Transport Statement Whitway Farm, Burghclere on Behalf Of: Berkshire
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Transport Statement Whitway Farm, Burghclere Stuart Michael Associates Consulting Engineers Coombe House Coombe Square Thatcham Berkshire RG19 4JF On behalf of : Berkshire Pallets Ltd. T: 01635 867711 F: 01635 861715 E: [email protected] Report Ref: 3560.Transport Statement Prepared by: Nicola Threlfall. Transport Planner Checked by: Stuart Atkinson, Director December, 2010 COPYRIGHT The contents of this document shall not be copied or reproduced in whole or in part without the written consent of Stuart Michael Associates Limited. Report Ref: 3560 Rev. No: 2 © Stuart Michael Associates Limited 2010 Whitway Farm, Burghclere Transport Statement CONTENTS Page No. 1.0 Introduction 1 2.0 Planning Policy Framework 3 3.0 Existing Conditions 6 4.0 Development Proposals 8 5.0 Traffic Generation and Impact 10 6.0 Travel Demand Management 14 7.0 Summary and Conclusions 15 FIGURES SMA1 Site Location and Facilities Plan SMA2 Employee Catchment Area APPENDICES Appendix 1 Current access approved and implemented under application BDB/033328 Appendix 2 West Berkshire Cycle Route Map 1 Appendix 3 Personal Injury Accident batch data Appendix 4 TRICS output report STUART MICHAEL ASSOCIATES Whitway Farm, Burghclere Transport Statement 1.0 INTRODUCTION Instruction 1.1 Stuart Michael Associates has been appointed by Berkshire Pallets Ltd (the ‘Applicant’) to prepare a Transport Statement, in support of a Planning Application for the proposed redevelopment of Whitway Farm (the ‘site’) for B1(c) light Industrial and B8 Warehouse purposes. The site is situated on the southern outskirts of Whitway village, Hampshire accessed from White Hill as illustrated in Figure SMA1. 1.2 The development proposals seek to demolish the existing buildings and storage areas on site and erect a new purpose built B1(c) / B8 building. Background 1.3 The site, in planning terms is a ‘brownfield’ site. Whitway Farm was previously a working poultry Farm comprising of two large shed type buildings. The poultry farm operations ceased in the late 1980’s and was then used for B1(c) light industrial purposes as a Jam Packing factory. 1.4 The applicant acquired the site in 1994 at which time planning consent had been granted to demolish the poultry shed and convert the remaining building for B1(c) purposes (ref: BDB/033328). The site was subsequently occupied by the Applicant’s own company until 1997 when they moved to an alternative site. 1.5 The site currently comprises of 1 large building covering 739sqm GFA. Further storage areas are situated on site within fixed HGV containers covering a total of 335sqm GFA, combining to provide a total GFA of 1074sqm. The site is currently occupied by Ibis Packaging and Product Shop who use the site for light industry, storage and distribution purposes. Due to the expansion of Ibis Packaging further storage areas were sought within the HGV containers, reflecting the urgent need to acquire more space to accommodate their current operations. Previous Planning History 1.6 Since occupying the site, the current Applicant has previously submitted a planning application (Ref: BDB/5142) for the demolition of the existing building and erection of two office buildings of 10,000sqft GFA with a new access. Planning consent was granted in 2001. The Applicant has since decided not to pursue with this development due to a large amount of office space becoming available on the local market, as a result of a major local employer relocating to purpose built premises. 1 Whitway Farm, Burghclere Transport Statement 1.7 This report is therefore structured as follows: ••• Section 2: Places the site in context of national and local transport policy requirements and considerations as well as examining the sustainability merits of the site; ••• Section 3: Considers the existing situation including the internal provisions and the external highways conditions in terms of road safety for accessing Whitway Farm from White Hill; ••• Section 4: Describes the development proposals for the site including, the internal parking provisions and access arrangements; ••• Section 5: Establishes the potential person trips that would generate from the development, distribution and the impact on the local network; and ••• Section 6: Provides the conclusions of the findings to the report Scope of the Report 1.8 This Transport Statement will assess the transport issues relating to the site. It will identify the measures which will be taken to deal with any anticipated transport impacts and improvements to accessibility and safety by all modes of travel. 