9’)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Waterman Infrastructure and Environment Ltd has been appointed by Montare LLP to provide transport planning and highway advice as part of an application to provide a residential-led mixed- use scheme at the land to the rear of The Stag public house in Little Easton, Essex. The Site is under the jurisdiction of Uttlesford District Council’s Planning Department and the Highway Authority is Essex County Council. A Highways Pre-Application Advice meeting was arranged with ECC to agree the highways and transport matters relating to the Site. This Transport Statement considers the site location, its existing land use and describes the existing conditions in terms of active travel (i.e. pedestrian and cyclist) modes and access to public transport facilities. The proposed development is described as: ‘Erection of 44 residential units and 3 commercial units (flexible space); inclusion of 3 additional plots for self-build homes; together with associated access, car parking and landscaping.’ Uttlesford District Council’s Local Plan is currently being progressed by the Council, therefore the Local Plan adopted January 2005 represents the existing statutory development plan. The site is located in Little Easton, partly adjacent to existing housing, in a rural setting. But benefits from existing connections to walking and cycling alignments in addition to public transport. The Site and village are located within 4km of Great Dunmow, with access to local education, medical, community, employment, social and retail facilities. Furthermore, there are a number of onwards transport connections opportunities via Great Dunmow, including access to Braintree, Stansted Airport (and station), Bishops Stortford, Cambridge and London. A number of local amenities can be accessed on foot or by cycle, in addition to public transport. The village currently makes use of these modes and private cars to access local services – typical for a rural location. The Site and its local network does not have a history of road safety issues, indeed no incidents resulting in casualties have been recorded within 1km of the Site. Those occurring further afield are not linked to intrinsic safety issues but were a product of driver error. The proposed development quantum has been configured to minimise the imperative to travel, and helps the area and District move towards a ‘net zero carbon’ future. This considers key criteria of:  Substitute Trips: Replace the need to travel beyond the community;  Shift Modes: For longer trips, use active, public and shared forms of transport;  Switch Fuels: For any trips that must be made by car, ensure the vehicle is zero emission. The proposed development is underpinned by a robust transport strategy that not only benefits the development, but also enables wider reaching benefits for existing Little Easton residents and beyond. The site layout has been configured to accord with the Essex Design Guide requirements, including the site access. It is proposed that the internal layout will not be offered for adoption, but will be built to adoptable standards. Parking is provided in accordance with the adopted Essex parking standards. This includes car, cycle and visitor parking, including fast EV charging points for each unit, plus a publicly accessible space by the commercial area. The development is also configured to optimise the ability for residents to work from home. It is noted that not all professions will be able to achieve this.

1 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

Overall, the development’s strategy provides a sound basis to support village life, maintain and improve access to local services and amenities. Through the combination of existing bus services, the DART service, Uttlesford Community Transport and school bus transport, in addition to the car club/car share facilities, the proposed development ensures access to local employment, commuting and social needs. This specifically includes access to medical and community needs for the vulnerable population. Physical (‘hard’) measures are also proposed to provide additional security for pedestrians using Duck Street, and for cyclists seeking to negotiate the roundabout connecting B184 Dunmow Road and Woodside Way / B1008. Whilst the proposed traffic arising from the development will be new to the network, the strategy provides a basis to achieve improved mode shares (reducing car use) to levels on a level with nearby Great Dunmow or Uttlesford as a whole. The assessment shows that the residual cumulative impacts of the proposed development are not severe.

2 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

1. INTRODUCTION

General 1.1. Waterman Infrastructure and Environment Ltd (‘Waterman’) has been appointed by Montare LLP (‘the Applicant’) to provide transport planning and highway advice as part of an application to provide a residential-led mixed-use scheme at the land to the rear of The Stag public house in Little Easton, Essex.

Background 1.2. The Site is under the jurisdiction of Uttlesford District Council’s (UDC) Planning Department and the Highway Authority is Essex County Council (ECC). 1.3. A Highways Pre-Application Advice (‘PAA’) meeting was arranged with ECC to agree the highways and transport matters relating to the Site. The meeting between Waterman and ECC took place on 25 February 2021. The minutes are included at Appendix A.

Document Purpose 1.4. This Transport Statement (TS) considers the site location, its existing land use and describes the existing conditions in terms of active travel (i.e. pedestrian and cyclist) modes and access to public transport facilities. The development proposals are then described, including the proposed access arrangement and car parking provision, underpinned by the site’s overarching transport strategy.

Document Structure 1.5. Following this Introduction, the document is structured as follows:  Section 2: Policy Framework;  Section 3: Existing Situation;  Section 4: Proposed Development;  Section 5: Transport Strategy;  Section 6: Traffic & Highway Impact;  Section 7: Conclusions.

3 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

2. POLICY FRAMEWORK 2.1. The development plan against which the proposed development will be assessed is summarised as:  National Planning Policy Framework (2019);  Essex County Council, Local Transport Plan (2011);  Uttlesford Local Plan (2005). 2.2. Other documents informing the proposed development’s transport strategy are:  Manual for Streets 1 and 2;  Essex Design Guide (2020);  Uttlesford Cycling Strategy (2014); and

National Planning Policy Framework (2019) 2.3. The National Planning Policy Framework was revised in 2019 and is a material consideration in the determination of planning applications. Paragraph 102 of the NPPF states: ‘Transport issues should be considered from the earliest stages of plan-making and development proposals, so that: a) the potential impacts of development on transport networks can be addressed; b) opportunities from existing or proposed transport infrastructure, and changing transport technology and usage, are realised – for example in relation to the scale, location or density of development that can be accommodated; c) opportunities to promote walking, cycling and public transport use are identified and pursued; d) the environmental impacts of traffic and transport infrastructure can be identified, assessed and taken into account – including appropriate opportunities for avoiding and mitigating any adverse effects, and for net environmental gains; and e) patterns of movement, streets, parking and other transport considerations are integral to the design of schemes and contribute to making high quality places.‘ 2.4. Paragraph 103 states: ‘The planning system should actively manage patterns of growth in support of these objectives. Significant development should be focused on locations which are or can be made sustainable, through limiting the need to travel and offering a genuine choice of transport modes. This can help to reduce congestion and emissions, and improve air quality and public health. However, opportunities to maximise sustainable transport solutions will vary between urban and rural areas, and this should be taken into account in both plan-making and decision-making.’ 2.5. It is also noted in Paragraph 104, to: ‘Provide for high quality walking and cycling networks and supporting facilities such as cycle parking (drawing on Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans)’ 2.6. Paragraph 108 notes the following: ‘In assessing sites that may be allocated for development in plans, or specific applications for development, it should be ensured that:

4 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

a) appropriate opportunities to promote sustainable transport modes can be – or have been – taken up, given the type of development and its location; b) safe and suitable access to the site can be achieved for all users; and c) any significant impacts from the development on the transport network (in terms of capacity and congestion), or on highway safety, can be cost effectively mitigated to an acceptable degree.’ 2.7. Paragraph 109 states: ‘Development should only be prevented or refused on highways grounds if there would be an unacceptable impact on highway safety, or the residual cumulative impacts on the road network would be severe.’ 2.8. Paragraph 110 also notes that proposals should: ‘Give priority first to pedestrian and cycle movements, both within the scheme and with neighbouring areas; and second – so far as possible – to facilitating access to high quality public transport, with layouts that maximise the catchment area for bus or other public transport services, and appropriate facilities that encourage public transport use.’ 2.9. As shown later in this TS, the development proposals are in an area with access to public transport, can accommodate the movement of goods and waste, and have been designed to promote trips on foot, cycle or by public transport by residents, reducing reliance on private car use. 2.10. It is therefore be concluded that the development proposals are in accordance with the general aims of the NPPF.

Essex County Council, Local Transport Plan (2011) 2.11. The document was adopted in 2011 and includes the following key transport policies relevant to the proposed development.

Policy 2 – Integrated Planning ‘Transport and land-use planning will be used together to secure new development at the most appropriate and sustainable locations by:

• working closely with district planning authorities to enable a better balance of new homes, jobs and services;

• locating new developments in areas which are accessible to key services by sustainable forms of transport;

• ensuring new developments provide for sustainable transport and effective travel planning; • requiring new developments to provide appropriate transport infrastructure in line with the Council’s current development management policies

• making the most effective use of all available funding sources by coordinating the delivery of ECC and development funded works.’

Policy 3 – Congestion and Network Resilience ‘The County Council will facilitate the improved reliability of journeys by:

5 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

• undertaking its network management duty in line with the Traffic Management Act; • monitoring and managing the impact of traffic through the Essex Traffic Control Centre; • focusing investment on those parts of the network that would give the greatest benefit to the economy and quality of life;

• using a functional hierarchy of routes to manage traffic; • working with operators to improve the punctuality of bus services; • minimising disruption by co-ordinating and managing the impact of roadworks undertaken by the County Council and utility companies;

• applying the Speed Management Strategy.’

