Classification: OFFICIAL PORep2372 (REDACTED) 7th December 2016 bc
Planning Policy Team South Bucks District Council Neil Rowley Capswood E: Oxford Road DL: + Denham UB9 4LH
Dear Sir or Madam,
Chiltern and South Bucks Local Plan - Green Belt Preferred Options Consultation Representation on behalf of Thorney Lane LLP for Land at Thorney Lane, Iver
We write on behalf of our client, Thorney Lane LLP, the current landowner of the site at Thorney Lane, Iver. This site is Preferred Option 13 (‘Area North of Iver Station’).
In short we support the proposed removal of Preferred Option 13 from the Green Belt.
Please find enclosed:
Completed comments form Transport Representations by JMP Masterplan by Savills Urban Design Studio
Site Description
The proposed site comprises the Thorney Business Park, and open land to the east and west. Thorney Business Park comprises a variety of business units, including larger scale industrial and waste processing uses.
The entire site is located to the south of Iver and is approximately 52 ha in size. It is bound by the Grand Union Canal Slough Arm to the north, Thorney Lane and the M25 to the east, and the railway line to the south. To the west is an area of open farmland designated for waste management purposes and Mansion Lane Caravan Site.
The immediately surrounding area is mixed in character, with farmland to the north west and south west, and Iver Golf Club to the west. Immediately to the north of the site is Ridgeway Trading Estate, and the residential area of Iver Village to the north of that. To the south of the site is the residential area of Richings Park. Iver Railway Station is located on the south east corner of the site.
As designated in existing local policy, the entire site falls within the ‘Colne Valley Park’ and ‘South of Iver Opportunity Area’. The eastern part of the site is also designated as ‘Green Belt’ land. Immediately to the west of the Thorney Business Park a portion of the farmland is designated as a ‘Safeguarded Multi Modal Facility’ by the Minerals and Waste Local Plan.
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There have been no recent planning applications of relevance to the current representations for this site. However, it should be noted that Iver Railway Station will be significantly upgraded to provide a Crossrail Station.
The Council will also be aware that the western section of the site is expected to be included within proposals to create a new Heathrow Express depot (HEX) to the west of the site. Part of the site is also likely to be required as part of the new Western Rail Link to Heathrow (WRLtH).
Background – HGVs and Iver It is widely known that HGV movements through Iver are causing significant concerns to the local population. This is evident from the Council’s website, Iver Parish Council website and organisations such as Iver Traffic Action. The issue is also highlighted early in the SBDC Core Strategy, where paragraph 1.2.17 of the first chapter states that “The District is well served by the strategic road network (M40, M25 and M4), although many roads experience peak time congestion and suffer from the impact of HGV traffic. There are particular traffic problems in the Beaconsfield and Iver/Richings Park areas.”
Accordingly, the Core Strategy sets out ‘Strategic Issue’ 8 as the following:
“Address traffic congestion (including on the A355 / A40 to the east of Beaconsfield) and mitigate the amenity impacts of HGV movements (particularly in and around Iver Village and Richings Park).
Critical Success Factors
• Over the Plan period, a measurable reduction in congestion on the A355 / A40 to the east of Beaconsfield (see Core Policies 7 and 14). • Over the Plan period, a measurable reduction in the number of HGV movements through Iver Village and Richings Park (see Core Policies 7 and 16)”.
It is clear, therefore, that a means to address this issue is very high on the Council’s agenda. It is also clear that in the years since the Core Strategy was adopted there has been little or no change to the position and the Core Strategy has not met one of its Key Strategic Issues.
Position of the landowner
Thorney Lane LLP is looking to secure the mixed use redevelopment of the Thorney Lane Business Park through negotiation with the local planning authority and local community. We accept that the presence of the Thorney Lane Business Park is responsible for many of the HGV movements through Iver and understand why local residents consider that the HGV movements affect the amenities of Iver and surrounding area.
We have therefore worked up a proposal for the redevelopment of the Business Park. In the course of analysis and masterplanning, it became clear that a significant opportunity existed to extend the redevelopment area towards Iver station. This has the dual advantage of maximising the development potential created by the exceptional opportunity of CrossRail services at Iver and by better linking the overall development to the station.
The Green Belt in this location is contaminated land with no public access. It has a very urban feel due to the road network, HGV movements, the railway line and the Thorney Lane Industrial Estate and associated access. We identified that (with mitigation) the harm arising from the loss of Green Belt in this location was very minor and could be outweighed by the potential to create a highly sustainable development.
We have been mindful though of the sensitivity of the gap along the Thorney Road South frontage and our
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Page 2 of 90 Classification: OFFICIAL PORep2372 (REDACTED) a masterplanning work has always identified the importance of a significant open space being provided to the east of the site.
We have attended a number of meetings with local stakeholders that have shaped our development proposal. Our proposal can provide, within our ownership, a vehicular link between Thorney Lane South and Hollow Hill Lane. This could also provide vehicular links north and south over the canal and railway with the agreement of adjacent landowners.
We are in discussions with TfL about the potential for providing a northern entrance to Iver Station in conjunction with a new station car park.
An emerging masterplan has been produced which is attached to illustrate the development potential. This demonstrates the form, layout and density of development and to illustrate how the gap along the Thorney Lane frontage can be maintained. The emerging masterplan is intended to be a discussion document rather than a finished proposal. It includes some 23 ha of land for residential development, 13 ha of public open space and 3 ha of employment development.
The entire land holding is within the control of a single landowner that supports the redevelopment of the site. The site can be made available for development as soon as planning permission is granted.
SBDC Green Belt Assessment
The key findings from the Council’s Green Belt Assessment are as follows:
The site performs relatively weakly against the purposes of the Green Belt in terms of safeguarding the countryside from encroachment.
In terms of merging settlements the Part 1 assessment scores the site as performing strongly (5). However in considering this option in more detail it is considered that the score of 5 could be reduced if the gap can be visually and physically maintained along Thorney Road South within the context of an area of land already being bound by development excluded from the Green Belt on three sides, two of which are not settlements. This could be for example through the provision of significant public open space as part of a development.
The benefits contributing to exceptional circumstances could include:
o removing a major HGV generating industrial site causing local nuisance if Thorney Business Park redevelopment was part of a comprehensive development proposal;
o helping secure a relief road option for Iver Village through the site,
o maximising sustainable development by locating development alongside a railway station where services will be improved considerably as part of the new Crossrail service in 2019 and
o addressing potential landfill historic land contamination/damaged land.
Removal of the site from the Green Belt could deliver Green Belt objectives as set out in the NPPF (para 81) on key parts of the area (enabled by development on other parts) which are unlikely to be delivered if the land was retained in its entirety in the Green Belt. Namely access opportunities could be secured on active open space, other open space areas and enhanced links to the Canal towpath; outdoor sport and recreation could be included in the open space; landscape features on the open space areas can be enhanced; and improvements could be carried out to damaged land.
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In relation to biodiversity a significant part of the area is being considered for wildlife value and whether this could be incorporated in open space areas and/or open space areas prepared and maintained for enhance biodiversity. Conversely if the wildlife assessment reduces the development area to make a development unviable or unacceptable in planning terms then the area as a whole should be retained in the Green Belt.
We agree with the findings of the Green Belt Assessment. Our illustrative masterplan demonstrates how a significant open space can be maintained along the Thorney Lane South frontage, to deal with the only weakness (merging settlements) identified in the Green Belt Assessment. The Green Belt Assessment identifies that “with controls to maintain a visual gap along Thorney Lane South the loss of the remainder of this area from the Green Belt could be mitigated.”
This open space would be publicly accessible and could include opportunities for sport and recreation. It could link to the Grand Union Canal. It could provide a pleasant and direct access to Iver station.
Moreover, we conclude that if the Council has taken the decision that it is necessary to release Green Belt land then Preferred Option 13 must surely be a prime candidate. It provides an unrivalled opportunity for the local community to derive some of the benefits arising from CrossRail. The improved services into London will create a highly sustainable location and an opportunity to provide high quality business space that will be deliverable due to the improved transport links. There can be few better opportunities to provide genuine mixed use development within the District.
The allocation of this site for mixed use redevelopment is a once in a generation opportunity to address the HGV issue. An link road would form part of the proposals. This link, which will be designed to County Council standards, will enable many of the existing HGV journeys to 'bypass' the existing routes through Richings Park and Iver village, removing HGVs traffic associated with the Industrial Parks accessed from Thorney Lane. It will also help deal with traffic arising from the proposed HS2/HEX depot.
The change in the land use will have a positive impact in respect of the traffic and vehicle composition on the local highway network. The current predominately industrial use generates a large number of HGV movements at the site and this in turn increases the proportion of HGVs on the adjacent network, including on the roads through Richings Park and Iver village. The change, over time, to predominantly residential and office employment use will result in a significant reduction in HGVs at the site, eliminating all but service and delivery vehicle trips. This will benefit the local area by a reduction in the effects of some of the key environmental considerations such as the impacts from noise, vibration, air quality and fear and intimidation for local residents and other road users.
The proposal enhances the site's overall transport sustainability credentials. The juxtaposition of residential and employment uses with other complimentary uses (such as education and small scale 'local' retail) will assist in internalising a large proportion of the trips generated. There will be an increased use of the rail network, with the station car parking improvements benefiting existing local residents and also potential for an increase in bus service provision. In combination these will reduce some of the existing base traffic movements.
In addition, there is also an opportunity to address the lack of station car parking in the area. This is an ongoing problem generally, but matters come to a head at various times (for example during the 2012 Olympics). When Iver Station becomes a CrossRail station, which will increase the frequency and attractiveness of the service, there is potential for the parking issue to worsen. The redevelopment of this site creates the potential for tackling this problem by providing a dedicated parking area as part of a scheme put forward for the site.
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We note that other options considered as part of the Green Belt Assessment would:
- require the loss of the best and most versatile agricultural land
- not appear to enjoy public support
- not offer the sustainability benefits, in particular the genuine opportunity for mixed use development generated by the immediate proximity to CrossRail
- not be able to address the difficulties of ‘merging settlements’ as proposed by our illustrative masterplan.
Preferred Option 13 - General Considerations
The Preferred Options consultation document asks for information on four matters which are dealt with in the table below: a) Where residential development is proposed, the level It is acknowledged that affordable housing is needed to and type of affordable housing that needs to be required as ensure the proposal amounts to sustainable development part of the proposal. in terms of the definition in the NPPF. Our initial viability work suggests that the provision of affordable housing is achievable. The level and type of affordable housing will no doubt be the subject of discussion with the Council. Our early discussions with local stakeholders has identified the need for intermediate forms of affordable housing (e.g. shared ownership and Starter Homes) in this location. b) Specific infrastructure requirements and/or community The development will bring forward a vehicular link facilities needed to support the proposed development between Thorney Lane South and Hollow Hill Lane. We are in discussion with TfL to provide a car park for Iver Station and a new station access on the north side. We have identified that it may be necessary to provide a primary school within our proposal, which will be subject to discussion with the local authority. c) Whether there should be other specific development The main site specific requirement is the provision of a requirements. vehicular link between Thorney Lane South and Hollow Hill Lane. This can form the major part of, and align with, Buckinghamshire County Council proposals for an Iver Southern Relief Road. It will be designed to accommodate HGVs.
Some small scale retail could be provided to improve the sustainability of the proposal. This is likely to be provided close to the station and business area. It will need to be carefully planned so as not to compete with existing retail facilities in Richings Park.
There is an opportunity to provide community facilities subject to public consultation with local residents.
The Green Belt Assessment identifies the need for open land on the Thorney Lane South frontage, which we believe should be publicly accessible. This will also allow opportunities for biodiversity mitigation and enhancement.
