Kevin Demirci Properties Limited Proposed Student Accommodation
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Kevin Demirci Properties Limited Proposed student accommodation of 328 bedrooms and ancillary land uses, at land at Jockey Street, Swansea TRANSPORT ASSESSMENT October 2019 Applicant: Kevin Demirci Properties Limited Project no: T19.123 Document ref no: T19.123.D1 Document issue date: 22nd October 2019 Project name: Proposed student accommodation, Jockey Street, Swansea Offices at: Unit 9, Oak Tree Court Suite D, Mulberry Drive, Urban Village, Cardiff Gate Business Park, High Street, Cardiff, CF23 8RS Swansea, SA1 1NW Tel: 029 2073 2652 Tel: 01792 480535 K Watkins / P O’Connor CONTENTS 1.0 Introduction ................................................................................................... 1 2.0 Policy context ................................................................................................ 4 3.0 Existing situation ............................................................................................ 9 4.0 Development proposals ............................................................................... 21 5.0 Transport characteristics .............................................................................. 25 6.0 Summary and conclusions ............................................................................ 28 Figures Figure 3.1 Site location and local highway network Figure 3.2 Local public transport infrastructure Figure 3.3 Local amenities Figure 3.4 Cycling infrastructure Figure 3.5 Map of Personal Injury Collision data Figure 4.1 Proposed site access visibility splays Appendices Appendix A Appeal Decision APP/B6855/A/18/3214419 Appendix B Proposed site layout Appendix C Swept path analysis Appendix D Draft tenancy agreement Appendix E Trip rates from TRICS database Appendix F Parking accumulation exercise Photographs 1 & 2 Parking restrictions on Jockey Street 3 & 4 Parking restrictions on John Street 5 Signal-controlled crossing on High Street 6 Aerial image of application site 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background 1.1.1 Asbri Transport Limited have been commissioned by Kevin Demirci Properties Limited to provide transport planning services to the development project. This entails the production of a Transport Assessment (TA) and Travel Plan to accompany a planning application for the development of student accommodation on land at Jockey Street, Swansea. 1.1.2 The planning application proposes the construction of student accommodation blocks, providing a total of 328 bedrooms in buildings of 4 to 12 storeys in height. The ground floor includes a number of communal and ancillary facilities including a foyer and reception area, common room, study spaces and a media room. 1.1.3 In addition, surface car parking is proposed at the development providing 10 car parking spaces, of which one is for disabled motorists, and an enclosed cycle parking store for 164 bicycles. Parking matters are discussed in greater detail later in the report. 1.1.4 The application site is located on Jockey Street to the north of Swansea city centre immediately west of New Cut Road (classified as the A483) and the Great Western railway line on its approach into Swansea Railway Station. Buildings associated with Swansea Business School of the University of Trinity St David are located on the southern side of Jockey Street. 1.1.5 The purpose of this assessment is to detail the likely transport characteristics of the proposed development, and its potential impact on the surrounding transport and highway networks. It also examines the site’s recent planning history. 1.1.6 A comprehensive Travel Plan focused on facilitating sustainable and active travel to and from the site also accompanies the planning application submission. Asbri Transport 1 <k:\t19\jobs\t19.123 - jockey street\documents\ta\t19.123 october 2019.d1.docx> <October 2019> 1.2 Recent Planning History and Appeal Decision APP/B6855/A/18/3214419 1.2.1 A previous planning application, 2017/0367 for a 414-student bedroom development accompanied by 4 parking spaces at the site was refused in 2018 by the Local Planning Authority. It is understood that the planning application had been recommended for approval by officers of the Authority but members refused the application at Committee. 1.2.2 This refusal was subsequently upheld at Appeal in 2018. The Appeal Decision’s reference is APP/B6855/A/18/3214419 and this is included in full at Appendix A. 1.2.3 The Inspector considered one of the two main issues to be ‘the effect of the development on highway safety with particular regard to parking provision.’ The other was the effect of the development on the character and appearance of the area. 1.2.4 There was considerable focus by the Inspector on parking matters in the Appeal decision and the Inspector concluded that the level of vehicle parking provision (4 spaces) proposed in the planning application was not sufficient and could lead to additional pressure for on-street parking nearby. 1.2.5 The Inspector also concluded that ‘the nearby streets would have limited capacity to meet any additional demand for parking resulting from the proposed development.’ The parking restrictions that are in situ near the application site, as of July 2019, are described in section 3 of the TA. 1.2.6 It is noted that the Inspector detailed in his decision letter the following, ‘……As such I concur with the view that the site is located in a sustainable location.’ The Inspector also acknowledged that the site would have the potential to reduce the demand for car use. 1.2.7 The Inspector however concluded that the development proposal would cause an unacceptable risk to highway safety, as a result of a lack of parking provision. Asbri Transport 2 <k:\t19\jobs\t19.123 - jockey street\documents\ta\t19.123 october 2019.d1.docx> <October 2019> 1.3 Scoping discussions with City and County of Swansea 1.3.1 A pre-application meeting was held with planning officers of the City and County of Swansea on 24th June 2019. Officers of the Highway Authority did not attend. 1.3.2 The proposed development was discussed in detail with the planning officers. They also relayed the informal comments of the Highways officer which predominantly focused on parking matters and site accessibility. The comments of the Highway Authority officer reiterated the position taken by the Appeal Inspector in the Appeal decision described in the previous sub- section of this report. 1.3.3 There was discussion at the meeting regarding the site’s pedestrian connectivity with the city centre and nearby public transport stops. This has been examined in the Transport Assessment. 1.3.4 The scoping liaison with officers of the CCS and the views of the Highway Authority on the previous planning application has informed the structure and content of this Transport Assessment. 1.4 Structure of the report 1.4.1 Following this introductory chapter, the report is structured as follows: Section 2 describes the existing transport conditions surrounding the development site, Section 3 outlines the proposed development, its parking provision and access strategy; Section 4 details the transport characteristics of the proposed development, together with an estimate of vehicular trip generation and the likely impact on the surrounding highway network; and, Section 5 summarises and concludes the findings of the report. Asbri Transport 3 <k:\t19\jobs\t19.123 - jockey street\documents\ta\t19.123 october 2019.d1.docx> <October 2019> 2.0 POLICY CONTEXT 2.1 Introduction 2.1.1 This section of the report reviews national, regional and local transport related planning policy guidance that is relevant to the proposed development on land within the retail zone of Swansea Enterprise Park. 2.2 Wales Spatial Plan – People, Places, Futures 2.2.1 The Wales Spatial Plan has amongst its goals: ‘Achieving sustainable accessibility. To balance the social, economic and environmental impacts of travel while enhancing accessibility and to tackle the challenge of benefiting from larger networked regions while reducing the negative impacts of travel’. 2.2.2 The Wales Spatial Plan provides the context and direction of travel for local development plans and the work of local service boards. 2.3 Planning Policy Wales (Edition 10) 2018. 2.3.1 Planning Policy Wales (edition 10) was published in December 2018. It sets out the land use planning policies of the Welsh Government and will deliver the vision of Wales as set out in the Well Being of Future Generations Act. 2.3.2 The Welsh Government aims to extend choice in transport and secure accessibility in a way which supports sustainable development with greater use of more sustainable and healthy forms of travel, thereby minimising the need PPW states at section 4.1 that: ‘The planning system should enable people to access jobs and services through shorter, more efficient and sustainable journeys, by walking, cycling and public transport. By influencing the location, scale, density, mix of uses and design of new development, the planning system can improve choice in transport and secure accessibility in a way which supports sustainable development, increases physical activity, improves health and helps to tackle the causes of climate change and airborne pollution by: Asbri Transport 4 <k:\t19\jobs\t19.123 - jockey street\documents\ta\t19.123 october 2019.d1.docx> <October 2019> Enabling More Sustainable Travel Choices – measures to increase walking, cycling and public transport, reduce dependency on the car for daily travel; Network Management – measures to make best use of the available capacity, supported