Policy 4 – Public Transport ‘The County Council will develop the public transport network to assist economic growth and improve access to essential services by:

• focusing development and improvement on a network of core bus routes linking locations that attract significant numbers of people;

• working with commercial bus service operators to improve service reliability, punctuality and accessibility;

• continuing to work in partnership with train operating companies and Network Rail to improve rail services;

• working with bus and train operators to improve integration between bus and rail services; • working towards the introduction of multi-operator ticketing; • managing the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme for Essex; • ensuring that accurate and up-to-date service information is made available through a range of media;

• working with the police and public transport operators to reduce crime and fear of crime when travelling on the transport network;

• lobbying Government for increased local involvement in the planning and provision of local rail and more effective partnership working with operators over the provision of bus services.’

Policy 5 – Connectivity ‘Transport networks will be strengthened to support a vibrant, successful and sustainable future for Essex by:

• improving travel links within and between our main towns; • focusing investment on routes where improvements will give the greatest benefit to the economy of Essex;

• improving journey times and journey-time reliability by targeting congestion improvement measures (see Policy 3);

• providing for the use of more sustainable forms of travel (see Policy 8);

6 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

• ensuring international gateways have effective surface access strategies that promote appropriate and sustainable transport;

• developing appropriate provision of park and ride facilities serving our main towns; • working with partner agencies to identify and deliver essential improvements to nationally important road and rail connections.’

Policy 6 – Freight Movement ‘The Council will manage the efficient movement of freight within the county by:

• working with operators to ensure that heavy goods vehicles use identified routes and that other freight traffic uses the most appropriate routes;

• working with local businesses to promote and support the sustainable distribution of goods; • working in partnership with the Highways Agency and neighbouring authorities to provide live travel information to freight operators;

• encouraging a shift of freight from road transport to rail transport.

Policy 7 – Carbon Reduction ‘Essex County Council will support and encourage the use of lower carbon travel by:

• promoting the use of more sustainable forms of travel (Policy 8); • ensuring new developments minimise the number and length of trips made by private vehicles (Policy 2);

• supporting use of emerging low-carbon technologies to reduce carbon emissions from transport sources;

• ensuring the Essex road network operates efficiently to minimise CO2 emissions from vehicles;

• adopting measures to improve energy efficiency and further reduce carbon emissions arising from our own activities.

Policy 8 – Promoting Sustainable Travel Choices ‘The County Council will encourage the use of more sustainable forms of travel by:

• consistently supporting and promoting sustainable travel; • providing infrastructure for sustainable transport; • working with partners and service providers to promote the use of sustainable forms of travel and to identify new ways to provide services;

• requiring effective travel planning for proposed developments in line with the Council’s current development management policies;

• developing effective travel plans with existing work places, schools, and other locations that attract a significant number of people;

• promoting access by sustainable forms of transport to the county’s railway stations, ports

7 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

and airports.’

Policy 9 – The Natural, Historic and Built Environment ‘The County Council will protect the natural, historic and built environment from the harmful effects of transport by:

• designing and implementing transport improvements and maintenance works that retain the integrity of the built environment, natural habitats and biodiversity, the natural and historic landscape, and water quality;

• minimising the visual and noise impacts of transport; • addressing air quality issues through appropriate measures, particularly in designated Air Quality Management Areas.’

Policy 10 – Road Safety ‘The County Council will work to reduce the incidence and severity of road traffic collisions on roads in Essex by:

• continuing to work within the strong partnership framework provided by the Essex Casualty & Congestion Reduction Board;

• prioritising measures which reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured;

• working to improve the safety of pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable groups; • ensuring Safety Audits are undertaken of all proposed designs of new highway schemes or proposals to materially alter the existing public highway.’

Policy 11 – Asset Management ‘The County Council will protect the value of transport assets to enable the safe and efficient operation of the network by:

• regularly inspecting and monitoring the condition of all of our highway and transport assets; • maintaining all its highway assets to appropriate standards that offer value for money to the travelling public and the Essex taxpayer;

• working with our partner organisations to ensure minimal disruption to the Essex transport network;

• ensuring the long-term affordability of new transport infrastructure and that appropriate contribution and provision is made by new development.’

Policy 12 – Maintenance ‘The County Council will ensure that the highway network (including roads, footways and cycleways) is resilient, safe to use, and fit for purpose, especially during periods of adverse weather, by:

• Inspecting the network to identify defects;

• prioritising the repair of defects which are an immediate hazard or are at risk of more serious deterioration;

8 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

• gritting and salting the ‘precautionary route’ network; • using local knowledge to develop programmes of maintenance for cutting verges and hedgerows and cleaning drains and culverts;

• maintaining the public rights of way network in line with usage and linkages to vital services.’

Policy 13 – Access to Services ‘The County Council will ensure that Essex residents have access to essential services by:

• working with partners and service providers to make essential services accessible to all; • making transport infrastructure accessible for all by continuing to remove barriers to travel for those with disabilities;

• ensuring that travel information is available in different formats and is accessible to everyone;

• encouraging and supporting innovation to improve the provision of essential services.’

Policy 14 – Cycling ‘The County Council will encourage cycling by:

• promoting the benefits of cycling;

• continuing to improve the cycling facilities within the main urban areas of Basildon, Chelmsford, Colchester and Harlow;

• developing existing cycling networks in other towns where cycling offers an appropriate local solution;

• working with schools and employers to improve facilities for cyclists; • improving access to local services by integrating the Public Rights of Way, walking and cycling networks to form continuous routes;

• providing training opportunities to school children and adults.’

Policy 15 – Walking and Public Rights of Way ‘The County Council will promote walking and use of the Public Rights of Way network by:

• promoting the benefits of walking; • facilitating a safe and pleasant walking environment that is accessible to all; • improving the signage of walking routes; • ensuring that the public rights of way network is well maintained and easy to use by walkers, cyclists and equestrians.’ 2.12. It is also noted that the LTP includes the following ‘Priorities for West Essex’ for Local Centres (including Great Dunmow) and International Gateways (Stansted Airport):

• ‘Providing for and promoting access by sustainable modes of transport to development areas;

9 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

• Improving passenger transport connections to and between the local centres, key services and Harlow;

• Improving the attractiveness and usability of streets and public spaces; • Improving cycling and walking routes and promoting their greater use; • Improving connections to London, working with Transport for London to make best use of and manage access to Underground links;

• Improving links with surrounding rural Areas; … • Improving access to Stansted Airport from within West Essex by sustainable forms of travel.’

Uttlesford Local Plan (2005) 2.13. Uttlesford District Council’s Local Plan is currently being progressed by the Council, therefore the Local Plan adopted January 2005 represents the existing statutory development plan.

Policy GEN1 – Access ‘Development will only be permitted if it meets all of the following criteria: a) Access to the main road network must be capable of carrying the traffic generated by the development safely. b) The traffic generated by the development must be capable of being accommodated on the surrounding transport network. c) The design of the site must not compromise road safety and must take account of the needs of cyclists, pedestrians, public transport users, horse riders and people whose mobility is impaired. d) It must be designed to meet the needs of people with disabilities if it is development to which the general public expect to have access. e) The development encourages movement by means other than driving a car.’

Policy GEN8 – Vehicle Parking Standards ‘Development will not be permitted unless the number, design and layout of vehicle parking places proposed is appropriate for the location, as set out in Supplementary Planning Guidance “Vehicle Parking Standards”, a summary extract of which is reproduced in Appendix 1 to this Plan.’ 2.14. It is noted that the above parking standards are superseded by ECC’s more recent guidance.

Uttlesford Transport Strategy 2.15. The Council’s Transport Strategy published in 2001 highlighted the following key issues: ‘Uttlesford has above average levels of car ownership compared to both Essex and Great Britain as a whole. These levels are likely to continue to increase. Promoting greater use, and better coordination of public transport is a real challenge in a rural area.

• There are key areas that should be targeted for greater public transport use, in particular Stansted Airport.

10 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

• Commuting to work beyond Uttlesford is significant because of London and other accessible large centres beyond its boundaries. Retention of local employment opportunities and support for home working are important.

• Congestion occurring on the existing A120 will cease when the new road is built and open to the public. At that time opportunities will exist to introduce traffic management in communities on the existing route and public transport express services between centres in and beyond Uttlesford.

• Lorry traffic on some country lanes and in some historic towns and villages is intrusive. Weak bridges in some strategic locations exacerbate this situation. These need to be strengthened as a priority

• Uttlesford has a higher than average accident rate for its population compared to other Essex districts. Reducing speed and introducing traffic management should be a priority.

• There are a variety of existing community travel initiatives in the District. These should be examined to establish if opportunities exist to coordinate them better and to connect them with other public transport services.

• There are opportunities to develop useful cycle routes in and around Saffron Walden and Great Dunmow. Essex County Council has produced an overall plan, the “Uttlesford Cycle Network Plan”. This is being implemented during the plan period.

• There are opportunities to introduce School Travel Plans during the plan period, particularly in relation to the new schools to be built in association with new developments along the A120 axis.