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Page 5 of 90 Classification: OFFICIAL PORep2372 (REDACTED) a d) Whether the development proposal will be viable. We have carried out initial investigations into infrastructure costs (including road, car park and school) and remediation costs. Our preliminary indications suggest that the development will be viable. However, the Council should consider whether a greater density of development should be permitted given the highly sustainable location, which would enable further community benefits to be provided.
Preferred Option 13 - ‘Requirements as part of any Development’
The Preferred Options Consultation Document lists ‘Requirements as part of any Development.’ Our comments on these requirements are set out below:
General a) Comprehensive development in accordance with an We acknowledge the need for comprehensive approved Development Brief including the appropriate development. It is considered that this could be achieved treatment for undevelopable land. through either a Development Brief or an outline planning application for comprehensive development of the entire site. b) Necessary infrastructure (either directly provided on-site Agree, although our approach would be that development or secured through funding by the developer) or should be phased to ensure that necessary infrastructure is development delayed until provided by an infrastructure brought forward at an appropriate time. To require all provider or other means. This may include a new car park infrastructure to be brought forward in advance of for Iver Crossrail station. residential or commercial development would have a significant and detrimental effect on viability. c) An appropriate proportion of affordable housing - Agreed, although the eventual amount of affordable expectation at this stage is that at least 40% of dwellings housing will be subject to detailed viability testing at a later should be affordable (i.e. have an appropriate level of stage. subsidy). It is noted that the proposal must bring forward ‘abnormal’ wider benefits in the form or a relief road through the site. There are also other infrastructure and remediation costs to be considered. It may also be necessary to cross subsidise the provision of early stages of employment development. In our view, these would take precedence over the provision of affordable housing if there are competing demands on the development proposal. d) Adequate functional open spaces to include children Agreed. The most significant open space (c 13 ha) will be play facilities. Viable and sustainable management and provided on the Thorney Lane South frontage, although funding proposals put in place for all open space areas. there will be opportunities for childrens play facilities throughout the development.
e) Connectivity with adjoining built areas, community Agreed. Pedestrian and cycle links can be provided facilities and transport access points with emphasis on through the development. This can include links to the walking, cycling and passenger transport. Grand Union Canal (subject to landowner agreement). A new pedestrian and cycle route to the station can be achieved through the open space. f) Retention of important trees and hedgerows. Enhanced Agreed. tree planting / landscaping within the site with particular attention to boundary areas with the countryside.
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Page 6 of 90 Classification: OFFICIAL PORep2372 (REDACTED) a g) Open spaces as far as possible to be connected to Agreed. enhance the development setting and to encourage wildlife connectivity with the countryside and across the site and secure the biodiversity objectives for this area of the existing Development Plan. h) For office development, the imposition of a planning Agreed. condition removing permitted development rights to convert the offices to residential at some future point as offices are It is likely that there will also be demand for a hotel to to be provided as part of the exceptional circumstances for support the office development. taking land out of the Green Belt, to meet future office needs, secure the right balance of uses and best match resident needs to housing based infrastructure locally.
Infrastructure a) Primary school to serve the new development and Agreed, this is included within the illustrative masterplan Richings Park. although the final location can be agreed in consultation with local stakeholders. b) New road infrastructure including significant contribution Agreed. The development proposal can provide the towards the construction of a relief road for Iver Village. infrastructure needed within the ownership of the applicant. Other elements of the relief road will need to be the subject of a co-ordinated approach with South Bucks District Council and Buckinghamshire County Council.
Additional Outstanding a) Whether part of the site merits designation as a Wildlife Part of the site is designated as a Biological Notification Site (in which case the preferred option will need to be Site with other semi-natural habitats present, such as reassessed). woodland and seasonally wet ponds and ditches. Consequently some areas of the site are of some ecological value. Although it is important to note that this designation does not preclude development per se, any development with have to be sensitive to the habitats present and to the species they support.
Although any development proposals will result in the loss of some semi-natural habitats, there is an opportunity to develop the site whilst retaining and enhancing the most important habitats along with creating a range of new ones. If these areas are designed and managed effectively for the benefit of wildlife then the overall biodiversity of the site could be enhanced in the long term. b) Whether part of the site will be required for Gypsy and It is not considered that this type of accommodation should Traveller accommodation and if so what number of units be provided within this site. Such accommodation is and type of accommodation (i.e. pitches for travellers or already provided immediately adjacent to the site (at mobile homes / park homes for non-travellers). Hollow Hill Lane) and therefore it is considered that demand for such accommodation is met in this part of the District. c) Given anticipated levels, timing and duration for It is not considered that these projects should affect the construction traffic in the vicinity particularly associated delivery of the site. Our initial transport work suggests that with major infrastructure projects such as Heathrow there is no reason why development should be so deferred. Express and Western Rail Link to Heathrow - expected to
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Page 7 of 90 Classification: OFFICIAL PORep2372 (REDACTED) a be completed by 2025, whether development should be Indeed the real opportunity is two fold. First, the existing held back to post 2025 or phased over a period of time to HGV movements arising from the site can be removed to allow early provision of the relief road. free up space for the construction traffic relating to these infrastructure projects. Second, the new relief road can be provided to reduce the effect on the existing highway network.
To require the relief road to be provided significantly in advance of any value generating development would have a negative effect on viability.
It is likely that residential development will in any case be delivered in phases due to housing delivery rates and market conditions. d) School provision required as part of the development We propose a primary school within the development proposal and its timing for delivery (including primary and proposal. This will be subject to discussion with local possibly secondary school provision within the wider stakeholders once the outcome of this consultation is catchment). known. e) Whether additional land to the west of Thorney Business It is considered that this land should be removed from the Park (blue edged on the above plan) should also be Green Belt. It is likely to be significantly developed as part considered for removal from the Green Belt, including of the railway infrastructure proposals and the new relief Mansion Lane Gypsy and Traveller site. This area to the road. In the long term it is unlikely to be significantly open west of Thorney Business Park (outside of the preferred and unlikely to contribute to the purposes of Green Belts. options) is largely required for the major infrastructure projects of the new Heathrow Express Depot and potentially for a construction site for Western Rail Link to Heathrow subject to a Development Consent Order. Part of it is currently safeguarded land for a multi modal waste transfer station in the Minerals and Waste Local Plan. f) Whether the scale of development proposed can support We consider it likely that a small scale local centre could a local centre, potentially comprising convenience shop(s), potentially be included. This should be located close to the local health infrastructure and other community services railway station and employment development to maximise /facilities. the viability of such a proposal.
Density
The Consultation Draft states that: “the proposed average residential density is 35 to 40 dwellings per hectare giving a proposed residential capacity of 800 dwellings.”
Density needs to be carefully considered to avoid wasting the opportunity provided by CrossRail and the potential Green Belt release. If land is to be released from the Green Belt then it is important that the maximum possible public benefit should be derived from the site. Given that the site and proposal will inherently be highly sustainable (due to its mixed use nature, proximity to Iver Station and proximity to Iver village centre) then we ought to consider a proactive approach to the residential density. The NPPF consultation draft highlights the importance of maximising density around transport nodes.
There is likely to be demand for one and two bedroom flats, particularly close to the station and employment areas. It is also likely that, due to the existing railway infrastructure, existing buildings on the site and the level changes across the site, there is the opportunity to accommodate some taller buildings within the site. Taking this into account, our masterpanning work suggests that the average residential development could be in the region of 45 dwellings per hectare. (Density would vary in pockets across the site because it is also likely that larger family dwellings would be provided, which would be comparatively low density). It should be noted that due to the significant level of public open space provided, this would result in a density of approximately 22 dwellings per hectare across the entire 46 hectare masterplanning area.
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A density of 45 dwellings per hectare on the 22.8 ha identified for residential development would give a higher indicative residential capacity of around 1,000 dwellings. Clearly, density should be a result of good design and masterplanning (including infrastructure planning) rather than a mathematical calculation. However, the Local Plan should be careful about placing an indicative residential capacity on the site which might, in time, be seen as a maximum capacity by others.
Needless to say, the density of development directly affects the wider benefits that development is able to bring. In addition, ensuring that allocated sites are built to an appropriate density may reduce the pressure on other current and future Green Belt releases.
Highways
We enclose Transport Representations relating to the site, which have been prepared by JMP. This concludes that:
“In transport and highway terms it is considered that the release of the Area North of Iver Station for development as a mixed-use scheme in conjunction with the redevelopment of Thorney Business Park, would have significant benefits for the local highway network and local residents in addition to providing a highly accessible and sustainable location for large-scale residential and employment development. The proposed redevelopment has been shown to have a minor impact on the local highway network in terms of increase in light vehicle trips and will benefit local residents and other road users by significantly reducing the number of HGV trips. As such, not only is the Area North of Iver Station site suitable for removal from the Green Belt for the purposes of development, but it is the best site in the area for the Iver Village relief road, Crossrail car park and residential-led mixed-use development.”
Conclusion
We agree with the findings of the Green Belt Assessment and the proposed release of the site from the Green Belt via Preferred Option 13. The site makes a limited contribution to the Green Belt and purposes of including land within it and the opportunity to develop in such a sustainable location far outweighs the limited harm arising. In accordance with the definition within the NPPF, the site is both Deliverable and Developable. The site will be available within the forthcoming Local Plan period and as such redevelopment can take place as soon as permission is granted.
An indicative Layout Plan has been prepared which illustrates that the eastern section of the site (east of Thorney Business Park) has the potential to deliver approximately 1,000 new homes alongside a new primary school, local services and a canal basin. This would make a significant contribution to South Bucks housing requirement.
The development of this site would address the current issue with HGV movements through the surrounding residential areas and enable many of the existing HGV journeys to 'bypass' the existing routes through Richings Park and Iver village. Furthermore, if the Council were to allocate this site within the Emerging Local Plan, it can address the likely problem with parking at the new CrossRail station, which is adjacent to the south-eastern corner of the site. The allocation of this site could ensure that a dedicated CrossRail car park is delivered as part of future schemes put forward.
The proposals for redevelopment of the site include retention of a section of 13 ha of the eastern side of the site as open space. The quality of this space will be significantly improved, and access to the public will be provided. It can be suitably remediated to provide public access. It can also provide biodiversity mitigation and enhancement. This is a significant benefit of the proposed redevelopment of this site, and will greatly add
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Page 9 of 90 Classification: OFFICIAL PORep2372 (REDACTED) a to amenity of existing and proposed residential dwellings in the area.
In short, the allocation of this site is a once in a generation opportunity to deliver high quality and sustainable employment and residential development next to the new CrossRail station. The only cost would be a small portion of unattractive, low grade and inaccessible Green Belt. If this site is not allocated in the Local Plan, it would represent a massive missed opportunity for the area.
Yours sincerely
Neil Rowley Director
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Page 10 of 90 Classification: OFFICIAL PORep2372 (REDACTED) PART A – YOUR DETAILS
Are you:
An Individual An Organisation Other (please specify)
Personal Details* Agent’s Details (if applicable)
**Title Mr
**First Name Neil
**Last Name Rowley
Job Title Director (if on behalf of an organisation)
Organisation Thorney Lane LLP Savills (if applicable)
**Address
Telephone Number .
**Email Address
*if an agent is appointed, you may wish to complete only the title and name boxes and, if applicable, the organisation box but please complete the full contact details for the agent.
**Name and either email or address required if you wish to be added to the consultation database (see below).
Consultation Database (Mailing List) The Councils have a Consultation Database (mailing list) used to keep individuals and organisations informed about Planning Policy Documents across both Council areas. Documents include: the Local Plan, Supplementary Planning Documents and Neighbourhood Plans, (please note some plans may not be applicable to your area).
