NORTH BLACKBURN November 2020 CONTENT
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WALKING & CYCLING CONNECTIVITY STUDY NORTH BLACKBURN November 2020 CONTENT: 1.0 Overview 2.0 Baseline Study 3.0 Detailed Trip Study 4.0 Route Appraisal and Ratings 5.0 Suggested Improvements & Conclusions 1.0 OVERVIEW INTRODUCTION North Blackburn 1.0 GL Hearn has been appointed by Blackburn with When fully built out, these development sites have Section 3 – looks in detail at each of the proposed Darwen Borough Council (BwDBC) to prepare a the potential to deliver up to 700 new dwellings development sites and considers the likely trip connectivity study to appraise the potential impact across 8 sites in the northern half of the study area. generation based on the local trip attractors. of development sites on the local pedestrian and cycle These development sites are considered in more detail These journeys are individually mapped along the network. in following sections of this report, but briefly they identification of gaps in provision if applicable. include: This study will consider the implications arising from Section 4 – is a quality appraisal of all the identified the build-out of these sites for pedestrian travel, in • Roe Lee area, comprising circa10ha of developable routes within section 3. The routes will be graded order to identify potential gaps in the existing highway land, and is currently being developed by against an agreed set of parameters to assess their and sustainable travel provision. It will also consider, Persimmon Homes with the expectation of suitability as a pedestrian connection; at a high level, potential options for any improvements delivering approximately 200 homes; which may be necessary in order to adequately support Section 5 – considers gaps identified within the the developments. • The Hedgerows, comprising 14.7ha of developable assessment undertaken in section 4. This assessment land currently being delivered by Wainhomes for up allows the development of a series of high level Findings will also be used to inform the Local Plan to 275 homes; interventions required to ensure the quality of Review currently underway that will identify growth pedestrian and cycle movement within the area. and infrastructure needs to 2037. • Blackburn RUFC and surrounding land which forms part of the North Blackburn masterplan sites and is Study Area Background circa 10.9ha of developable land. The study area is outlined on the plan opposite. In A number of committed residential development sites In addition to these larger allocated sites, the study general, it is bounded by the Ribble Valley and within the study area are under construction, or are also takes into account several smaller plots which green belt to the north and east and to the south close to being granted planning consent. In addition are currently being developed or have been recently its is adjoined by the large outer residential area of to these, there is the North Blackburn Masterplan Sites completed such as Lammack Road, Clarendon Road Blackburn Town Centre. which are included as allocated sites within the Local and Miller Properties Roe Lee site which provide Plan. approximately 150 new homes for the area. Blackburn Town Centre falls approximately 1.5km from the southern extents of the study boundary, but much To the south of the study area, there are several key, The study will also take into account the highway further form the residential development sites found to proposed and existing employment zones for which improvements on Ramsgreave Drive that are the north of the study area. local connectivity has also been considered within this committed as part of the Roe Lee development. document. The majority of the key employment zones are found to Study Structure the south, adjacent to the corridor of the M65. A large portion of the study area is identified within the local plan as an area for development outside the local The structure of this report is set out as follows: plan period. Whilst this area has not been considered directly, the possibility of it’s future development has been considered when considering access arrangements Section 2 – sets out the extent of the study area and within that area. the proposed development sites, and considers the existing pedestrian, cycle and public transport provision within the study area appraising the accessibility of the proposed development sites. 