• Road and air traffic will continue to grow in the next 5 years and it will be vital to monitor potential air and noise pollution. In response to these issues the Local Plan’s development strategy and policies aim to locate and design new sites for development that encourage modes of transport other than the car. Policy GEN1 specifically requires the needs of cyclists, pedestrians, public transport users, horse riders and people whose mobility is impaired to be taken into account in the design of development sites. Policy GEN 8 applies appropriate car parking standards which include minimum cycle spaces and maximum vehicle spaces.’

Planning History 2.16. The Site has been the subject to previous planning applications since 2015, namely:

UTT/1051/04/CL ‘Certificate of lawfulness for change of use in land from agricultural to recreational.’ 2.17. This application was approved in December 2004.

UTT/15/2069/OP ‘Outline application for development of up to 65 no. dwellings with all matters reserved except access.’ 2.18. The relevant reasons for the refusal are presented below. Please note that reasons 2, 3 and 4 are not discussed here as they do not relate to transport matters.

11 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

‘Paragraphs 7 and 14 of the NPPF set out that there is a presumption in favour of sustainable development whilst the policies in paragraphs 18 to 219, taken as a whole, constitute what the Government's view of what sustainable development. The proposal would represent an unsustainable form of residential development at this isolated and exposed rural location outside the development limits of Little Easton. The site has poor connectivity with adjacent settlements and there would be a dependency upon the car by residents of the development to travel to work and to use essential local services such as health and education given that the site is poorly served by public transport. In addition to the little economic benefits it would provide to the settlement of Little Easton, it would result in an unsatisfactory urban expansion of the settlement that would erode into the open countryside creating a large expansive development which does not relate to the settlement thereby having an environmental impact. In the circumstances, the proposed development fails to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development as defined within the National Planning Policy Framework.’ 2.19. The proposed development has considered and responds to the points raised in the previous refusal. 2.20. It is noted from the Officer’s Report that ECC (as highway authority) was ‘…satisfied that the proposed development will not have any detrimental effect on capacity or safety at this location.’

12 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

3. EXISTING SITUATION

Site Location 3.1. The site, which has an area of 2.95Ha, is located immediately east of The Stag and is bound by residential properties fronting Butcher’s Pasture to the north, the River Chelmer, fields, and woodland to the east, Duck Street to the south, with properties and land fronting Duck Street to the west. 3.2. The site is partly adjacent to existing housing in a rural setting. The site location is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Site Location

Site

3.3. Duck Street is a rural road subject to a 30mph speed limit fronting the Site, increasing to 40mph between the Site and Park Road to the east. Duck Street has grassed verges and/or hedges along the majority of its length and terminates as a priority junction with the B184 Dunmow Road. 3.4. B184 Dunmow Road is designated as a ‘Priority 2’ Road (i.e. Secondary Distributor) under ECC’s road hierarchy and Development Management Policies. The B184 then links with Great Dunmow via Woodside Way and the B1008. To the north Duck Street leads to Great Easton. 3.5. To the west, some 11km by road, is Stansted Airport, which is a major employer in the local area. South of Great Dunmow is the A120 which provides links to Braintree to the east and Bishop Stortford, M11 and Stansted to the west. 3.6. Great Dunmow has many facilities including supermarkets, medical, education, retail and leisure uses for day-to-day living, its centre is within 3-4km from the site. Great Dunmow is experiencing development growth through the construction of around 842 residential dwellings as part of the Woodlands Park development (Sectors 1-3). 3.7. Woodlands Park is currently being constructed, with Sector 4 providing 124 dwellings outside of the Parish Boundary of Great Dunmow. This is illustrated by the extract of the Great Dunmow Neighbourhood Plan in the figure below.

13 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

Figure 2: Extract from Great Dunmow Neighbourhood Plan – Woodlands Way Development

3.8. The Applicant is engaging with UDC through a Planning Performance Agreement (PPA). This includes shared, timetabled, ‘…commitments towards identifying suitable locations and sites adjoining existing village settlements for initial appraisal work and their inclusion within a draft list of emerging allocation sites, based on their sustainability credentials, and with reference to the previously agreed Settlement Sustainability Hierarchy document prepared by Magenta Planning Ltd (dated September 2018)’.

Accessibility

Walking 3.9. The Site provides connections to the existing Public Right of Way (PRoW) network as shown in Figure 4 overleaf. The site is also within walking distance of local facilities as indicated in the pedestrian catchment and facilities plan provided at Appendix B (extract overleaf, Figure 5). Little Easton has an existing footway to the north side of Duck Street from a point c.35m west of the existing access to the Site, through to The Stag and further north in the village. 3.10. There are currently no dedicated pedestrian facilities between the Site and the junction of Duck Street with Park Road; after the junction there is a mix of walkable verges and a dedicated footway connecting to B184 Dunmow Road.

14 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

Figure 3: Public Right of Way Network

Site

B184 Dunmow Road

Woodside Way

Figure 4: Walking Catchment Plan

15 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

3.11. The Chartered Institute of Highways and Transport (CIHT) published the guidance document ‘Planning for Walking’ (2015), which sets out the thresholds considered desirable for a pedestrian walking environment. It defines a ‘walkable neighbourhood’ as an area with the majority of amenities within 800m walking distance. The document also sets out a desired maximum threshold of 1,600m for walking journeys.

Cycling 3.12. Although there are no dedicated cycle routes in the immediate area the existing road network does provide sufficient access for cyclists. A cycle catchment plan is provided at Appendix C (extract below). 3.13. The Uttlesford Cycling Strategy notes that there is a relative lack of existing cycle facilities in and around Great Dunmow. The Cycling Strategy document does not consider any areas further north than part of Woodside Way, north of Helena Romanes School and the Leisure Centre. 3.14. There has been an increase in cycling activity – both in terms of (pre-Covid) commuter trips and also leisure cycling following the Tour de France in 2014. The ‘Propensity to Cycle Tool’ service indicates the existing route choices made by cyclists in the vicinity of the Site.

Figure 5: Propensity to Cycle Tool – Extract

Site

B184

Great Dunmow

3.15. The CIHT document ‘Planning for Cycling’ (2014) states: ‘The majority of cycling trips are for short distances, with 80% being less than five miles and with 40% being less than two miles. However, the majority of trips by all modes are also short distances (67% are less than five miles [8km], and 38% are less than two miles [3.2km]); therefore, the bicycle is a potential mode for many of these trips (DfT, 2014a). Electric bicycles extend the range that can be cycled comfortably, and combined cycle-rail or cycle-bus journeys offer an alternative to car travel for many longer trips.’

16 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

3.16. Figure 7 shows the cycling catchment plan centred on the Site and the areas covered within a 5km (3.2mile) distance. Great Dunmow is within 3-4km; Thaxted is located 8km to the north.

Figure 6: Cycling Catchment Plan

Site

Great Dunmow

Bus 3.17. The nearest bus stop in relation to the site is situated south of the junction with Duck Street / Butchers Pasture. The bus stop benefits from shelter with seating and raised kerbs to improve access for people with mobility impairments. 3.18. The bus stop can be accessed from the Site via the route past The Stag (130m or 1 minute 40 seconds walk) or via the footway along Duck Street (285m or 3 minutes 30 seconds walk). A summary of the relevant bus routes is provided below. This is well within the recommended 400m walk distance (CIHT guidance above).

Table 1: Bus Services Route No. Route Description Period Frequency

Mon – Fri 3 per day 313/313A Great Dunmow – Thaxted – Saffron Walden Saturday 3 per day

414 School Service Great Dunmow – Saffron Walden School days 1 per day

3.19. The table indicates the site is accessible by bus with services to Great Dunmow, Thaxted and Saffron Walden, but would benefit from further provision or investment (in line with ECC policies).

17 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

Rail 3.20. The closest train stations are Elsenham station which is approximately 11km west of the site and Stanstead Airport (providing onwards services to London and Birmingham). Elsenham Station provides regular services to London Liverpool Street and Cambridge North, the nearby Bishops Stortford station provides fast services between London, Cambridge and Kings Lynn. 3.21. Elsenham Station is operated on the Greater Anglia rail network, offers excellent rail facilities and connections. There is private car parking available for commuters. 3.22. Outside of Covid-constraints, trains operate every 25 – 30 minutes during peak hours. Details of the train timetables are available at www.abelliogreateranglia.co.uk.

Census Data 3.23. The 2011 Census data has been analysed for the Site and its local area; this provides a baseline for relevant data sets influencing the Site.

Figure 7: Census Data Areas Uttlesford Great Dunmow BUA Output Area E00112272

3.24. To provide an indication of the level of car ownership, census data has been extracted for the above areas, as follows.

Table 2: Local Car Ownership (numbers per household) Uttlesford Great Dunmow BUA E00112272 Description No. % No. % No. %

All categories: Car availability 31,316 - 3,310 - 181 -

No cars or vans in household 3,150 10% 474 14% 11 6%

1 car / van in household 11,150 36% 1,346 41% 51 28%

2 cars / vans in household 11,967 38% 1,142 35% 77 43%

3 cars / vans in household 3,441 11% 246 7% 25 14%

4 or more cars / vans in 1,608 5% 102 3% 17 9% household Total or (Cars per Household) 52,656 (1.7) 4,809 (1.5) 361 (2.0)

18 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

3.25. The above table indicates that the output area, in which the site resides, has a higher car ownership compared to Great Dunmow and Uttlesford as a whole. The higher level of car ownership is attributed to the local area and its connection to public transport, facilities and a propensity for households to have more than one car. 3.26. To compare mode of travel the ‘method travelled to work’ data has been extracted for the three areas previously identified.