Chiltern District Council and South Bucks District Council are the Data Controllers for the purposes of the Data Protection Act 1998. Individuals and organisations on the Planning Policy Consultation Database will only be contacted by the Councils in relation to the preparation and production of planning policy documents. The Councils will not publish the names of those individuals on the database but may publish names of statutory bodies and organisations at certain stages of the Local Plan process. Please indicate if you want to be added to the joint consultation database (tick box below). Please note: you do not need to tick this box if you received a letter or email notification from the Councils prior to the start of the consultation, as you are already registered.
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Green Belt Options – Please Provide your Comments The Councils have concluded that land within the Green Belt will need to be released in order to contribute to meeting development needs to 2036. This is despite maximising opportunities on ‘brownfield land’ or sites within the built areas and on previously developed land in the Green Belt.
The Councils have identified 15 preferred options for development in the Green Belt after taking account of views expressed in a consultation earlier this year and testing a full range of options. All of these preferred options if suitable for development will be needed to contribute to our development needs. They are ‘preferred’ options at this stage as work is on-going to test their suitability.
Further testing following this consultation will establish what infrastructure (e.g. highway improvements, schools, medical facilities etc.) will be needed to support the options moving forward taking into account current pressures and circumstances.
We are consulting on these 15 preferred options to: a) Seek views to help determine their suitability for development; b) Help understand views on what type of development should be sought if suitable and what type of requirements (other than infrastructure) should be secured as part of development; c) Enable comments on the draft technical work supporting the selection of the preferred options; and d) Provide the opportunity for alternative options to be put forward.
Evidence and background documents are available here: www.chiltern.gov.uk/planning/localplan2014- 2036/evidence and www.southbucks.gov.uk/planning/localplan2014-2036/evidence.
When commenting please clearly indicate which preferred option(s) you are commenting on.
Please do not provide any personal information you do not want to be made publically available as these comments may be published at a later date.
Please see attached:
Letter dated 7th December 2016 from Savills Transport Representations by JMP Emerging masterplan pack by Savills
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Area North of Iver Station, Thorney Lane
TRANSPORT REPRESENTATIONS Report
Page 13 of 90 Classification: OFFICIAL PORep2372 (REDACTED) JMP Consultants Ltd
Area North of Iver Station, Thorney Lane
TRANSPORT REPRESENTATIONS
Report
JMP Consultants Ltd SoanePoint 6-8 Market Place Reading Berkshire RG1 2EG T 0118 334 5510 F E [email protected] www.jmp.co.uk [email protected] facebook.com/jmp.consultants twitter.com/#!/_jmp linkedin.com/company/jmp consulting
Report Record Job No. Report No. Issue No. Prepared Verified Approved Status Date ST17426 RM/JW RS RS Draft 08/12/2016
Contents Amendments Record Issue No. Revision description Approved Status Date
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Contents
1 INTRODUCTION 1 Context ...... 1 Purpose of the Report ...... 1 Report Structure ...... 1
2 POLICY CONTEXT AND DESIGN GUIDANCE 3 Introduction ...... 3 National Policy ...... 3 Local Policy ...... 4 Design Guidance ...... 8 Iver Traffic and Transport Study (September 2016) ...... 9 Summary ...... 11
3 BASELINE CONDITIONS 12 Introduction ...... 12 Site Location And Existing Use ...... 12 Accessibility by Sustainable Modes ...... 13 Existing Modal Share ...... 19 Local Highway Network ...... 19 Existing Traffic Conditions ...... 23 Personal Injury Accident (PIA) Analysis ...... 24 Committed Developments ...... 27 Summary ...... 30
4 IVER VILLAGE RELIEF ROAD 31 Introduction ...... 31 Option 3: Via Land North of Iver Station ...... 31 Other Alignment Options ...... 35 Summary ...... 36
5 PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT 37 Introduction ...... 37 Development Proposals ...... 37
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Access Arrangements ...... 37 Crossrail Car PArk ...... 38 Relief Road ...... 39 Summary ...... 39
6 MULTI-MODAL TRIP GENERATION 41 Introduction ...... 41 Existing Vehicular Trip Generation ...... 41 Proposed Development Vehicular Trip Generation ...... 42 Net Change in Vehicle Trips ...... 47 Proposed Crossrail Car Park Vehicular Trip Generation ...... 48 Proposed Development Multi-modal Trip Generation ...... 49 Interim Residential Development Scenario ...... 53 Summary ...... 54
7 SUITABILITY OF THE SITE FOR MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT 56 Introduction ...... 56 Local Highway Network ...... 56 Committed Developments in Iver ...... 57 Public Transport Accessibility ...... 58 Development Impact ...... 58 Summary ...... 60
8 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION 62
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Tables and Figures
Table 2.1: BCC Car Parking Standards ...... 5 Table 2.2: BCC Cycle Parking Standards ...... 6 Table 2.3: MfS Stopping Sight Distances ...... 8 Figure 3.1: Site Location ...... 12 Table 3.1: Suggested acceptable walking distances ...... 13 Figure 3.2: Footways on Thorney Lane North ...... 13 Figure 3.3: Constrained Footways on Thorney Lane North to the South of Iver High Street ...... 14 Figure 3.4: Informal Crossing Points on Thorney Lane North ...... 14 Figure 3.5: New Footways on Thorney Lane South ...... 15 Figure 3.6: Footway on Road Bridge Across Railway at Iver Station...... 15 Figure 3.7: Bathurst Walk Footway ...... 16 Figure 3.8: Access to Iver Station via Wellesley Avenue ...... 16 Figure 3.9: Public Transport Network Plan ...... 17 Table 3.2: Summary of bus services ...... 18 Table 3.3: Summary of rail services from Iver Rail Station ...... 18 Table 3.4: Future Crossrail Journey Times from Iver Station...... 18 Table 3.5: Census 2011 Method of Travel to Work Residential and Employment Modal Split (MSOA South Bucks 008 – E02003695) ...... 19 Figure 3.10: Existing Iver Station Parking ...... 21 Figure 3.11: Overspill Station Parking on Bathurst Walk ...... 22 Table 3.6: Thorney Lane South HGV Generating Sites Peak Hour Trip Generation ...... 23 Table 3.7: Thorney Lane South HGV Generating Sites HGV Turning Proportions ...... 23 Table 3.8: Weekday Average Traffic Flows on Thorney Lane South ...... 24 Table 3.9: Weekday Average Speeds on Thorney Lane South (mph)...... 24 Table 3.10: Summary of Incidents at Key Links and Junctions ...... 24 Figure 3.12: Spatial Distribution of PIA Incidents (by Severity) ...... 25 Table 3.11: Summary of Construction Schemes with Associated Timescales and HGV Movements ...... 27 Figure 3.13: Infrastructure Construction Projects and Associated HGV Routes in Iver ...... 29 Figure 4.1 Iver Relief Road Options as shown in Iver Transport Study (September 2016) ...... 31 Table 4.1: Summary of Traffic Flows from Key HGV Generating Sites on Thorney Lane North / South ...... 32 Figure 4.2: HGV Turning Left from Ridgeway to Thorney Lane North (View from North) ...... 33 Figure 4.3: HGV Turning Left from Ridgeway to Thorney Lane North (View from South) ...... 33 Figure 4.4: HGV Turning Right from Ridgeway to Thorney Lane South (View from North) ...... 34
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Table 6.1: Previous Thorney Business Park Vehicular Trip Generation (May 2011, TfB) ...... 41 Table 6.2: Existing Thorney Business Park Vehicular Trip Generation (November 2016) ...... 41 Table 6.3: Residential TRICS Sites ...... 43 Table 6.4: Proposed Residential Vehicular TRICS Trip Rates ...... 43 Table 6.5: Proposed Residential Vehicular Trip Generation (1,035 units) ...... 43 Table 6.6: Employment TRICS Sites ...... 44 Table 6.7: Proposed Employment Vehicular TRICS Trip Rates ...... 44 Table 6.8: Proposed Employment Vehicular Trip Generation (20,000sqm)...... 44 Table 6.9: Primary School TRICS Sites ...... 45 Table 6.10: Proposed Primary School Vehicular TRICS Trip Rates ...... 45 Table 6.11: Proposed Primary School Vehicular Trip Generation (3,250sqm) ...... 46 Table 6.12: Proposed Primary School External Vehicular Trip Generation (Adjusted for Internalisation) ...... 47 Table 6.13: Total Proposed Development Vehicular Trip Generation ...... 47 Table 6.14: Net Change in Vehicular Trip Generation ...... 47 Table 6.15: Net Change in Vehicular Trip Generation (PCUs) ...... 48 Table 6.16: Proposed Crossrail Car Park Vehicular Trip Rates (per space)...... 49 Table 6.17: Proposed Crossrail Car Park Vehicular Trip Generation (500 spaces) ...... 49 Table 6.18: Proposed Residential Development Multi-Modal TRICS Trip Rates ...... 50 Table 6.19: Proposed Residential Development Multi-Modal Trip Generation (1,035 units) ...... 50 Table 6.20: Proposed Employment Development Multi-Modal TRICS Trip Rates...... 51 Table 6.21: Proposed Employment Development Multi-Modal Trip Generation (20,000sqm) ...... 51 Table 6.22: Proposed Primary School Multi-Modal TRICS Trip Rates ...... 51 Table 6.23: Proposed Primary School Multi-Modal Trip Generation (3,250sqm)...... 52 Table 6.24: Proposed Primary School Multi-Modal Trip Generation (Adjusted for Internalisation) ...... 52 Table 6.25: Total Proposed Development Multi-Modal Trip Generation ...... 53 Table 6.26: Level of Residential Development Equal to Existing Use Trip Generation Calculations ...... 53 Table 7.1: Comparison of Existing Local and Anticipated Proposed Development Modal Split ...... 59
Appendices
Appendix A Traffic Survey Data Appendix B Personal Injury Accident (PIA) Data Appendix C TRICS Outputs
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1 Introduction
CONTEXT 1.1 JMP Consultants Ltd (JMP) has been commissioned by Savills on behalf of Thorney Lane LLP (the client) to provide transport consultancy services for a site located off Thorney Lane South in Iver, South Bucks, with the potential for a residential-led mixed-use development. The client is seeking to have part of the site released from the Green Belt, through the Local Plan process and allocated for the development of residential, employment and educational uses, in addition to new transport infrastructure. 1.2 The Thorney Lane site is located to the south of Iver Village and is bounded to the east by Thorney Lane, to the north by the Slough arm of the Grand Union Canal, to the west by agricultural land and to the south by the business park access road and the Great Western Mainline Railway between London Paddington and the west of England / Wales. 1.3 The overall site comprises two distinct parcels of land; the existing Thorney Business Park at the western end of the site, and Green Belt land at the central and eastern end of the site. Thorney Business Park comprises approximately 12 hectares of commercial industrial land occupied by a range of industrial uses including storage solutions, aggregate, transport and distribution, and utilities.
PURPOSE OF THE REPORT 1.4 The area of the Thorney Lane site which is currently in the Green Belt is included in the Emerging Chiltern and South Bucks Local Plan as Preferred Option 13, ‘Area North of Iver Station’, for release from the Green Belt. The plan states that the site has the capacity to accommodate approximately 800 dwellings with local services, a new school and canal basin. 1.5 This report outlines why the Area North of Iver Station site should be released from the Green Belt for mixed-used development. It considers the adjacent existing Thorney Business Park use which would be redeveloped alongside development on the site, and the resulting impact of redevelopment on the surrounding area and local highway network. 1.6 The report demonstrates that there are no transport related reasons why the site could not be released for development and that there are in fact significant benefits in doing so. 1.7 It should be noted that throughout the document the proposed development refers to development both on the Area North of Iver Station and the redevelopment of Thorney Business Park. 1.8 It is important to note that should development be promoted on the site in the future then a Transport Assessment Report would be produced to fully evaluate the traffic and transport impacts associated with such development. Notwithstanding this, the findings presented within this Technical Report enable an understanding of the key issues at this stage and show the development potential.