4 Parsonage Road Persimmon Homes - 85 dwelllings North East Blackburn Future Housing Roe Lee St. Chad’s, 216 Pleckgate Road Rugby Club Wainhomes - 272 dwellings Whitebirk Development Site Lammack Road Whitebirk Industrial Estate Clarendon Road Glenfield Business Park St. Stephen’s Conservation Club, Robinson Street Greenbank Business Park Greenbank Business Park / Carl Fogarty Way Plot 7 Carl Fogarty Way Plot 4 Unnamed Employment Carl Fogarty Way Plot 2 Carl Fogarty Way Plot 1 Figure 1 - Study Overview Cranberry Lane McDermott Homes 138 homes under construction 2.0 BASELINE STUDY 2.0 North Blackburn BASELINE STUDY The following section presents an overview of the development sites to this extent is still acknowledged Based on these figures the vast majority of the study we have considered has been quantitative, looking at existing walking and cycling infrastructure locations as ‘good practice’. area is within an acceptable cycling distance of each distance and availability of routes. It is also important and conditions. It reviews the Public Rights of Way site and also many of the sites. The sites to the north for qualitative data for the routes to be considered within the development area, walking and cycling In line with the CIHT and PPG13 guidelines, walking of the study area have relatively easy access to major during the evaluation process, to support this, the team routes, non-motorised user accessibility, and the key isochrones for distances of up to 15 minutes (c.1km) are cycle infrastructure, but distances to facilities outside has considered the Healthy Streets Approach when trip attractors in the area. Recommendations are presented on the plan in section 2.2 and illustrate the f the initial study area, such as Blackburn Town Centre, formulating the scoring criteria discussed in more detail made for improvements to general walking and cycling level of pedestrian accessibility from each site in the may not be appealing to the majority of users. in section 4. conditions within the area. context of the surrounding area. it is also considered that conditions for cyclists may The Healthy Streets Approach puts people and their Walking be improved to appeal to those with differing levels of health at the centre of decisions about how we design, Based on these figures it is considered that the manage and use public spaces. It aims to make streets Guideline walking distances provided in the Institution confidence and to improve their safety and security. 2km catchment encompasses the vast majority of healthy, safe and welcoming for everyone. of Highways and Transportation (IHT, 2000) document, the facilities within the area for all the proposed Any gaps in provision are highlighted and potential ‘Guidelines for Providing for Journeys on Foot’ are development sites. improvements considered in section 4 & 5. presented in the table below. The Approach is based on 10 Indicators of a Healthy Healthy Streets Approach Street which focus on the experience of people Cycling The focus of this study is to consider the existing using streets. If a street is a healthy and inclusive Criteria Town Commuting/ Elsewhere Advice contained within the superseded PPG13 remains connectivity of the proposed development sites within environment then we should see improved use for Centre Sightseeing the most up to date national expression of advice 5 theHEALTHY Darwen STREETS area SURVEY and because of this, much of the data walking, cycling and social interaction by the local Desirable 200m 500m 400m on cycling distances; it states “Cycling also has the community. potential to substitute for short car trips, particularly Healthy Streets Indicators Acceptable 400m 1,000m 800m those less than 5km (3 miles) and to form part of a Preferred 800m 2,000m 1,200m longer journey by public transport”. Therefore, cycling Maximum can form an attractive and genuinely viable mode of transport for short to medium length journeys. Top level Accessibility on foot has been assessed in-line with the indicators CIHT document discussed above and is based on an In addition, in respect of acceptable cycle journeys average walking speed of 4.8km/hr. distances “Local Transport Note 2/08: Cycling Infrastructure Design” published by the DfT, states Appropriate walking distances are considered that for many commuter journeys a distance of 5 miles dependent upon the location of the specific (8km) is not uncommon. development; more remote locations will see people being prepared to walk further to their end destination. 10 evidence- Analysis of the accessibility of each of the proposed based Similarly, walking distances are also dependent upon development sites by bicycle has also been undertaken the standard of existing pedestrian infrastructure using TRACC, using the most up to date data available indicators to provision, with further walking distances achievable in at the time of analysis. Accessibility has been assessed evaluate locations with extensive and high-quality pedestrian in increments of 2, 3.5, and 5 kilometres (km) distance how healthy footways, crossings and pedestrianised areas. from the proposed site, in order to present the potential for cycling accessibility as a leisure offer and London It is recognised in the now superseded Planning Policy as a viable option for commuting for the sites. streets are. Guidance 13 (PPG13) outlined by the Government, that The level of accessibility on foot and by bicycle from walking is the most important mode of travel, and as the development sites is considered in the following such offers the most likely way of reducing short car sections. journeys, in particular those under 2km.