Table 3: Method Travelled to Work (Percentage) Mode of Travel Uttlesford Great Dunmow BUA E00112272

Work mainly at or from home 9% 6% 10% Underground, metro, light rail, tram 1% 1% 1% Train 9% 4% 6% Bus, minibus or coach 1% 1% 2% Taxi 0% 0% 0% Motorcycle, scooter or moped 1% 0% 0% Driving a car or van 65% 70% 73% Passenger in a car or van 4% 3% 2% Bicycle 1% 1% 1% On foot 9% 12% 4% Other method of travel to work 1% 1% 0%

3.27. The above table indicates that the site’s local area experiences the highest level for people working from home at 10%. Car related travel compared to the local area and Great Dunmow is of a similar order, 73%-75%. Public transport, particularly by train, is higher in the local area compared to Great Dunmow, most likely due to the site being closer to the station although the above train travel is likely to linked to car travel. 3.28. The above Census data indicates that the local area to the site experiences high car ownership, but with similar levels of car use when compared to Great Dunmow and Uttlesford. This highlights an underlying propensity to support sustainable travel modes.

Road Safety 3.29. Road traffic incident data (available from www.crashmap.co.uk) has been obtained and reviewed for the three-year period to date; the most recent data sets are provisional and up to June 2020. 3.30. There are no recorded incidents within 1km of the Site. Further afield, the following incidents are recorded:  B184 Dunmow Road –2017 - Car-based casualties (3no.), 1no. Fatal, 2no. – Slight; - 1.3km from Site; - Description: Vehicle 1 driver (fatality) proceeding normally, hit a parked vehicle causing slight injuries to the occupants of the stationary vehicle.

19 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

 Broxted Road – 2017 - Cycle-based casualty (1no.), Slight; - 1.7km from Site; - Description: Cyclist was hit by car driver from behind causing a serious injury to the cyclist. Vehicles were proceeding normally.  Woodside Way – 2018 - Car-based casualties (2no), 1no. Serious, 1no. Slight; - 1.85km from Site; - Description: Driver of vehicle 1 (slight casualty) was slowing or stopping, vehicle 2 hit from behind (serious casualty). 3.31. The recorded incidents appear to be the product of driver error rather than as a result of inherent road safety weaknesses in the vicinity of the Site.

Figure 8: Road Traffic Incidents within 1km of the Site

Severity: Serious Severity: Fatal (1) Year: 2017 Slight (2) Casualty: 1 (cycle) Year: 2017 Dry, clear, daytime Casualty: 3 (car) Site

1km distance from the Site

Severity: Serious (1) Slight (1) Year: 2018 Casualty: 2 (car)

20 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

4. PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT

Development Description 4.1. The proposed development is described as: ‘Erection of 44 residential units and 3 commercial units (flexible space); inclusion of 3 additional plots for self-build homes; together with associated access, car parking and landscaping.’ 4.2. The residential provision comprises:  Private Homes – 26no. units - 9no. four bed detached houses; - 9no. three bed detached houses; - 4no. three bed semi-detached houses; - 3no. three bed detached bungalows; and - 1no. five bed detached house.  Affordable Homes – 18 units - 6no. one bed terrace houses; - 6no. two bed terrace houses; - 4no. three bed semi-detached houses; and - 2no. two bed semi-detached bungalows. 4.3. As noted above, space is provided to the southern extent of eh scheme for 3no. self-build units. 4.4. The commercial provision comprises:  279 sqm GIA (3,000 sqft) of flexible floorspace;  Divided into two smaller business units of 46.5 sqm (500sqft) each. 4.5. It is noted that the employment opportunities being proposed comprise some of the following:  Local baker’s/coffee shop (synergy with local ramblers/walkers);  Village store, working with local suppliers, such as Priors Hall, Cammas Hall and Boydells;  Dog groomers;  Yoga/Wellbeing/Sound healing studio;  Bicycle Repair and refurbishment;  Green house-keeping, landscape, maintenance services;  Zero waste refill, for detergents, cereals etc;  Eco friendly Beauty Salon.

Access and Internal Layout

Site Access 4.6. The previous application for the Site sought to re-purpose the existing field access from Duck Street as the primary access to the Site. This approach is retained for the proposed development.

21 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

4.7. The proposed visibility configuration is also as previously proposed (and approved by ECC) – from a point 2.4m back from the channel line of Duck Street, visibility splays can readily be achieved for 90m from the Site access location. The 90m spays have been previously supported by Essex County in their role as Highway Authority – the on-street conditions have not changed since. 4.8. A recent Automatic Traffic Count (ATC) speed survey was carried out in March 2021 – this survey recorded consistent results to the survey carried out in 2015 for the original application (Appendix D). 4.9. It is note that the speed limits have been recently reduced to 40mph on Duck Street (east of the Site) from the previous national speed limit, with the site frontage covered by a 30mph limit. 4.10. The Applicant notes that the speed limit could be further reduced to 30mph past the proposed development, and the Applicant is also willing to consider supporting a gateway treatment to the village if the highway authority considers it beneficial. (Access visibility at Appendix E.)

Internal Layout 4.11. The internal layout of the site has been configured in accordance with the principals of the Essex Design Guide. The layout is included at Appendix F, but the internal strategy is using a Type E Access Road off Duck Street, forming the main spine road of the development. This in turn connects with the internal layout comprising lower category alignments whose layout is informed by the Essex Design Guide. 4.12. It is noted that the internal street layout will not be offered for adoption; it will be maintained through a dedicated management company. All swept-path analysis is included at Appendix G. 4.13. Pedestrian routing around the Site will comprise a separate pedestrian route parallel to the spine road – this takes a design cue from The Avenue development in Saffron Walden. This benefits the proposed development my maintaining some separation between vehicular and pedestrian routes, and removes potential risks of access manoeuvres in to and out of parking spaces. All units along the spine road enable cars to enter and exit the plots in forward gear. 4.14. Following discussions with ECC during pre-application, the main pedestrian alignment may be designated a permissive path with associated public rights. At this stage ECC did not express an aspiration for this alignment to be added to the PRoW network.

On-Site Parking 4.15. Car parking is provided in accordance with the adopted ‘Parking Standards Design and Good Practice’ (2009) document, including:

Residential  1 bedroom: 1 space per dwelling;  2+ bedroom: 2 spaces per dwelling; 4.16. Garages, where provided, have internal dimensions of 7m x 3m. All dwellings will be provided with a dedicated EV charging point (7kw). Cycle parking is provided at a minimum of one covered space per dwelling. 4.17. Visitor parking is provided on the basis of 0.25 spaces per unit. This provision is available around the site in key locations, close to the units. The parking area to the north-west is also available to provide additional visitor space as required.

22 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

Commercial 4.18. Commercial areas are provided with parking spaces up to 1 space per 30sq.m. The majority of parking spaces are located to the north-west of the Site but are distributed across the development to suit the layout of uses. 4.19. A total of 12no. parking spaces are re-provided for The Stag within the northern area, accessed from within the Site, via Duck Street (removing vehicle movements from the existing highly constrained access). 4.20. Whilst there is no fixed or adopted standard for publicly available EV charging facilities within Essex, it is proposed that at least one of the commercially available spaces will be provided with a fast charger.

Parking Accumulation 4.21. A parking accumulation exercise has been prepared to assess the overall level of parking across the site, by use class. This draws from the trip generation set out in Section 5 of this report for the non-residential element of the development and relocated public house car parking, which is to be accommodated within the Site.

Table 4: Anticipated Parking Accumulation – Non-residential Uses

Hour Starting Trips Arriving Trips Departing On-Site Accumulation

07:00 – 08:00 2 2 0

08:00 – 09:00 3 3 1

09:00 – 10:00 2 2 1

10:00 – 11:00 3 3 1

11:00 – 12:00 5 3 3

12:00 – 13:00 10 6 7

13:00 – 14:00 7 7 7

14:00 – 15:00 5 7 4

15:00 – 16:00 5 5 4

16:00 – 17:00 7 5 6

17:00 – 18:00 9 7 7

18:00 – 19:00 12 9 10

19:00 – 20:00 7 8 10

20:00 – 21:00 4 7 8

21:00 – 22:00 3 6 5

22:00 – 23:00 2 6 1

23:00 – 00:00 0 2 0

23 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

Servicing & Refuse Collection 4.22. The internal layout has been tested for access by the typical Council refuse trucks serving the District – typically 11.2m long. The vehicle can access all parts of the Site, entering and exiting in forward gear. 4.23. The spine alignment has also been laid out to accommodate two vehicles passing safely, including delivery vehicles. The swept-path analysis is included at Appendix G.