REPORT STRUCTURE 1.9 Following this introductory chapter, this Transport Representations Report comprises the following sections: Section 2: Policy Context and Design Guidance – Provides a summary of the current national and local planning and transport policy and guidance that is relevant to the proposed development; Section 3: Baseline Conditions – Describes the existing transport and highway conditions at the site and in the surrounding area;
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Section 4: Iver Village Relief Road – Provides a review and comparison of the proposed relief road route alignments; Section 5: Proposed Development – Summarises the development proposals including proposed access arrangements; Section 6: Multi-Modal Trip Generation – A multi-modal assessment of trips associated with the existing site and the proposed redevelopment; Section 7: Suitability of the Site for Mixed-Use Development – A review of the suitability of the site for the proposed uses compared to the existing use; and Section 8: Summary and Conclusions – A summary of the proposed development proposals and the impact on the local area.
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2 Policy Context and Design Guidance
INTRODUCTION 2.1 This section of the report provides a brief review of the relevant policy, reviews the overall accessibility of the site and identifies any key constraints.
NATIONAL POLICY
National Planning Policy Framework 2.2 In March 2012 National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) was published to consolidate all policy statements, circulars and guidance documents into a single, simpler National Planning Policy Framework. The NPPF sets out a number of transport objectives designed to facilitate sustainable development and contribute to a wider sustainability by giving people a wider choice about how they travel. 2.3 The NPPF states in paragraph 32 that all developments that generate significant amounts of movement should be supported by a Transport Assessment. Plans and decisions should take account of whether: The opportunities for sustainable transport modes have been taken up depending on the nature and location of the site, to reduce the need for major transport infrastructure; Safe and suitable access to the site can be achieved for all people; and Improvements can be undertaken within the transport network that cost effectively limits the significant impacts of the development. Development should only be prevented or refused on transport grounds where the residual cumulative impacts of development are severe. 2.4 The NPPF states that plans should ensure developments that generate significant movement are located where the need to travel will be minimised and the use of sustainable transport modes can be maximised. Consequently, plans should protect and exploit opportunities for the use of sustainable transport modes for the movement of goods or people. Therefore, developments should be located and designed where practical to: Support opportunities for sustainable transport modes depending on the nature and location of the site, in order to reduce the need for major transport infrastructure; Accommodate the efficient delivery of goods and supplies; Give priority to pedestrian and cycle movements, and have access to high quality public transport facilities; Create safe and secure layouts which minimise conflicts between traffic and cyclists or pedestrians, avoiding street clutter and where appropriate establishing home zones; Incorporate facilities for charging plug-in and other ultra-low emission vehicles; and Consider the needs of people with disabilities by all modes of transport. 2.5 To facilitate the above, a Travel Plan should be provided for all developments which generate a significant amount of movement. Furthermore, planning policies should aim for a balance of land uses within their area so that people can be encouraged to minimise journey lengths for employment, shopping, leisure, education and other activities. 2.6 Paragraph 38 promotes the notion that where practical, particularly within large scale developments, key facilities such as primary schools and local shops should be located within walking distance of most properties.
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2.7 Furthermore, the NPPF Consultation Draft suggests that more emphasis should be given to development adjacent to transport hubs, therefore the inclusion of Iver Station as part of the Crossrail scheme presents this site in direct compliance with the NPPF. 2.8 The NPPF states that when determining planning applications local authorities should account for: The accessibility of the development; The type, mix and use of development; The availability of and opportunities for public transport; Local car ownership levels; and An overall need to reduce the use of high-emission vehicles 2.8 Where possible, local planning authorities should identify and protect, where there is robust evidence, sites and routes which could be critical in developing infrastructure to widen transport choice.
LOCAL POLICY
Buckinghamshire County Council Local Transport Plan 4 (April 2016)
2.9 Buckinghamshire County Council’s (BCC) Local Transport Plan 4 (LTP4) was adopted in April 2016 and covers a 20 year period up to 2036. The document is the key strategic policy tool through which the Council exercises its responsibilities for planning, management and development of transport in Buckinghamshire, for the movement of both people and goods. 2.10 The aim of the LTP4 is to:
‘make Buckinghamshire a great place to live and work, maintaining and enhancing its special environment, helping its people and businesses thrive and grow to give us one of the strongest and most productive economies in the country’.
2.11 The LTP4 has four objectives: Connected Buckinghamshire – to provide a well-connected, efficient and reliable transport network to key national and international destinations; Growing Buckinghamshire – to secure good road, public transport, cycle and walking infrastructure and service provision, working with local stakeholders and the community through a range of initiatives; Healthy, Safe and Sustainable Buckinghamshire – promote sustainable travel choices and access to opportunities that improve health, and ensure transport systems are accessible to all; and Empowered Buckinghamshire – allow everybody to access the educational, work and social opportunities they need to grow. 2.12 Policy 1 in the LTP4 concerns the efficient and effective provision of transport as a means to reduce the need to travel, especially by private car, while Policy 2 seeks to improve the connectivity and reliability of the county’s transport network as a method to stimulate growth and promote safer, more sustainable travel. 2.13 Policy 3 relates to managing the impact of new developments through the Development Management Policy to help developers ensure new developments meets the county’s needs. Policy 10 relates to improving the environment and states that the impact of new development and transport schemes needs to be managed, including through the promotion of Travel Plans.
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2.14 The county seeks to provide reliable road travel for users and Policy 7 states that the council will work with partners to find ways of improving the reliability and connectivity of Buckinghamshire’s roads. Policy 8 relates to maintaining the county’s roads and other transport assets, stating that decisions should be based on good evidence including the cost benefits and risks of different ways of improving them. The policy further states that disruption on the highway networks should be minimised. Policy 9 concerns freight, and states that freight transport should move around the county as efficiently as possible, without imposing inappropriate costs on businesses, consumers, residents or the environment. 2.15 Policy 12 and 13 in the LTP4 relate to walking and cycling, respectively, and look to develop network for each of the modes and encourage their use for shorter journeys to reduce the number of local journeys made by car. 2.16 Policy 16 concerns the public transport system and states that the council will work with partners to ensure public transport services best meet the county’s needs, now and in the future. With regards to the public transport network, Policy 4 seeks to maximise the rail network, with the council work with key stakeholders to develop a reliable rail network that provides effective access and is integrated with other modes
Buckinghamshire County Council Countywide Parking Guidance (September 2015)
2.17 The BCC parking standards were adopted in September 2015 and outline the car and cycle parking standards that should be provided at new developments in the county. The document also sets out the standards for space dimensions and guidance on parking layout and general street design issues. 2.18 Due to the differing densities in development across the county, each area has been assigned a zone dependant on the density of development in the local area. The site is located in Zone B for residential land uses and Zone 2 for non-residential land uses. Table 2.1 sets out the recommended car parking standards for residential and employment developments in these zones of Buckinghamshire.
Table 2.1: BCC Car Parking Standards
Land Use Car Parking Standard
Residential (Zone B)
1 bedroom 1.5 spaces per unit
2 bedroom 2 spaces per unit
3 bedroom 2 spaces per unit
4 bedroom 2.5 spaces per unit
5+ bedroom 3 spaces per unit
Employment (Zone 2)
B1 Office 1 space per 21sqm
Source: Buckinghamshire County Council Countywide Parking Guidance (September 2015)
2.19 It should be noted that the half car parking spaces in the standards reflect the average requirement of some areas. Therefore developments should take the lower whole number as allocated car parking and the half spaces should combined and distributed within the development as unallocated parking. Furthermore, where more than 50% of car parking is allocated, an additional 20% of the total number of spaces should be provided as unallocated / visitor parking. 2.20 Allocated parking provision for disabled users at employment land uses should be provided with one bay per disabled employee, plus two bays or 5% of the total parking provision, whichever is greater. These
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should be located near to the main pedestrian access to the building and have level access. The development will provide parking to the standards set out above. 2.21 Table 2.2 outlines the cycle parking standard as set out in the guidance. The preferred type of cycle parking is a ‘Sheffield’ stand, and should be provided in secure and convenient locations.
Table 2.2: BCC Cycle Parking Standards
Land Use Cycle Parking Standard
Residential
1 bedroom 1 space per unit
2 bedroom 2 spaces per unit
3 bedroom 2 spaces per unit
4 bedroom 3 spaces per unit
5+ bedroom 4 spaces per unit
Flats / apartments 1 space per unit
Employment
B1 Office 1 space per 250sqm
Source: Buckinghamshire County Council Countywide Parking Guidance (September 2015)
South Bucks Local Development Framework (LDF) – Core Strategy (February 2011)
2.22 The South Bucks District Council (SBDC) Core Strategy was adopted in February 2011 and helps to manage the scale, form and broad location of future development in the district over a 20 year period. The Spatial Vision for the plan is:
‘In 2026 South Bucks will be a very attractive and popular District in which to live and work. It will be a place where the needs of the community are met in a sustainable manner.’
2.23 To help deliver the Spatial Vision, a series of strategic objectives have been developed, the most relevant of which are set out below: Manage the rate and scale of new housing development, to deliver between 2,200-2,800 new dwellings in the plan period; Protect existing physical, social and Green infrastructure, and provide new or improved infrastructure where it is needed; Focus new development in accessible locations, reducing the need to travel and increasing opportunities for walking, cycling and public transport use; Encourage more sustainable forms of transport and increase travel choice to help reduce traffic congestion and facilitate healthier, lower carbon lifestyles; Increase accessibility for those in rural areas; Address traffic congestion (including on the A355 / A40 to the east of Beaconsfield) and mitigate the amenity impacts of HGV movements (particularly in and around Iver Village and Richings Park); Ensure that new development is located and designed in such a way as to promote community safety; Protect and positively manage the Green Belt; and Reduce the carbon footprint of South Bucks District.
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2.24 Core Policy 7 in the Core Strategy relates to accessibility and transport, and states that the council seeks to improve accessibility to services and ensure a safe and sustainable transport network by supporting the rebalancing of the transport system in favour of more sustainable modes. As part of this rebalancing, new development that generates substantial transport movements should be focussed in locations that are accessible by public transport, walking and cycling. 2.25 Greater use of rail services is also supported, including improvements to parking at train stations and connecting bus services, where viable. The council will support public transport schemes, including Crossrail, as long as there are strong environmental safeguards in place. The policy also states that the impact of new development on the road network should be minimised and mitigated through the use of ‘mobility management’ measures such as Travel Plans, parking charges and car parking levels. 2.26 Furthermore, Core Policy 7 also states that the adverse impacts associated with HGV movements in and around Iver Village and Richings Park, where the site is located, should be addressed through land use changes and consideration of a relief road, or alternative means of access to the employment sites in the South of Iver Opportunity Area. 2.27 The South of Iver Opportunity Area (Core Policy 16) comprises three sites in proximity to Iver Village that collectively generate a significant number of HGV movements: Court Lane, Thorney Business Park and the Ridgeway Trading Estate. Due to limited routing options, the HGV movements generated by these sites have to either travel along Iver High Street (northbound trips) or through Richings Park (southbound trips). 2.28 Core Policy 16 states that support would be given to employment generating redevelopment on these three sites, with particular encouragement given to uses that result in a reduction of HGV movements. The policy states that any proposals for significant development or redevelopment on the Thorney Business Park site should deliver a significant reduction in HGV movements through Iver Village and Richings Park.