1.9 This report details the sustainability merits of the site, the parking and safe access provisions. In light of the recent Department of Transport publication entitled “Guidance on Transport Assessment” (March 2007), consideration has been given to any potential transportation impacts as a consequence of person trip generation for the development (Section 5.0 refers). 2 Whitway Farm, Burghclere Transport Statement 2.0 PLANNING POLICY FRAMEWORK 2.1 The policy documents and guidance notes that are considered to be of most relevance and applicable to the proposed development are as follows: National Planning Policy Guidance 13 – Transport (PPG13) Planning Policy Statement 7 – Sustainable Development in Rural Areas (PPS7) Planning Policy Statement 4 – Sustainable Economic Development (PPS4) Local Basingstoke and Deane Local Plan National Context 2.2 The government’s objectives for integrating planning and transport by promoting sustainable transport, improving accessibility and reducing the need to travel, especially by car are outlined within Planning Policy Guidance 13 (PPG13). 2.3 The guidance does acknowledge however that, “the car will continue to have an important part to play and for some journeys, particularly in rural areas, it will remain the only real option for travel ” (paragraph 5, PPG13 refers). The national objectives look to integrate planning and transport through: The promotion of more sustainable transport choices for both people; The promotion of accessibility to jobs, shopping, leisure and services by public transport, walking and cycling; and Reducing the need to travel, especially by car. 2.4 The Government publication Planning Policy Statement 7 – Sustainable Development in Rural areas (PPS7) provides guidance for planning policy in the countryside. This guidance is relevant for rural areas including country towns and villages and the wider, largely undeveloped countryside up to the fringes of large urban areas. 2.5 The PPS defines the key principles which should be applied in determining planning applications in rural areas. Decisions on development proposals should be based on sustainable development principles, ensuring an integrated approach to the consideration of: − Social inclusion recognising the needs of everyone; − Effective protection and enhancement of the environment; − Prudent use of natural resources; and − Maintaining high and stable levels of economic growth and employment. 3 Whitway Farm, Burghclere Transport Statement 2.6 The government objectives within this guidance include the promotion of: • Raising the quality of life and the environment in rural areas through the promotion of - thriving, inclusive and sustainable rural communities, ensuring people have decent places to live by improving the quality and sustainability of local environments and neighbourhoods; • Promoting more sustainable patterns of development - focusing most development in, or next to, existing towns and villages....promoting a range of uses to maximise the potential benefits of the countryside fringing urban areas; and • Promotion of the development of the English regions by improving their economic performance so that all area able to reach their full potential – by developing competitive, diverse and thriving rural enterprise that provides a range of jobs and underpins strong economies. 2.7 The government’s policy framework for sustainable economic development in urban and rural areas is outlined in Planning Policy Statement 4 (PPS4). Policy EC10.2 identifies that all planning applications for economic development should be assessed against the following impact considerations: a. Whether the proposal has been planned over the lifetime of the development to limit carbon dioxide emissions, and minimise vulnerability and provide resilience to, climate change, b. The accessibility of the proposal by a choice of a means of transport including walking, cycling, public transport and the car, the effect on local traffic levels and congestion (especially to the trunk road network) after public transport and traffic management measures have been secured, c. Whether the proposal secures a high quality and inclusive design which takes the opportunities available for improving the character and quality of the area and the way it functions, d. The impact on economic and physical regeneration in the area including the impact on derived areas and social inclusion objectives, and e. The impact on local employment. 2.8 It is considered that the site is an established and important local employment source. The proposed development offers the opportunity for ensuring the site remains a viable economic development in a rural area, the importance of which is recognised in PPS4 under EC.12.1 b: “…….In determining planning applications for economic development in rural areas, local planning authorities should: 4 Whitway Farm, Burghclere Transport Statement b) support small-scale economic development where it provides the most