24 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

5. TRANSPORT STRATEGY

Background 5.1. It is recognised that the Site is located in a rural setting, within a majority rural District. Within the NPPF, paragraph 84, states: ‘Planning policies and decisions should recognise that sites to meet local business and community needs in rural areas may have to be found outside existing settlements, and in locations that are not well served by public transport. In these circumstances it will be important to ensure that development is sensitive to its surroundings, does not have an unacceptable impact on local roads and exploits any opportunities to make a location more sustainable (for example by improving the scope for access on foot, by cycling or by public transport). The use of previously developed land and sites that are well-related to existing settlements should be encouraged where suitable opportunities exist.’ 5.2. The above statement recognises the need to develop in rural areas. Moreover, the NPPF (2019) recognises, in paragraph 84, the need to develop in areas with that are not served well by public transport to meet local business and community needs. 5.3. It is considered the proposed development is sympathetic to the local area, with electric charge points for cars and cycle parking in excess of ECC parking standards being provided. 5.4. Consideration must be given to paragraph 78 of the NPPF, and whether planning authorities are applying it correctly. Of particular relevance is the following paragraph: ‘To promote sustainable development in rural areas, housing should be located where it will enhance or maintain the vitality of rural communities.’ 5.5. This is further qualified in the NPPF that where there are groups of smaller settlements, development in one village may support services in a village nearby and so enhance or maintain the vitality of these interdependent rural communities. The guidance goes on to state that policies which restrict or exclude development in one settlement for the benefit of another should be avoided. 5.6. The NPPF does not require the location of developments to be purely judged against objectives to simply reduce the use of the private car. Instead, the NPPF seeks to balance overall travel in favour of sustainable transport modes and give people a real choice about how they travel, requiring that ‘significant development’ be located in locations which are or can be made sustainable. The NPPF recognises that different policies and measures will be required in different communities and that opportunities to maximise sustainable transport solutions will vary from urban to rural areas (paragraph 103). 5.7. The framework has deliberately moved away from a focus of locating the majority of development in local centres and towns, where it can be accommodated without the need for residents to travel to access services and employment that was at the core of earlier policy (Planning Policy Statement 7). It is essential to note that accessibility is one issue of sustainability, to be addressed in the planning balance in all aspects and is not the overriding factor. 5.8. The Site, and its surrounding village, whilst small with limited services, is closely linked to a network of neighbouring settlements which rely on each other for the provision and patronage of services and are capable of meeting the full day to day requirements of local residents. As a network of settlements, they therefore provide for a sustainable location for housing.

25 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

5.9. Additional housing in in this area will enhance the vitality of both the location and its surrounding settlements. These neighbouring villages are within an approximate 5km cycle journey catchment and are accessible by other modes of travel including bus travel. 5.10. The site also benefits from access to the local town and settlement centre at Great Dunmow, via the 313/A bus service that operates in Little Easton, in addition to onward access to Thaxted and Saffron Walden. This existing public transport provision is the subject of enhancement as part of the transport strategy. 5.11. Even where some of these services require use of the private car to access them, journeys will be short and, in that respect, relatively sustainable, as Inspectors have recognised, including Inspector Preston in an appeal1 in Stoke Orchard, Gloucestershire: ‘That is not to say that car use would not be the predominant form of travel for residents of the proposed scheme. Whilst the proposed offer provides a reasonable choice, the rural nature of the site and complex travel patterns associated with everyday life are such that the car will remain the most popular choice for most. As recognised by the Council, the village is in relative close proximity to Bishop’s Cleeve, Tewkesbury and Cheltenham. Accordingly it is likely that most car journeys would be short. This is a matter which weighs in favour of the proposal.’ 5.12. As a result of this, recognising the Site’s location in a village outside of the nearest large settlement, the following modal measures are proposed by the Applicant as part of the proposed development from the outset. 5.13. These measures not only improve connectivity and sustainable travel for the proposed development, but also will be available to, and provide benefits for, the existing residents.

On-Site Measures

Public Transport 5.14. The current transport context is essentially rural in nature. Limited bus services operate as shown below. The key local centre is Great Dunmow but it is also noted that Braintree and Stansted Airport are key destinations. The current bus services to Little Easton offer a limited but regular service during what is seen as traditional off-peak hours to Great Dunmow 5.15. In addition to the formal bus routes noted above, a targeted community transport scheme operates for people who have difficulty to accessing mainstream public transport. The group behind this scheme also run a hospital car scheme for access to the local healthcare facilities. 5.16. Essex County Council supported DaRT 2 service also provides a genuine public transport service on a demand responsive basis in this area. The area covered by the service is shown below but it is important to note that Great Dunmow is not explicitly covered. 5.17. At Great Dunmow bus links to Braintree, Stansted and Chelmsford are available. The immediate challenge is to join up the public transport offer to these wider links and to provide an all-day link to Great Dunmow as the main local centre. Great Dunmow is recorded by the Uttlesford local plan as a ‘service centre and hub for surrounding rural areas’ where economic activity will be concentrated (commentary to Policy S1). 5.18. The development is such that the demand for mainstream public transport will be relatively suppressed. The development will produce less than daily trips, of which a realistic expectation is for around 30-50 public transport trips each day.

1 APP/G1630/A/14/2223858 Land at Stoke Orchard Gloucestershire

26 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

5.19. At typical local fares of around £1.60 / journey this would equate to up to £15- £20k of income for a fully built out site. Other committed or planned developments in the vicinity could also generate further use. 5.20. Further options for public transport linked to the proposed development are driven by the limited level of overall demand likely to be seen and the need to dovetail these around the existing bus service offer. Considerations therefore include:  Option 1: develop the DaRT 2 service to include Great Dunmow as a formal destination and to allow for journeys from Little Easton to Braintree.  Option 2: develop a shared car database within the site to reduce single occupancy car trips.  Option 3: increase the service 313/A.  Option 4: fund an element of the Uttlesford CT scheme for Little Easton and the development – this is envisaged as a specific vehicle available at certain times of day for Little Easton / the development. 5.21. Option 1 provides an extension to the coverage of an existing service. The level of use will be reflected in the destinations that residents of the development need to reach. This would operate in conjunction with the existing 313/A route to Great Dunmow. We estimate the operational cost of this option to be up to £15k per annum given that the vehicles are already in use. 5.22. We would envisage this only providing an ‘on demand’ link to / from Great Dunmow but as the DaRT2 operates between 6am and 8pm Mondays to Saturdays inclusive we would envisage a reasonable spread of trips through the day and early evening. This would provide connection to the mainstream bus routes available in Great Dunmow for travel further afield with reasonable prospects of connecting journeys being made and also adequate operation into the early evening for return journeys to be made. 5.23. Given the likely financial contribution to the operation a positive initiative could be the use of a ‘presumption in favour of bookings’ at certain times of day for Little Easton residents, including those at the development. As the revenue collected when demand for the service matures would be in the same order of the costs, the supported needed would be time limited. 5.24. It is also noted that ECC indicated that a contribution to public transport enhancements may be considered in the region of £1,700 to £2,500 per unit. It is therefore suggested that this ‘general’ contribution would dilute the potential benefits to Little Easton, whereas repurposing this contribution to a more targeted / dedicated function in the immediate area would be much more effective for new (and existing) residents. 5.25. Option 2 is to provide a car-pooling system for the development. We would see this option as operating in conjunction with at least one other option and cater primarily for journeys outside of the local area. The main costs involved would be set up costs and operation of an app-based system rather than a specific level of ongoing revenue support. 5.26. Option 3 would provide further journeys on some or all of route 313/A. The implication is that this would require another vehicle and unless dovetailed with (for example) a school movement would incur the full cost of providing the vehicle of over £100k per annum. Given the size of the development and the limited journeys an additional bus would provide on the routes this option is seen as unviable. 5.27. Option 4 would involve widening the scope of the current Uttlesford voluntary transport scheme to include dedicated times for vehicles to be available for Little Easton and the development. The key

27 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

challenges will be to the provision of volunteer drivers and the scope of the s19 permit under which the scheme’s minibuses operate. 5.28. An estimate of cost for this would be £15k per year. The community hospital car scheme already coverts the Little Easton area but is restricted to a specific remit that experience elsewhere would suggest will be hard to change. As the revenue collected when demand for the eservice matures would be in the same order of the costs, the supported needed would be time limited.

Recommendation 5.29. When the scale of development is considered alongside the existing bus service provision and the availability of the Uttlesford Community bus and hospital car schemes in the area the most favourable option is to pursue Option 1. 5.30. This would be supported by the appropriate s106 agreement and a package of travel plan measures covering travel information, lowered fares for an initial period and the car sharing system. 5.31. Through the combination of existing bus services, the DART service, Uttlesford Community Transport and school bus transport, in addition to the car club/car share facilities, the proposed development ensures access to local employment, commuting and social needs. This specifically includes access to medical and community needs for the vulnerable population.