Chiltern and South Bucks Local Plan (2014-2036) – Preferred Options Public Consultation 2.29 Consultation of the Preferred Options for the emerging Chiltern and South Bucks Local Plan is due to take place between 31st October and 12th December 2016. The emerging plan shows that 14,700 dwellings are required to meet the Local Plan housing growth target between 2014 and 2036. 2.30 The Thorney Lane site is included as Preferred Option 13, ‘Area North of Iver Station’, in the emerging Local Plan. The plan states that the site has the capacity to accommodate approximately 800 dwellings and three hectares of office development, associated infrastructure including relevant parts of the relief road and primary school, open spaces, a local centre with shops and services and potentially Gypsy and Traveller accommodation. It also states that consideration should be given to the inclusion of specialist accommodation for the elderly, open space, a canal marina, self-build housing and associated facilities/access arrangements for Iver station. 2.31 With regards to the Thorney Lane site, the emerging Local Plan emphasises the importance of connectivity with adjoining built areas, community facilities and transport access points, with emphasis on walking, cycling and passenger transport. Necessary infrastructure for development, or development itself, delayed until provided by an infrastructure provider or other means, including a potential new car park for Iver Crossrail station. The plan also states that a ‘significant contribution’ is required towards the construction of a relief road for Iver Village is required by the developer. 2.32 Given anticipated levels, timings and duration for construction traffic in the vicinity of the site, particularly due to major infrastructure projects (expected to be completed by 2025), questions raised over whether development should be held back to post 2025 or phased out over a period of time to allow early provision of a relief road.
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DESIGN GUIDANCE
Design Manual for Roads and Bridges
2.33 The Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB) TD42/95 “Geometric Design of Major/Minor Priority Junctions” provides details of the latest requirements and recommendations on general design principles and safety aspects of the geometric design of major/minor priority junctions. This includes the type of junction that should be required, the siting of the junction, the visibility requirements and the general geometric design principles.
Manual for Streets (MfS March 2007) and Manual for Streets 2 (MfS2 September 2010) 2.34 These documents provide guidance for planning and designing new residential streets. They aim to increase the quality of life through good design which creates more people-orientated streets. The key recommendation of MfS / MfS2 is that increased consideration should be given to the ‘place’ function of streets. This function is essentially what distinguishes a street from a road, where the main purpose is to facilitate movement. 2.35 The underlying theme when designing street networks (as opposed to designing individual streets) is catering for movement. Walkable neighbourhoods are typically characterised by having a range of facilities available to residents that can be access comfortably on foot. Making the local environment convenient and attractive to walk in can help enhance the vibrancy of a community and reduce reliance on motor transport. 2.36 Another key theme within MfS / MfS2 is providing sufficient visibility at access junctions. The visibility splay at a junction ensures there is adequate inter-visibility between vehicles on the major and minor arms. The visibility requirements are outlined in Table 7.1 of MfS which has been reproduced below in Table 2.1.
Table 2.3: MfS Stopping Sight Distances
Derived SSDs for streets
Speed Kilometres per hour 16 20 24 25 30 32 40 45 48 50 60 Miles per hour 10 12 15 16 19 20 25 28 30 31 37 Stopping Sight Distance (SSD) 9 12 15 16 20 22 31 36 40 43 56 SSD adjusted for bonnet length 11 14 17 18 23 25 33 39 43 45 59 Additional features will be needed to achieve low speeds
Source: Manual for Streets
2.37 MfS explicitly states that the document “comprises technical guidance and does not set out any new policy or legal requirements.” As such MfS provides a best practice guide for designing new junctions / improving existing junctions.
The South Bucks Residential Design Guide (October 2008) 2.38 The South Bucks Residential Design Guide – Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) was published in October 2008 and is relevant to all residential developments of more than one dwelling in the district. The two key focuses of the document are urban design and sustainable design. The guide states that;
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‘A well-designed urban structure has a network of connected spaces and routes, for pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles. Proposed transport routes should reflect urban design qualities and not just traffic considerations.
A grid pattern layout need not be one that provides greater opportunities for crime than cul-de- sacs, provided there is a high level of activity along the street and the street is well overlooked.’
2.39 The design guide sets out a road user hierarchy which puts sustainable modes such as pedestrians and cyclists above vehicles and sets out to provide streets which are direct and legible for all.
IVER TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORT STUDY (SEPTEMBER 2016) 2.40 This section provides a summary of the key points discussed in the Iver Feasibility Study which relate to the development of the site at Thorney Lane.
Station Parking
2.41 There is currently minimal car parking provided at Iver Station, which combined with a lack of controls on surrounding streets currently leads to significant on-street parking around/adjacent to the station and Richings Park area. Due to congestion caused by vehicles parking along one side of Bathurst Walk, there is currently single lane flow causing congestion up to Wellesley Avenue and Thorney Lane South. 2.42 The study considers that the existing issues need to be resolved with a long term solution, such as an expanded car park to the north of the rail station, as simply restricting commuter parking would result in displaced parking elsewhere. 2.43 The study showed that there is currently limited/poor quality cycle parking at Iver Station with only 10 spaces available for commuters. This coincides with a lack of cycling infrastructure from the station to Iver Village, Langley or West Drayton.
Crossrail 2.44 Crossrail provides an ideal opportunity for employees at Thorney Business Park, Court Lane Industrial Estate and Ridgeway Trading Estate, as well as the commercial uses on Bathurst Walk and Thorney Lane South to travel sustainably to work and on business. 2.45 With regards to the construction of the Crossrail scheme, HGV numbers for the remaining elements of the project (electrification) are not considered to be significant and therefore would not have a significant impact on any potential development at the site.
HGV Use
2.46 There is a high volume of HGV movements in the vicinity of the site due to industrial sites located within and adjacent to the study area. HGV flows are funnelled to certain routes through the study area due to weight, height and width limitations on surrounding highway network. HGV levels are above national average across study area, with flows concentrated on Iver High Street, Thorney Lane North and South and Richings Way. 2.47 The routes most commonly used by HGVs within the study area are: Thorney Lane South to North Park/Langley High Street/Langley Park Road, along the eastern boundary of the site, which has height restrictions and a weak bridge (connecting Mansion Ln to Market Ln); and
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Thorney Lane North to Iver High Street, which has constrained width, historic buildings, narrow footways suggest route is unsuitable for HGV movements. 2.48 The environmental capacity of Iver High Street and Thorney Lane North is currently exceeded, with traffic flows above appropriate levels for the character of these streets. Congestion, pedestrian safety, amenity issues and place functions are all sensitive factors under threat from excessive HGV use.
Local Highway Network and Relief Road
2.49 Weight, height and width restrictions on the surrounding highway network funnel traffic along the B470 Langley Park Road/High Street to the north of the site and Thorney Lane North/South to the west. However, the most constrained section of this route has conservation status and therefore prevents many of these limitations being addressed, especially along Iver High Street. 2.50 The main route for HGVs/traffic will not change unless a relief road is implemented. The relief road would lead to safety and environmental benefits and a reduction in vehicles through the village, particularly along Iver High Street and Thorney Lane. HGVs currently make up approximately 11% of traffic on Iver High Street, 16% on Thorney Lane North and 20% on Thorney Lane South. 2.51 To make the provision of a relief road financially viable and acceptable it would need to be proposed alongside development. SBDC/CDC Local Plan outlines various Green Belt release opportunities, providing a framework where development south of Iver Village could provide housing to meet the targets, provide a relief road and lead to a reduction of overall HGV use in the area. 2.52 Three potential relief road options are outlined in Figures 6.8, 6.9 and 6.10. Figures 6.9 and 6.10 outline Options 2 and 3, solutions that could also result in the redevelopment of HGV generating sites which would reduce HGV movements on the network, including Thorney Lane South and Richings Way. A dual carriageway relief road is not required due to the level of flows; however, a single carriageway (7.3m minimum width) with segregated shared cycle/footways on both sides would be suitable. 2.53 Furthermore, the Thorney Lane North/B470 junction has no crossing facilities and the mini roundabout is constrained by public highway availability, restricting the potential for improvements. It is considered that the provision of a relief road would reduce traffic flows along both roads, reducing the demand at the junction and would also offer additional improvement options, including formalised crossings or alterations to the junction arrangement.
Closure of Hollow Hill Lane 2.54 Paragraph 4.66 of the study outlines that the Western Rail Link to Heathrow (WRLtH) will lead to the closure of Hollow Hill Lane to the West of the site. Traffic will be displaced onto B470 Langley Park Road, High Street, Thorney Lane North/South, North Park and Richings Way. The closure of Hollow Hill Lane could result in an additional 3,827 vehicles using B470 High Street and Thorney Lane North/South.
Public Transport Provision
2.55 As part of the Richings Park Sustainable Mitigation Measures in the Transport Study, it is proposed that improved bus service provision to Iver Station needs to be reviewed in line with the future Crossrail services and a bus strategy is required to review bus patronage and needs. The study also states that physical bus stops would be provided on Bathurst Walk and Thorney Lane South.
Pedestrian and Cyclist Mitigation Measures
2.56 It should be noted that as part of the mitigation measures outlined in the Iver Traffic and Transport Study (September 2016), Figure 6.3 in the study shows that a 3.0m shared cycle / footway will be provided from Iver Village to Iver Heath, including Thorney Lane North. These measures would support
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pedestrian and cycle access from the site, increasing connectivity with adjoining built areas and transport access points encouraging residents and people accessing Iver station to travel by sustainable modes. 2.57 The proposed widening of the footways, to provide a 3.0m wide shared footway / cycle path will help to promote connectivity between the site and Iver by improving safety and encouraging people to cycle. Where this width cannot be provided, cycle lane markings and signage are to be installed along the northern section of the carriageway on Thorney Lane to increase driver awareness and promote the use of cycling to and from the site.
SUMMARY 2.58 This chapter has provided a summary of the relevant national and local policies and has shown that the key policies with which the proposed development should comply are: The NPPF Consultation Draft’s suggestion that more emphasis should be given to development adjacent to transport hubs, therefore the inclusion of Iver Station as part of the Crossrail scheme presents this site in direct compliance with the NPPF; The proposed redevelopment should be located in an area accessible by public transport, walking and cycling, and the use of these forms of transport by residents and visitors to the site should be encouraged; The proposals do not cause residual cumulative impacts that are severe in terms of road safety or operation, or cause unacceptable environmental intrusion; Car and cycle parking should be provided in line with the BCC standards; and The proposed redevelopment should deliver a significant reduction in HGV movements through Iver Village and Richings Park.
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3 Baseline Conditions
INTRODUCTION 3.1 This section of the report describes the existing or baseline transport conditions at the existing site and in the surrounding area. The baseline conditions need to be established to fully understand the context of the proposed development and the associated traffic and transport impacts.
SITE LOCATION AND EXISTING USE 3.2 The Thorney Lane site is located to the south of Iver Village and is bounded to the east by Thorney Lane, to the north by the Slough arm of the Grand Union Canal, to the west by agricultural land and to the south by the business park access road and the Great Western Mainline Railway between London Paddington and the west of England / Wales.
3.3 As shown in Figure 3.1, the overall site for development comprises two distinct parcels of land; the existing Thorney Business Park at the western end of the site, and Green Belt land at the central and eastern end of the site. Thorney Business Park comprises approximately 12 hectares of commercial industrial land occupied by a range of industrial uses including storage solutions, aggregate, transport and distribution, and utilities. Due to its industrial nature, Thorney Business Park generates a significant number of daily HGV movements. 3.4 The area of the Thorney Lane site which is currently in the Green Belt is included in the Emerging Chiltern and South Bucks Local Plan as Preferred Option 13, ‘Area North of Iver Station’, for release from the Green Belt. The plan states that the site has the capacity to accommodate approximately 800 dwellings with local services, a new school and canal basin.