Car Club 5.32. Car Clubs are very popular in urban areas outside of London where there is low car ownership and access to alternative modes. Car clubs give local people freedom to access a car or van where and when they need one, without any of the difficulties or expense of ownership (e.g. no servicing, insurance, parking, MOT or repairs) in addition to reducing demand for second car ownership 5.33. The Applicant has been in negotiation with a number of providers, with significant interest being confirmed by Enterprise Car Clubs. Enterprise is also based out of Stansted Airport providing a further degree of resilience to their offer. This means that personal members of Enterprise Car Club will receive a discount with Enterprise Rent-A-Car and can access all its services in the immediate area around the development and across the UK. 5.34. Importantly, the car club will be open to the wider community which would encourage further low car ownership and give potential to expand the car club to provide more vehicles in possibly more locations. 5.35. A car club facility will be provided and available for use by residents and local commercial premises, with a car club vehicle provided on-site providing there is sufficient demand from the local community. The Enterprise offer is included at Appendix H. 5.36. In addition, the literature surrounding car clubs provides a range of equivalent parking spaces per club-club bay. For instance, ‘Sustrans’2 states ‘One car club car replaces over 20 private cars, helping to reduce traffic jams and free up parking spaces.’ 5.37. A more moderate (i.e. technically robust) view by ‘CarPlus’3 states: ‘5.4 people per car club car give up their personal vehicle. This means that for each new car club car, 4 parking spaces are no longer required’

2 https://www.sustrans.org.uk/what-you-can-do/use-your-car-less/car-clubs-and-car-sharing 3 https://www.rgp.co.uk/publications/car-clubs/

28 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

5.38. Therefore, the car club facility can be deemed equivalent to between 4-20 car parking spaces, whilst removing many of the negatives associated with owning a car. This is particularly effective in extra-urban locations at reducing second car ownership and use.

EV charging 5.39. It is noted that there is currently no District or County policy requiring EV charging points within a development, although this will develop as the respective policy frameworks are updated. Each residential dwelling will be provided with a fast 7kw charging point from the outset of the development. 5.40. Furthermore, a publicly available fast charger will also be available within the commercial parking areas.

Cycle Storage 5.41. Each residential unit will have secure, covered storage for at least one cycle parking space, with ore available within garages or garden storage. Cycle parking is also provided for the commercial uses in line with the adopted standards.

Reducing the Overall Need to Travel 5.42. In providing a range of uses on site there is the opportunity for people to live, work and undertake leisure pursuits in the local area reducing the need to make long journeys, particularly by car. The proposed employment and retail use reduce the need to travel to those types of facilities elsewhere, in addition to benefitting the existing population. 5.43. Home shopping deliveries are available from some of the supermarkets in Great Dunmow, which will be encouraged; alongside supporting the ClickIt Local service promoted by UDC. It is noted that the online grocery sector continues to grow at over 10% annually4.

Working from Home 5.44. Working from home is increasingly become a viable option for many people. In order to encourage working from home the residential dwellings will be equipped with an area that would accommodate work stations. 5.45. In addition, the best available broadband for the area is to be provided to each business and dwelling with the future rollout of 5G throughout the UK being a considered for the site.

Modal Shift 5.46. Based on the above measures, the resulting mode shares for the proposed development are expected to shift away from high levels of private car use on to more sustainable modes. This will be chiefly driven by increased levels of working from home (assuming cautious estimates derived from Census patterns, proportions of ‘compatible’ occupations for working from home) and improved access to public transport / alternative modes. 5.47. Assuming modest improvements in bus use, working from home and car clubs/car sharing, it is expected that the development will achieve similar mode shares to those recorded in Great Dunmow (Table 3 above), rather than those currently in the Little Easton area. 5.48. Through the adoption of robust Travel Plan measures, these measures will be promoted to occupiers of the development, linked with ‘soft’ incentive measures – such as those offered by

4 www.mintel.com/press-centre/retail-press-centre/online-grocery-clicks-in-the-uk

29 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

‘Better Points’ (www.betterponts.ltd) that include retail vouchers for local shops, charity donations, reduced car club subscriptions etc. 5.49. Overall, the strategy enables further improvements would be achieved across the wider area through the availability of the public transport improvements and car club measures to the wider community. 5.50. As the public transport improvements will be supported through the management charges, the service will be effectively free at the point of use for new residents. Nearby residents will also benefit from the service as it will be available to them at a reasonable – and equivalent – cost to existing public transport. 5.51. The anticipated mode shift targets – achieving an early break-even against the figures for nearby Great Dunmow are summarised below.

Table 5: Anticipated Mode Shift Targets Great Little Expected Revised Modal Mode of Travel Uttlesford Dunmow Easton change Share Work from home 9% 6% 10% +3% 13% Underground, metro, etc 1% 1% 1% - 1% Train 9% 4% 6% - 6% Bus, minibus or coach 1% 1% 2% +4% 5% Taxi 0% 0% 0% - 0% Motorcycle, scooter 1% 0% 0% - 0% Driving a car or van 65% 70% 73% -8% 65% Passenger in a car or van 4% 3% 2% +1% 3% Bicycle 1% 1% 1% - 1% On foot 9% 12% 4% - 4% Other method of travel 1% 1% 0% - 0% Numbers may not add due to Excel rounding

Off-Site Measures 5.52. Additional measures have been developed with input from ECC to address perceived connectivity concerns for active travel modes (i.e. walking and cycling).

Pedestrian Measures 5.53. The existing footway on Duck Street will be extended to the new site access configuration. This will provide a consistent alternative to the village centre in addition to routes through the Site. 5.54. The existing PRoW (ref. ’36_26’) to the east of the Site is retained, with improved access to/from the PRoW network secured by the proposed development layout. 5.55. The route running east-west immediately abutting The Stag will be partially closed to vehicular traffic, with the car parking relocated to within the proposed development, but will within a 30m walk of the public house. The access alignment will therefore be predominantly for pedestrians, providing further safety improvements to access the PRoW network.

30 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

5.56. Servicing and deliveries for The Stag will continue from either the Duck Street frontage or via the alignment (with appropriate access control). 5.57. Furthermore, a review of the existing route from the Site east towards Park Road has established a number of small pedestrian safety improvements; currently all pedestrian movement in this area would take place on Duck Street itself. Whilst there is no record of pedestrian casualties, there are traffic signs advising traffic of pedestrians being in the road. As a result, space for a series of pedestrian refuges has been identified within the public highway (Appendix I). 5.58. These are configured as pedestrian equivalents of passing places that allow pedestrians to wait out of the carriageway without having to climb the verge. Their locations have been established to minimise the distance between them, improving their usability and drainage will remain within public highway. They will also be available for cyclists to pause if large vehicles are passing.

Cycle Measures 5.59. As noted previously, the Uttlesford Cycle Strategy does not extend beyond the northern limits of Great Dunmow. Working with ECC, the Applicant proposes some physical enhancements to improve to the B184 Dunmow Road and also to help safely negotiate the roundabout at the junction of B184 Dunmow Road and Woodside Way. The plans are included at Appendix I, but a schematic layout is presented below.

Figure 9: Proposed Cycle Route Enhancements

Improve access on to existing path from Duck Street.

Localised path widening, or full width. Localised path widening, or full width.

Dropped kerb to facilitate access to/from B1008.

Island is wide enough for cycle crossing, update tactile paving. © Google Maps

5.60. The design accords with the requirements of the Department for Transport’s Local Transport note 1/20. Within this, the path width is proposed at c.3m due to the expected level of pedestrian and cycle use; the verge will also be retained.

31 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

Road Safety Audit & Designer’s Response 5.61. The above measures have been subject to a Stage 1 Road Safety Audit; both the audit and the Designer’s Response are included at Appendix J.

32 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

6. TRIP GENERATION & HIGHWAY IMPACT

General 6.1. This section presents the assessment of traffic movements to and from the Site, and includes the assessment of how the proposed measures influence the site’s operation.

Trip Generation

Existing Trip Generation 6.2. The Site in its current form does not generate significant traffic levels other than occasional events or some camping uses. As such the assessment considers all trips associated with the development as new to the network. 6.3. Trips associated with the relocated pub car park are existing and are therefore netted off the assessment.

Proposed Trip Generation – Residential 6.4. For the proposed (up to) 47 residential units element of the development, reference has been made to the TRICS database (v7.8.1) to derive the anticipated Total Vehicle trip rates associated with the Site’s characteristics. TRICS outputs are included at Appendix K, with the survey outputs summarised in Table 6 below.

Table 6: Proposed Residential Use – TRICS Survey Sites

TRICS Ref. Location Date Units

ES-03-M-15 Maresfield, East Sussex 13/03/2019 80

NF-03-M-04 Hunstanton, Norfolk 19/09/2019 70

NF-03-M-39 Attleborough, Norfolk 14/10/2020 61 6.5. The resulting Total Vehicle trip rates derived from these surveys are summarised below (Table 7).

Table 7: Proposed Residential Use – Total Vehicle Trip Rates & Trips (47 dwellings)

Trip Rates Trips Time Range Arrivals Departures Two-Way Arrivals Departures Two-Way

08:00-09:00 0.081 0.299 0.380 4 14 18

17:00-18:00 0.237 0.137 0.374 11 6 18

07:00-19:00 2.242 2.294 4.536 105 108 213 6.6. The above table indicates that the proposed 47 residential units have the potential to generate 18 total vehicle two-way trips in the AM peak hour, 18 two-way trips in the PM peak hour and a total of 213 2-way total vehicle trips throughout the day.