Figure 3.1: Site Location
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ACCESSIBILITY BY SUSTAINABLE MODES
Pedestrian and Cyclist Accessibility
3.5 To enable an assessment of the viability of walking between the site and key destinations in the local area it is appropriate to establish the maximum distance that people are generally prepared to walk and the destinations that exist within these distances. 3.6 The Institute of Highways and Transportation’s (IHT’s) guidance, Guidelines for Providing for Journeys on Foot (2000) states in paragraph 3.32 and Table 3.2 that the preferred maximum walking distance to facilities and local services is circa two kilometres. The distances for various land uses, are summarised in Table 3.1.
Table 3.1: Suggested acceptable walking distances
Definition Town centres Commuting / schools Elsewhere Desirable 200m 500m 400m Acceptable 400m 1,000m 800m Preferred 800m 2,000m 1,200m
Source: Providing for Journeys on Foot (IHT, 2000)
3.7 Between the site and southern area of Iver Village, there is a footway separated by a wide verge on the western side of Thorney Lane South/North until its junction with Marina Way, as shown in Figure 3.2. From this point, there are wide footways at most points on both sides of the carriageway until the junction with the A470 High Street. As shown in Figure 3.3, the footways reduce in width slightly as they approach the High Street, north of Holmesdale Close, but at a minimum of approximately 1.0m wide, they are adequate for light pedestrian use.
Figure 3.2: Footways on Thorney Lane North
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Figure 3.3: Constrained Footways on Thorney Lane North to the South of Iver High Street
3.8 The footways mentioned above all have street lighting and have informal pedestrian crossing points with dropped kerbs with tactile paving at junctions. As shown in Figure 3.4, there are also a number of informal crossing points with tactile paving and dropped kerbs providing access for pedestrians across Thorney Lane North, to the south of its junction with the High Street.
Figure 3.4: Informal Crossing Points on Thorney Lane North
3.9 In the immediate vicinity of the existing site access, there are new footways approximately 2.2m wide, as shown in Figure 3.5, which connect into the existing pedestrian infrastructure and new access junction
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into Thorney Business Park. To the south of the site, a wide lit pedestrian and cycle path, approximately 3.0m wide, has been provided on the western side of Thorney Lane South across the railway lines as part of the improvements for Crossrail, shown in Figure 3.6. This connects in with the existing infrastructure at the Thorney Lane South / Bathurst Way priority T-junction. To the south of the junction, there is a lit footpath on the western side of the carriageway, providing access residential properties along Thorney Lane South.
Figure 3.5: New Footways on Thorney Lane South
Figure 3.6: Footway on Road Bridge Across Railway at Iver Station
3.10 Bathurst Walk, shown in Figure 3.7, is a residential street with wide lit footways on both sides of the carriageway, which are separated from the main carriageway by wide grass verges. Pedestrian access to the existing Iver station is taken from Wellesley Avenue, which has adequate footways on both sides of the carriageway until its most northern point. To the east of this point, towards the station, there are currently no dedicated pedestrian facilities until the station building, as shown in Figure 3.8.
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Figure 3.7: Bathurst Walk Footway
Figure 3.8: Access to Iver Station via Wellesley Avenue
3.11 There are a number of Public Rights of Way (PRoW) in the vicinity of the site, including a footpath along the Grand Union Canal to the north of the site, which can be accessed just to the north of the site. The canal footpath is part of the Grand Union Canal Walk, a long distance route between Central London and Birmingham, via Uxbridge and Slough. This route connects with a number of additional footpaths, including one to the west of Thorney Business Park and one to the north of the canal which follows the boundary of the Ridgeway Trading Estate north towards the residential area south of Iver Village. 3.12 There is limited dedicated cycling infrastructure in the vicinity of the site, however the wide footways and low pedestrian flows on Thorney Lane provide an alternative to the main carriageway.
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3.13 Regarding the wider cycle network, the site is located 2km or a 7 minute cycle from National Cycling Route 61, which can be accessed from Bangors Road South to the north of Iver High Street and connects Maidenhead and Uxbridge, via Slough and Iver, through a mixture of traffic-free and on-road cycle paths.
Bus Accessibility
3.14 Bus service provision within the study area is currently limited, with services operating on a low frequency and covering a small local area, reflecting the local scale of origin and destinations in the area. The 583 service between Slough and Uxbridge (via Langley) serves the closest bus stops to the site at Richings Park, on the corner of Bathurst Walk / Thorney Lane South, approximately 580m from the centre of the site as shown on Figure 3.9. This service has a frequency of three times per day during weekdays and Saturday, approximately every three hours between 09:00 and 16:00, and no services during peak hours or weekends.
Figure 3.9: Public Transport Network Plan
3.15 As shown on Figure 3.9, additional bus stops are located adjacent and opposite to King’s Church, to the west of Iver High Street’s junction with Bangors Road South, approximately 1.7km from the centre of the site. These stops are served by the frequent number 3 bus service, running between Slough and Uxbridge every 20 minutes between 06:30-19:00 Mon-Sat and every hour between 08:00-19:00 on Sundays. In addition to this service, the 582 service operates one return service per week on a Saturday between Denham and Windsor, via Slough and Iver. 3.16 Table 3.2 provides a summary of the bus services in the vicinity of the site and approximate service frequencies.
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Table 3.2: Summary of bus services
No. Route Stops served Approx. frequency 3 Slough – Langley – Iver – Iver Heath - Uxbridge Adj / opp King’s Church Every 20 mins 582 Denham – Iver – Slough – Windsor Adj / opp King’s Church One Saturday service 583 Slough – Stoke Poges – Langley – Iver – Uxbridge Richings Park, Three daily services Adj / opp King’s Church Monday to Saturday
Existing Rail Accessibility 3.17 As shown on Figure 3.9, Iver Rail Station is located directly to the south of the proposed car park site and is served by frequent trains on the Great Western Mainline between London Paddington and the West Country / South Wales via Reading. A summary of key National Rail Services from Iver Rail Station is provided in Table 3.3.
Table 3.3: Summary of rail services from Iver Rail Station
Destination Approx. journey time Approx. Peak Hour Frequency London Paddington Two outbound services per hour in AM and two inbound in the PM 27 mins peak Slough Three outbound services per hour in AM and three inbound in the PM 8 mins peak Maidenhead Three outbound services per hour in AM and four inbound in the PM 15 mins peak Reading Three outbound services per hour in AM and two inbound in the PM 30 mins peak
Source: National Rail (01/11/2016)
Future Public Transport Accessibility 3.18 In December 2019, the full Crossrail line between Reading and Shenfield will open providing direct access from Iver station to key stations in Central London and the Docklands including London Paddington, Tottenham Court Road, Liverpool Street and Canary Wharf. 3.19 Crossrail will significantly enhance the rail accessibility of the area providing direct and faster access to key employment and leisure destinations in London without the need to change onto the Underground network at Paddington. The Elizabeth Line will generate an additional 10% capacity to Central London’s rail network, significantly reducing congestion on the region’s transport network. Table 3.4 summarises the future journey times between the local stations and key destinations in Central London and the Docklands, including the journey time saving compared to the existing situation.
Table 3.4: Future Crossrail Journey Times from Iver Station
Destination Journey Time from Iver Journey Time Saving London Paddington 22 mins 5 mins Bond Street 26 mins 22 mins Tottenham Court Road 28 mins 23 mins Liverpool Street 33 mins 27 mins Canary Wharf 40 mins 28 mins
Source: Crossrail (01/11/2016)
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3.20 Key employment areas in Central and East London such as Tottenham Court Road, Liverpool Street and Canary Wharf will become directly accessible from Iver in 2019 as part of Crossrail expansion. As a result, commuter demand for Iver Station is expected to increase, providing the potential for increased bus service provision, especially between Iver Village and Iver Station. Currently limited to the low frequency 582 and 583 services, an improved bus network would be required to serve the increasing commuter flows travelling to the station. 3.21 On a local scale, Crossrail provides a prime opportunity to promote sustainable transport for employees and residents in the local area. By encouraging sustainable transport amongst local residents and employees alongside accessibility improvements to the current bus, walking and cycling infrastructure there is potential for a localised modal shift, further underpinning the mitigation measures proposed in the Iver Traffic and Transport Study with regards to traffic congestion issues. The site itself would benefit by enhanced rail accessibility, improving the accessibility of employment opportunities and services within the site from locations outside of Iver. 3.22 In addition, improvements to Iver Station in preparation for the Crossrail scheme include a new information system, security systems and CCTV.
EXISTING MODAL SHARE 3.23 The site is located within the Mid-level Super Output Area (MSOA) of South Bucks 008, E02003695, which has been used as a proxy to determine how residents in the local area travel to work. Table 3.5 shows how the existing residents and employees of this area currently travel to work, as obtained from 2011 Census Journey to Work data.
Table 3.5: Census 2011 Method of Travel to Work Residential and Employment Modal Split (MSOA South Bucks 008 – E02003695)
Mode Residential Modal Share Employment Modal Share Underground 3% 3% Train 6% 3% Bus 2% 3% Taxi 0% 0% Motorcycle 1% 1% Car Driver 77% 78% Car Passenger 5% 6% Bicycle 2% 2% On Foot 4% 4% TOTAL 100% 100%
3.24 The data shows that 11% of residents and 9% of employees in the local area use public transport to travel to work with the train and Underground being the most popular modes, followed by the bus. Approximately 77% and 78% of residents and employees, respectively, travel by private car. However, due to the site’s location, with key strategic routes to the south, it is considered that travel by these modes to and from the site would not be routed through Iver Village and therefore would have a low impact on Thorney Lane North and the High Street.
LOCAL HIGHWAY NETWORK 3.25 Thorney Lane South is the section of Thorney Lane between Thorney Mill Road / Richings Way in the south and Ridgeway in the north. Thorney Lane South is a single carriageway road which provides
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access to Thorney Business Park and Court Lane Industrial Estate via a staggered priority crossroads, and the residential areas at Richings Park via priority T-junctions with Bathurst Walk and Somerset Way. South of the railway line, Thorney Lane South is fronted by residential properties on the western side of the carriageway and at points on the eastern side. In the vicinity of the site, the route is subject to a 40mph speed limit. 3.26 To the north of the site, Thorney Lane North has similar characteristics to Thorney Lane South, until just to the south of the junction with Marina Way, where the speed limit reduces to 30mph as it enters the residential area of Iver Village. As the route approaches the mini roundabout with the B470 High Street, it narrows slightly due to space constraints, but is still a sufficient width for two HGVs to pass. 3.27 The B470 High Street, to the west of the junction with Thorney Lane North, is a two way carriageway with commercial and residential properties on both sides. The route bisects Iver Village and provides access to Langley in the west and Iver Heath, the M40 and the M25 in the north, via Bangors Road South. While the High Street has some sections of dedicated on-street parking, there is a high level of on-street parking outside of these areas, particularly outside the parade of shops, due to the lack of parking restrictions in the area. However, due to the wide nature of the high street at these points, it does not appear to restrict a two-way flow of traffic. 3.28 To the east of the junction with Thorney Lane South, the B470 Iver Road is a wide rural road which connects the village to Uxbridge. West of the bridge over the Colne Brook the road has a speed limit of 30mph, which increases to 40mph to the east. 3.29 To the south of the site, Thorney Mill Road is a rural road connecting Richings Park to West Drayton, which is subject to a speed limit of 40mph. To the east of the M25, Thorney Mill Road has a number of residential properties fronting the carriageway, predominantly the northern side of carriageway. To the southwest of the site, Richings Way becomes North Park and connects Richings Park to Langley and Slough in the west. The road is lined by residential properities and has a speed limit of 40mph. 3.30 Hollow Hill Lane is located to the west of the site. Between its junction with Mansion Lane and the railway bridge to the south, the road is a wide single carriageway road and is subject to a speed limit of 40mph. At the northern extent of this link, Hollow Hill Lane narrows before crossing the Grand Union Canal via a bridge with a 10 tonne weight restriction. At the southern extent of the link, the road passes under the Great Western Mainline railway lines. In August 2016 the route under the bridge was closed for 18 months as part of an experimental traffic scheme to identify the impact on the wider network of closing the through route to vehicles. As such, Hollow Hill Lane is now only used for access to the Mansion Lane Caravan Site and for pedestrians and cyclists. 3.31 Mansion Lane, to the north of Hollow Hill Lane, is a wide single carriageway which is subject to a speed limit of 40mph. To the north and middle of the link, the road has residential properties fronting onto the western side of the carriageway. At its northern extent, Mansion Lane forms a priority T-junction with the B470 Langley Park Road.