Proposed Trip Generation – Commercial 6.7. For the proposed 312sq.m (279sq.m GIA) ‘Use Class E’ elements of the development, to be split across 6 units of c.52sq.m (46.5sq.m), Total Vehicle trip rates associated with different uses have

33 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

been utilised given the different available uses within the ‘Use Class E’ classification. 6.8. The type of local employment opportunities being considered for the commercial element within the Site are as follows:  Local community workspace;  Local baker’s/coffee shop (synergy with local ramblers/walkers);  Village store, working with local suppliers, such as Priors Hall, Cammas Hall and Boydells;  Dog groomers;  Yoga/Wellbeing/Sound healing studio;  Bicycle Repair and refurbishment;  Green house-keeping, landscape, maintenance services;  Zero waste refill, for detergents, cereals etc; and  Eco friendly Beauty Salon. 6.9. Use Class E was introduced in 2020 and accordingly there is not appropriate methodology available at this time to calculate the specific Use Class E trip generation utilising TRICS trip rate data. 6.10. Assumptions on the characteristics of the potential commercial uses included within the proposed ‘Use Class E’ elements of the proposals have been made based on a number of uses to ensure a robust assessment, which provides a worst-case (i.e. overly robust) scenario in terms of trip generation potential.

Potential Workspace Use 6.11. Reference has been made to the TRICS trip rate data derived to calculate the anticipated Total Vehicle trip rates associated with office use in comparable locations, outside of town centres and built-up areas, with limited access to public transport and higher levels of local car ownership to ensure a robust assessment. The resulting survey outputs and Total Vehicle trip rates are summarised below.

Table 8: Potential Workspace/Office Use – TRICS Survey Sites

TRICS Ref. Location Date Floor Area

ES-02-A-11 Hastings, East Sussex 17/11/2015 186sq.m

NF-02-A-04 Norwich, Norfolk 13/11/2019 500sq.m

WY-02-A-05 Castleford, West Yorkshire 23/05/2017 1,230sq.m

Table 9: Potential Workspace/Office Use – Total Vehicle Trip Rates & Trips (52sq.m)

Trip Rates Trips Time Range Arrive Depart Two-Way Arrive Depart Two-Way

08:00-09:00 3.132 0.261 3.393 2 0 2

17:00-18:00 0.000 2.088 2.088 0 1 1

07:00-19:00 9.519 9.945 19.464 5 5 10

34 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

6.12. The above table indicates that a 52sq.m commercial unit subject to local community workspace/office use has the potential to generate 2 two-way vehicle trips in the AM peak hour, 1 trip in the PM peak hour and a total of 10 two-way total vehicle trips throughout the day.

Potential Retail Use 6.13. Retail use, particularly convenience store use, has been considered for the ‘Use Class E’ element of the development which aligns with the potential provision of a village store. Total Vehicle trip rates associated with convenience retail use based on survey data for sites at comparable locations has been derived to calculate the anticipated Total Vehicle trip rates associated with the potential retail use. The use of convenience store trip rate data is considered to represent a worst- case scenario. 6.14. Survey outputs have been summarised in the table below.

Table 10: Potential Retail Use – TRICS Survey Sites

TRICS Ref. Location Date Floor Area

NY-01-O-03 Northallerton, North Yorkshire 19/09/2016 305sq.m

TW-01-O-02 Castletown, Tyne & Wear 07/04/2017 330sq.m

WL-01-O-01 Swindon, Wiltshire 23/09/2016 292sq.m

WY-01-O-02 Wetherby, West Yorkshire 26/09/2016 539sq.m 6.15. The resulting Total Vehicle trip rates associated with a 52sq.m unit of retail use are summarised below.

Table 11: Potential Retail Use – Total Vehicle Trip Rates & Trips (52sq.m)

Trip Rates Trips Time Range Arrive Depart Two-Way Arrive Depart Two-Way

08:00-09:00 9.277 9.482 18.759 5 5 10

17:00-18:00 8.663 8.731 17.374 4 5 9

07:00-19:00 83.629 82.743 166.372 43 43 86 6.16. The above table indicates that a potential 55sq.m retail unit has the potential to generate 10 two- way vehicle trips in the AM and 9 two-way trips in the PM peak hour and a total of 86 two-way total People trips throughout the day. 6.17. It should be noted that the vast majority of these calculated trips will be linked to the immediate Little Easton, Great Easton, northern Dunmow area, with the proposed ‘village store’ retail element not acting as the dedicated trip generator for those outside of the immediate surrounding area.

Potential General Industry/Workshop Use 6.18. With the potential for the proposed commercial units to be used as workshops, light industrial business uses such as bicycle repair, reference has been made to the TRICS trip rate data derived to calculate the anticipated Total Vehicle trip rates associated with general industry use in comparable locations. The resulting survey outputs and Total Vehicle trip rates are summarised below.

35 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

Table 12: Potential Workshop Use – TRICS Survey Sites

TRICS Ref. Location Date Floor Area

HE-02-C-02 Burcott, Herefordshire 22/10/2013 1,880sq.m

NF-02-C-04 Upper Hellesdon, Norfolk 14/11/2019 690sq.m

Table 13: Potential Workshop Use – Total Vehicle Trip Rates & Trips (52sq.m)

Trip Rates Trips Time Range Arrive Depart Two-Way Arrive Depart Two-Way

08:00-09:00 0.428 0.233 0.661 0 0 0

16:00-17:00 0.039 0.467 0.506 0 0 0

07:00-19:00 1.519 1.480 2.999 1 1 2 6.19. The above table indicates that a 52sq.m commercial unit subject to light industry, workshop use has the potential to generate a total of 2 two-way Total Vehicle trips throughout the day.

Combined Commercial Trip Generation 6.20. Taking into account the above trip generation for commercial units within the Site, it is considered highly unlikely that all six commercial units will conform to one single use, with a mixture of uses within the ‘Use Class E’ classification to be provided within the Site across the six commercial units. 6.21. The commercial units are located at two main locations within the Site, with approximately four units located to the rear of The Stag public house and two units located north of the site access. 6.22. To ensure a robust assessment, the following assumptions have been made with regard to the occupiers of the commercial units:  1 x convenience store/village store unit;  4 x workspace/office representative type units; and  1 x light industry/bicycle repair workshop unit. 6.23. The table below identifies the potential vehicle trip generation as a result of the above configuration of commercial units based on the TRICS trip rates identified in Tables 10, 12 and 14.

Table 14: Potential Combined Commercial Use – Total Vehicle Trip Rates & Trips

Trip Rates Trips Period Use (Area) Arrive Depart Two-Way Arrive Depart Two-Way

Retail (52sq.m) 9.277 9.482 18.759 5 5 10

Workspace (208sq.m) 3.132 0.261 3.393 6 1 7 AM Workshop (52sq.m) 0.428 0.233 0.661 0 0 0

Total 11 6 17

Retail (52sq.m) 8.663 8.731 17.374 4 5 9 PM Workspace (208sq.m) 0.000 2.088 2.088 0 4 4

36 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

Trip Rates Trips Period Use (Area) Arrive Depart Two-Way Arrive Depart Two-Way

Workshop (52sq.m) 0.039 0.467 0.506 0 0 0

Total 4 9 13

Retail (52sq.m) 83.629 82.743 166.372 43 43 86

Workspace (208sq.m) 9.519 9.945 19.464 20 21 41 Daily Workshop (52sq.m) 1.519 1.480 2.999 1 1 2

Total 64 65 129 6.24. The table below identifies the combined proposed residential and ‘Use Class E’ commercial site uses have the potential to generate a total of 43 two-way vehicle trips in the AM peak hour period, 38 two-way trips in the PM peak hour period and 412 two-way total vehicle trips during 12 hours of daily operation.

Table 15: Combined Proposed Residential and Commercial (Total Vehicle) Two-Way Trips

Time Period Residential Commercial Units Total

AM Peak 20 17 37

PM Peak 20 13 33

Daily 240 129 369 6.25. It should be noted that the above trip generation is very much a worst case, with the significant majority (c.90%) of retail trips associated with the ‘village store’ within the development to be pass- by movements by local residents as part of an onward journey, with additional proposed measures expected to reduce car use further. 6.26. It is intended that the proposed non-residential commercial use within the Site will be designated for use by Site residents and the local community only. The restrictions for local community use only is anticipated to result in a significant reduction to the potential for vehicle trip generation for the commercial elements, as follows:  50% reduction of vehicle trips generated by the proposed retail/village store provision;  90% reduction of vehicle trips generated by the proposed local community workspace provision. 6.27. The above reductions are taken into account, with the adjusted total vehicle trip generation and combined residential and commercial total vehicle trip generation identified in the tables below.