Highway Constraints HGV Movements 3.32 There is a high volume of HGV movements in the vicinity of the site due to the location of industrial sites within and adjacent to the Iver area. Across all roads surveyed as part of the Iver Traffic and Transport Study (September 2016), the proportion of HGVs was typically 11.7%, compared with the national average of 5.1% (DfT, 2014). On Thorney Lane North and South, the proportion of HGVs are 16.5% and 20.3%, respectively. 3.33 HGV flows are funnelled to certain routes through the area due to weight, height and width limitations on surrounding highway network. HGV levels are above national average across Iver, with existing flows concentrated on Iver High Street, Thorney Lane North and South and Richings Way.
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3.34 To the north of the site, the environmental capacity of Iver High Street and Thorney Lane North is currently exceeded, with traffic flows above appropriate levels for the character of these streets. Congestion, pedestrian safety, amenity issues and place functions are all sensitive factors under threat from excessive HGV use. 3.35 Weight, height and width restrictions on the surrounding highway network funnel traffic along the B470 Langley Park Road / High Street and Thorney Lane North / South, towards the site. However, the most constrained section of this route has conservation status and therefore prevents many of these limitations being addressed, especially along Iver High Street. Station Car Parking 3.36 With regards Iver Station, there is currently minimal car parking provided at the station in the form of space for 20 vehicles to park informally on an access road to the west of Wellesley Avenue, as shown in Figure 3.10. The limited parking combined with a lack of controls on surrounding streets currently leads to significant on-street parking around / adjacent to the station and Richings Park area on residential roads with no restrictions. Due to congestion caused by vehicles parking along one side of Bathurst Walk, as shown in Figure 3.11, there is currently single lane flow causing congestion up to Wellesley Avenue and Thorney Lane South. 3.37 The improvement of services through Iver Station could generate additional traffic from commuters who aren’t currently travelling through the area. Without the provision of a new car park and formal parking restrictions, it is anticipated that the impact of on-street parking would worsen.
Figure 3.10: Existing Iver Station Parking
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Figure 3.11: Overspill Station Parking on Bathurst Walk
Highway Network Improvements M4 Smart Motorway 3.38 The M4 Smart Motorway scheme for improvements between junctions 3 at Hayes and 12 at Theale were approved in September 2016. These improvements will help to relieve congestion on the M4 by converting the hard shoulder into an additional running lane to increase capacity, with regional traffic control centres monitoring traffic flows and varying speed limits to ensure that traffic moves smoothly along the network. 3.39 The increased capacity on the M4 will result in improved journey times and reliability with analysis of existing managed motorway schemes in the UK showing journey time reliability improvements of 22% and a reduction in personal injury accidents by more than 50% with the introduction of smart motorways. 3.40 Following the completion of the M4 Smart Motorway improvements in 2021, the increase in capacity is expected to lead to a reduction of vehicles on the principal road network as latent demand uses the new capacity on the M4, instead of the local network. This infrastructure improvement is anticipated to result in a reduction of 3,827 vehicles per day through Iver Village, to the north of the site, many of which would travel past the site along Thorney Lane South. Iver Village Relief Road 3.41 The construction of a relief road to the south of Iver Village has been proposed to relieve the pressure of large numbers of HGVs travelling through the village. A number of alignment options have been put forward, including one through the Area North of Iver Station, providing routes between HGV generating sites and the wider network without the need to travel through the village. 3.42 The construction of a relief road would offer significant traffic reduction on Iver High Street, which currently serves 10,832 daily weekday trips with up to 11% HGVs, and at the northern most sensitive section of Thorney Lane North. This would relieve the pressure on the centre of the village and the Conservation Area, not only from HGVs but also the general traffic flow, providing an opportunity to introduce an HGV ban and carry out public realm improvements.
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3.43 However, BCC does not own the land required to the south of Iver Village to provide a relief road and therefore the route needs to be proposed alongside development.
EXISTING TRAFFIC CONDITIONS 3.44 To assess the current traffic conditions on Thorney Lane South in the vicinity of the site, a series of traffic surveys were undertaken in November 2016. A 24 hour automatic traffic count (ATC) was undertaken between 9th and 15th November, just to the north of the Thorney Business Park access on Thorney Lane South. Additionally, a peak hour manual classified count (MCC) and queue survey was undertaken on 9th November at the staggered junction of Thorney Lane South / Thorney Business Park / Court Lane Industrial Estate. The survey results are provided in Appendix A. 3.45 Table 3.6 summarises the results of the MCC survey for the two HGV generating sites on Thorney Lane South; Thorney Business Park and Court Lane Industrial Estate. The results show that a total of 121 vehicle movements are generated in the AM peak by Thorney Business Park, of which 38 (31%) are HGV trips. In the PM peak the site generates 170 total trips, of which 32 (19%) are HGV trips. Court Lane Industrial Estate generates a total of 69 trips in the AM peak, of which nine (13%) are HGV movements, and 65 total trips in the PM peak, of which eight (12%) are HGV movements.
Table 3.6: Thorney Lane South HGV Generating Sites Peak Hour Trip Generation
AM Peak (08:00-09:00) PM Peak (17:00-18:00)
Arrivals Departures Total Arrivals Departures Total
Thorney Total Vehicles 62 59 121 51 119 170
Business Park HGVs 11 27 38 25 7 32
Court Lane Total Vehicles 54 15 69 18 47 65
Industrial Estate HGVs 4 5 9 5 3 8
3.46 From the MCC, the turning proportions of HGVs at their respective sites access junctions has been calculate to identify how many of the vehicles are travelling north towards the High Street, a sensitive location for HGVs. Table 3.7 shows that in the AM peak, 51% of the HGV trips generated by Thorney Business Park travel via the northern routes, with 49% via the south. In the PM peak, 38% travel via northern routes with 63% using southern routes. Across both HGV generating sites, 53% of HGVs travel via the northern routes in the AM peak, with 45% using the routes in the PM peak.
Table 3.7: Thorney Lane South HGV Generating Sites HGV Turning Proportions
AM Peak (08:00-09:00) PM Peak (17:00-18:00)
North South North South Thorney Business Park 51% 49% 38% 63%
Court Lane Industrial Estate 57% 43% 63% 37%
Both HGV Generating Sites 53% 47% 45% 55%
3.47 Table 3.8 provides the weekday average traffic flows on Thorney Lane South, as calculated using the ATC data. The results show that in the AM peak there are a total of 1,096 vehicles using the route, of which 128 (12%) are HGVs. In the PM peak, 96 (9%) of a total 1,042 movements are made by HGVs. Across the 12 hour period between 07:00-19:00, there are a total of 9,734 traffic movements on Thorney Lane South, of which 1,460 (15%) are made by HGVs. This is significantly higher than the national average proportion of HGVs on the roads of 5.1% (DfT, 2014).
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Table 3.8: Weekday Average Traffic Flows on Thorney Lane South
All Vehicles HGVs Time Period Northbound Southbound Total Northbound Southbound Total
08:00-09:00 655 441 1,096 64 64 128
17:00-18:00 464 578 1,042 48 49 96
07:00-19:00 4,980 4,755 9,734 731 730 1,460
00:00-00:00 6,033 5,937 11,970 872 883 1,754
3.48 Table 3.9 summarises the average weekday speeds on Thorney Lane South, as calculated using the data collected from the ATC. The results show that across all time periods observed, average speeds were significantly lower than the speed limit of 40mph.
Table 3.9: Weekday Average Speeds on Thorney Lane South (mph)
Time Period Northbound Southbound Total
08:00-09:00 33.6 32.8 33.2
17:00-18:00 32.0 31.1 31.5
07:00-19:00 32.6 31.7 32.1
00:00-00:00 32.8 31.9 32.3
PERSONAL INJURY ACCIDENT (PIA) ANALYSIS 3.49 To establish the road safety record on the local highway network in the vicinity of the site, reference has been made to personal injury accident (PIA) data obtained from for the most recent five year period available from 1st July 2011 to 1st July 2016. This data provides information regarding the date, location, severity, conflict, street lighting and road surface conditions associated with each PIA. The outputs provided by BCC are included in Appendix B. 3.50 The study area includes Thorney Lane North and South, the B470 High Street between the mini roundabout with Thorney Lane / B470 Iver Lane, up to and including B470 Langley Park Road, Mansion Lane and North Park / Richings Way. 3.51 There were a total of 41 PIAs during the five year period of which 33 had a slight severity and eight were serious injury accidents. Of the 41 PIAs, seven involved goods vehicles, seven involved cyclists, six involved motorcycles and three involved pedestrians. All of the incidents involving goods vehicles had a slight severity. A summary of the accidents is shown in Figure 3.12 with a breakdown of the PIA incidents summarised in Table 3.10 and a full analysis of the incidents provided in the following sections.
Table 3.10: Summary of Incidents at Key Links and Junctions
Vulnerable Road Users Severity Involved Incidents Link/Junction Involving a Ped- Motor- Slight Serious Fatal Total Cyclist HGV estrian cyclist Thorney Lane South 4 0 0 4 0 0 0 2 Thorney Lane North (including High Street / 5 1 0 6 1 2 1 1 Thorney Lane North Junction) B470 High Street 6 6 0 12 2 2 3 0
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Vulnerable Road Users Severity Involved Incidents Link/Junction Involving a Ped- Motor- Slight Serious Fatal Total Cyclist HGV estrian cyclist Langley Park Road (including Junction with 8 0 0 8 0 1 0 1 Mansion Lane) Mansion Lane 2 0 0 2 1 0 1 0 North Park / Richings 8 1 0 9 0 2 1 3 Way Total 33 8 0 41 4 7 6 7
Figure 3.12: Spatial Distribution of PIA Incidents (by Severity)
Thorney Lane South
3.52 Thorney Lane South has the second fewest number of PIA incidents of all links assessed, with four slight incidents all of which involved cars. Two of the incidents were the result of rear end shunts where drivers were either travelling too fast or failed to notice the car in front, and one was the result of a goods vehicle colliding an incoming vehicle as they turned left out of Bathurst Walk. The final incident occurred on the railway bridge where a HGV travelling southbound braked suddenly in icy conditions to avoid an oncoming vehicle and skidded, causing a collision.
Thorney Lane North (including High Street / Thorney Lane North Junction)
3.53 Six incidents occurred on Thorney Lane North of which five were slight and one had a serious severity. The serious incident occurred on Thorney Lane North when a vehicle disobeyed the signalised junction with Ridgeway Industrial Estate, crossing the path of the motorcyclist.