Table 16: Potential Combined Commercial Use – Total Vehicle Trip Rates & Trips

Trip Rates Trips Period Use (Area) Arrive Depart Two-Way Arrive Depart Two-Way

Retail (52sq.m) 9.277 9.482 18.759 2 3 5

Workspace (208sq.m) 3.132 0.261 3.393 1 0 1 AM Workshop (52sq.m) 0.428 0.233 0.661 0 0 0

Total 3 3 6

37 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

Trip Rates Trips Period Use (Area) Arrive Depart Two-Way Arrive Depart Two-Way

Retail (52sq.m) 8.663 8.731 17.374 2 2 4

Workspace (208sq.m) 0.000 2.088 2.088 0 0 0 PM Workshop (52sq.m) 0.039 0.467 0.506 0 0 0

Total 2 2 4

Retail (52sq.m) 83.629 82.743 166.372 22 21 43

Workspace (208sq.m) 9.519 9.945 19.464 2 2 4 Daily Workshop (52sq.m) 1.519 1.480 2.999 1 1 2

Total 25 24 49

Table 17: Combined Proposed Residential and Commercial (Total Vehicle) Two-Way Trips

Time Period Residential Commercial Units Total

AM Peak 20 6 26

PM Peak 20 4 24

Daily 240 49 289 6.28. Table 18 above identifies the combined proposed residential and ‘Use Class E’ commercial site uses, taking into account adjustments for local community use only, have the potential to generate a total of 26 two-way vehicle trips in the AM peak hour period, 24 two-way vehicle trips in the PM peak hour period and 289 two-way total vehicle trips during 12 hours of daily operation.

Highway Impact

Study Area 6.29. Consideration was given to the scale of the proposed development and the characteristics of the surrounding highway network when determining which junctions to assess. The junction included as part of this study were set out to ECC officers during the initial pre-app discussions. The junction to be assessed in further detail is B184 Dunmow Road / Duck Street / B184 Dunmow Road. 6.30. It was discussed that the junction should be assessed as a ‘worst case’ scenario so it has been assumed that all of the development traffic will go through this junction, even though this is unlikely. The increased vehicular movements would normally be considered as minimal as the level of flow change is well within the variation that occurs daily on the local highway network.

Base Traffic Flows 6.31. The current governmental Covid restrictions recommend that an alternative to traffic surveys is considered due to a current survey not representing the pre-Covid traffic levels. An alternative solution is proposed, which involves an ATC being placed outside the proposed site entrance to establish speeds (and to check flows). 6.32. As noted previously, a weeklong ATC was undertaken from the 9 March 2021 which was when the government restriction had been eased to allow schools to re-open.

38 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

6.33. The data from this has been compared to the 2015 turning count data which had NTM/TEMPRO growth factors applied and a comparison was undertaken. The results from this comparison showed that the 2021 ATC traffic levels were close to the 2015 Turning Count growthed up traffic levels which would provide the Highway Authority with confidence that the growthed up turning count flows could be applied to the localised junction modelling.

Committed Developments 6.34. Committed schemes are defined as developments or transport schemes which have a current planning consent, but which are, as yet, unimplemented or incomplete, and could in the future have a significant effect on transport conditions, or the layout of the local highway network. 6.35. No reference was made to any committed developments in the pre-application discussions received from the highway authority that required inclusion into the analysis undertaken on the junction modelling for this development site. ECC noted in the pre-application meeting that background traffic growth could be applied through the TEMPRO/NTM dataset.

Assessment Year & Traffic Growth 6.36. For the purposes of this assessment, the development impact has been assessed with a future (operational) year of 2024. 6.37. To estimate traffic growth, growth factors have been obtained using TEMPRO v7.2 and NTM dataset 15. The data is divided into government regions, down to ward level. In this case the ‘Uttlesford 006’ SOA zone includes the proposed development. The resulting growth factors are:  2015 AM to 2024 AM – 1.1340;  2015 PM to 2024 PM - 1.1350.

Scenarios Assessed 6.38. The scenarios that have been assessed are as follows:  2024 Base;  2024 Base + Development.

Junction Capacity Assessment Results 6.39. Junction capacity analysis has been undertaken using industry-standard software to determine the traffic impact of the proposed development and to determine whether there is capacity to accommodate it on the surrounding highway network. 6.40. For priority junctions, the industry standard package ‘Junctions 9’, produced by TRL has been used. Within Junctions 9, the design threshold for Ratio of Flow to Capacity (RFC) is at 0.85. Beyond this point the junction begins to experience reduced capacity and becomes less efficient. An RFC above 0.85 is typically where mitigation would be required to improve junction performance. 6.41. With regards to a Queue (‘Q’), this is expressed in Passenger Car Units (PCU) and shows the number of vehicles that may be queueing, with a ‘1.0’ queue representing one full vehicle. Different vehicles are assigned different values, according to the road space they occupy. A car has a value of 1; smaller vehicles will have lower values, and larger vehicles will have higher values.

39 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

6.42. For completeness, a copy of the junction modelling output files and junction geometry is contained at Appendix L.

Table 18: B184 Dunmow Rd / Duck Street / B184 2024 Base + Committed Development

AM Peak Hour PM Peak Hour Link Arm / Movement RFC Queue (PCU) RFC Queue (PCU)

2024 Base

B-AC Duck Street 0.18 0.22 0.10 0.11

C-AB B184 North – Duck Street 0.01 0.01 0.02 0.02

2024 Base + Development

B-AC Duck Street 0.29 0.40 0.18 0.22

C-AB B184 North – Duck Street 0.02 0.02 0.03 0.03

6.43. As can be seen from the results summarised in the tables above, the junction will operate with more than sufficient reserve capacity in 2024. The highest RFC recorded in 2024, with development, is in the AM peak on Duck Street with 0.29 (considerably below the threshold referenced above). 6.44. The impact of the associated development traffic on this junction would be negligible and will not be severe. 6.45. Overall, it is considered that the predicted increase, in accordance with the guidance within NPPF, is not considered to be ‘severe’. The current junction arrangement is suitable to accommodate the proposed development without posing an inherent safety risk.

40 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

7. CONCLUSIONS 7.1. Waterman Infrastructure and Environment Ltd (‘Waterman’) has been appointed by Montare LLP (‘the Applicant’) to provide transport planning and highway advice as part of an application to provide a residential-led mixed-use scheme at the land to the rear of The Stag public house in Little Easton, Essex. 7.2. The Site is under the jurisdiction of Uttlesford District Council’s (UDC) Planning Department and the Highway Authority is Essex County Council (ECC). 7.3. Uttlesford District Council’s Local Plan is currently being progressed by the Council, therefore the Local Plan adopted January 2005 represents the existing statutory development plan. 7.4. The Site, whilst in a rural location, provides access to local walking, cycling and public transport facilities. These provide a sound basis for targeted improvements to improve overall accessibility, benefitting both the Site and village of Little Easton. 7.5. The existing road traffic incident record shows that the local network does not generate significant safety concerns – the recorded incidents within the three year period to June 2020 are unconnected and due to driver error. 7.6. Due to the existing situation with the Local Plan, the proposed development provides significant opportunities to provide a suite of measures to help reduce reliance on private car use (including outside the development area). 7.7. A robust transport strategy has been developed that provides improved public transport, funded through the management charge for the Site – this effectively means the bus improvements will be free at the point of use for new residents, and equivalent to public transport costs for nearby residents. The improved frequency and routings will also complement the existing bus networks and onward access to Stansted, Braintree etc. 7.8. Car club facilities (i.e. short-term, local car hire) will also be provided for residents, and be available to local residents. Enterprise Car Club has provided a confirmed offer which also provides access to longer term car hire at a reduced rate, serviced from their Stansted and/or Bishops Stortford depots. Car clubs provide a very effective means to reduce car ownership, especially second car ownership. 7.9. The site layout has been configured to accord with the Essex Design Guide requirements, including the site access. It is proposed that the internal layout will not be offered for adoption, but will be built to adoptable standards. 7.10. Parking is provided in accordance with the adopted Essex parking standards. This includes car, cycle and visitor parking, including fast EV charging points for each unit, plus a publicly accessible space by the commercial area. The development is also configured to optimise the ability for residents to work from home. It is noted that not all professions will be able to achieve this. 7.11. Overall, the development’s strategy provides a sound basis to support village life, maintain and improve access to local services and amenities. Through the combination of existing bus services, the DART service, Uttlesford Community Transport and school bus transport, in addition to the car club/car share facilities, the proposed development ensures access to local employment, commuting and social needs. This specifically includes access to medical and community needs for the vulnerable population. 7.12. Physical (‘hard’) measures are also proposed to provide additional security for pedestrians using

41 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx

Duck Street, and for cyclists seeking to negotiate the roundabout connecting B184 Dunmow Road and Woodside Way / B1008. 7.13. Whilst the proposed traffic arising from the development will be new to the network, the strategy provides a basis to achieve improved mode shares (reducing car use) to levels on a level with nearby Great Dunmow or Uttlesford as a whole. 7.14. Therefore the assessment shows that the residual cumulative impacts of the proposed development are not severe.

42 Land to the Rear of The Stag, Little Easton, Essex Project Number: WIE14412 Document Reference: WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1 \\H-lncs\wiel\Projects\WIE14412\100\8_Reports\2. WO-103 (2020 Application)\1. Planning\WIE14412.103.R.1.2.1.TS.docx