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3.54 Two of the slight incidents involved pedal cyclists. One was caused when an HGV struck the pedal cyclist as it overtook them while both were travelling northbound. The other occurred close to the Thorney Lane North / B470 High Street junction when a pedal cyclist was cycling on the footway and collided with a vehicle exiting the access to the pub. 3.55 Another slight injury occurred at the junction with B470 High Street as a pedestrian was clipped by a passing car travelling south along Thorney Lane North. A further two slight incidents occurred on Thorney Lane North, one as a result of a rear end shunt involving a minibus and another involving the driver of a car losing control and colliding with the kerb.
B470 High Street
3.56 As Table 3.10 details, the highest number of incidents occurred on B470 High Street with six serious and six slight incidents. 3.57 Of the six serious incidents, one occurred when a deer crossed the path of a motorcyclist as they approached the High Street from the B470 Iver Lane. Another serious incident involved a motorcyclist who overtook a car waiting to turn right, causing a collision. One serious incident occurred on the zebra crossing where two pedestrians were struck by a taxi that failed to stop in time after overtaking a bus. A further serious incident involved a pedal cyclist who had to break sharply when a dog ran across the carriageway as they were travelling westbound, causing the rider to fall. The final two serious incidents involved cars, one where the driver collided with a brick wall opposite the school after excessive alcohol consumption, and the other involved a collision between two cars, the driver of one of which was under the influence of alcohol, travelling in opposite directions outside the parade of shops. 3.58 Of the six slight incidents, three involved cars and were caused by rear end shunts and one was caused by a car being clipped by oncoming traffic whilst trying to complete a turning manoeuvre in the carriageway. Of the remaining two incidents, one was caused by a pedal cyclist travelling at speed along B470 High Street, losing control and colliding with a car. The final slight incident involved a motorcyclist and was the result of a rear end shunt with a car outside the cemetery.
Langley Park Road (Including Junction with Mansion Lane)
3.59 Eight incidents occurred on Langley Park Road, all of which had a slight severity and one of which involved a goods vehicle. 3.60 Three incidents occurred at the priority T-junction between Langley Park Road and Mansion Lane. All incidents were classed as slight with two resulting from rear end shunts as drivers waited at the junction and one involving a pedal cyclist who was knocked off their bike as a car turned right into the Kwik Fit Garage. 3.61 Two incidents occurred at the junction of Langley Park Road and Wood Lane, of which one was caused when a car travelling eastbound towards Iver Village, whose driver was under the influence of alcohol, failed to negotiate the roundabout and collided with a nearby wall. The other incident occurred when a car was being pursued by a large police van and the car deliberately reversed into the van before driving away. 3.62 The final three incidents occurred at the eastern end of Langley Park Road, with one involving a driver travelling southwest who lost control while texting behind the wheel leading them to hit the kerb and a nearby wall. Another of the incidents was caused when a driver crossed the carriageway to park at a parade of shops and collided with an oncoming car. The final incident was a rear end shunt at the junction with Love Lane, when the driver behind was under the influence of alcohol.
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Mansion Lane 3.63 Two slight incidents occurred on Mansion Lane, of which one involved a pedestrian where the driver of a vehicle clipped them as they passed them on Mansion Lane near the Kwik Fit garage. The second incident involved a motorcyclist who overtook a queue of waiting cars close to the junction with Iverdale Close and collided with the car in front.
North Park / Richings Way
3.64 Of the eight incidents which happened on this link, one had a serious severity and occurred on Richings Way when a driver lost control of their car, colliding with a wall and rebounded across the carriageway before coming to rest on its roof. All remaining incidents had a slight severity. 3.65 A cluster of three slight incidents occurred at the North Park / Old Slade Lane / Syke Cluan staggered crossroad. One incident was the result of a rear end shunt, one occurred as a vehicle attempted to turn into Old Slade Lane from North Park, crossing the path of an oncoming vehicle and the final incident occurred when a vehicle crossed the path of an oncoming motorcyclist on North Park. 3.66 Two incidents involved pedal cyclists, one of which was caused when a pedal cyclist was stuck by a car travelling in the same direction, and the other when a pedal cyclist travelling west along North Park was struck by an overtaking HGV travelling in the same direction. 3.67 One incident occurred when a car travelling east towards Richings Park failed to see a waste collection truck parked on the kerb and drove into it, and another when a car collided with a lamppost when an animal ran into the carriageway causing them to swerve to avoid hitting it. 3.68 The final incident occurred when an HGV and a car travelling west towards Langley slowed on approach to signalised junction but a second HGV behind the car failed to notice and collided with the car in front, shunting it into the other HGV. The second HGV driver was under the influence of alcohol.
Summary
3.69 An analysis of the injury accidents that occurred within the study area suggests that there are no common contributory factors to the injury accidents that occurred during the most recent five year study, aside from driver or user error. A total of seven slight incidents involving goods vehicles were recorded within the vicinity of the site, all of which were a result of driver error. 3.70 It is therefore considered that there are no existing road safety issues in the vicinity of the site that would be exacerbated as a result of the proposed redevelopment. In fact, with the redevelopment of goods vehicles generating sites and the provision of a relief road, removing HGVs from the Iver Village, it is considered that the safety of the road network surrounding the site will further improve.
COMMITTED DEVELOPMENTS 3.71 The Iver Traffic and Transport Study was published in September 2016 and outlines the committed and proposed infrastructure projects in the local area, including a breakdown of the number of construction movements and routes associated with each project. Table 3.11 provides a summary of the developments, including the anticipated construction period and associated HGV movements.
Table 3.11: Summary of Construction Schemes with Associated Timescales and HGV Movements
Daily HGV Constructio Routed Past HGVs Routed Development Construction Construction Routes n Period Site Past Site Movements
Crossrail 2014-2019 40 HGVs Unknown but assumed to be 40
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Daily HGV Constructio Routed Past HGVs Routed Development Construction Construction Routes n Period Site Past Site Movements Thorney Lane South / North Park / Sutton Lane
Pinewood 2015-2030 14 HGVs A412 0 Studios Development A4007 Framework (PSDF)
Heathrow 2017-2019 500 HGVs Langley Park Road / Wood 150 Express Depot Lane (70%) (HEx) Thorney Lane South / High Street/ Bangors Road South (15%) Thorney Lane South / North Park / Sutton Lane (15%)
M4 Smart 2017-2021 50 HGVs M4 hard shoulder 0 Motorway
Hillingdon 2017-2022 120 HGVs A412 West (33%) 0 Outdoor Activity Centre A412 East (77%) (HOAC)
Cemex 2017-2026 240 HGVs North Park / Sutton Lane / A4 0
WRLtH 2019-2026 Unknown North Park / Sutton Lane / A4 Unknown Thorney Lane South / Richings Way / Richings Way / North Park / Sutton Lane
Total 964 + WRLtH 190 + WRLtH
3.72 Table 3.11 shows that the infrastructure developments in Iver are anticipated to generate a significant number of daily HGV movements on the local highway network. Between 2017 and 2019, all but one scheme is expected to be under construction and in total would generate approximately 964 HGV movements in and around the local area. 3.73 Figure 3.13 provides a summary of the location of the development sites in Iver, in the context of the proposed development.
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Figure 3.13: Infrastructure Construction Projects and Associated HGV Routes in Iver
3.74 The HGVs generated by three schemes are routed on the road network immediately bordering the site and utilise Thorney Lane South, Thorney Lane North and the access road to the south of the site used to access Thorney Business Park. These trips are generated by the construction of the new Heathrow Express depot (HEx) at Langley, Crossrail and WRLtH. Together, these schemes are expected to generate approximately 190 daily HGV trips, plus those associated with WRLtH, on roads around the site. Current plans for the construction phase of the WRLtH scheme account for the removal of spoil from the tunnelling process by rail from Langley, and therefore would not impact the Thorney Lane site. As such, there are likely to be low numbers of HGV movements generated by the scheme. 3.75 It should be noted that the largest construction project in the Iver area is due to be completed by 2019; the new Heathrow Express (HEx) depot. This must be completed by 2019 at the latest, to allow for the demolition of the existing depot at Old Oak Common for HS2 works to commence. This will result in a reduction of 500 HGV trips in the Iver area and a 150 HGV trip reduction on the roads immediately bordering the site. Furthermore, Crossrail is also due to be completed in 2019, resulting in a further reduction of 40 daily HGV movements after this point. As such, the only infrastructure project using the immediate highway network would be WRLtH, which at this stage has an unknown number of HGV movements and will utilise the rail network for the most intensive phase of construction. 3.76 Therefore, once the construction phase of the HEx and Crossrail schemes have been completed in 2019, there will be a significant reduction in the number of HGV movements past the Area North of Iver Station site. Should the site be released from the Green Belt, once a planning application has been submitted, granted consent and the developer is ready to start work on site, the construction phases of the HEx and Crossrail schemes are likely to be completed. As such, there would be significantly fewer HGV movements in the vicinity of the site and it is considered that some development land could be released prior to 2025, without a detrimental impact to the construction projects or proposed development.
3.77 Furthermore, following the approval of the Heathrow’s third runway by a cabinet sub-committee earlier this week, the expansion of the airport will generate a significant number of construction trips to the
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south of Iver near Harmondsworth and Colnbrook. Subject to the planning process, construction could commence in 2020 or 2021, with the aim of completing the scheme by 2025. It is assumed that due to the airports location south of the M4 and the capacity improvements expected as a result of the M4 Smart Motorways scheme, that most construction traffic would be routed via the strategic road network, including the M4 and M25, instead of local roads through Iver. As such, it is not considered that the expansion of Heathrow will significantly increase the number of construction vehicles through Iver.
SUMMARY 3.78 This section has evaluated the baseline conditions in the vicinity of the site and shown that: The site comprises two distinct parcels of land, the existing Thorney Business Park and Green Belt land at ‘Land North of Iver Station’, which is included in the Emerging Chiltern and South Bucks Local Plan as a site for release from the Green Belt; The site is in a sustainable and accessible location, immediately to the north of Iver Station and good connections by foot, cycle and public transport, connecting the area to a variety of local facilities and amenities; The area will benefit in terms of transport provision following the opening of the Crossrail line through London in December 2019. In additional to the provision of direct and faster access to key employment and leisure destinations, the area surrounding the site is likely to benefit from improved bus service provision and improved cycle connections to Iver Village in the north; There is a high volume of HGV movements in the vicinity of the site and the wider Iver Village area, with approximately 16.5-20.3% of the total traffic volume comprising HGV movements on Thorney Lane. This level of HGV trip generation has severe safety and environmental impacts on the constrained Iver High Street and surrounding residential areas to the north of the site; The existing Thorney Business Park site is one of the highest HGV generating sites in the area and currently generates approximately 121 trips in the AM peak, of which 38 are made by HGVs, and 170 in the PM, of which 32 are made by HGVs. Of these vehicles, approximately 45% across both peaks travel north from the site towards Iver High Street; The PIA data analysis identified no common contributory factors to the injury accidents that occurred during the most recent five year study, aside from driver or user error. A total of seven slight incidents involving HGVs were recorded within the vicinity of the site, all of which were a result of driver error; and Three infrastructure construction projects planned to take place within the Iver area will have HGVs generated by the scheme routed along Thorney Lane South bordering the site: the new Heathrow Express (HEx) depot at Langley, Crossrail and the Western Rail Link to Heathrow (WRLtH). Together these schemes are expected to generate approximately 190 daily HGV movements past the site, plus an unknown number from WRLtH. Following the completion of the HEx and Crossrail schemes in 2019, by which point construction of the proposed development is unlikely to have commenced, the only infrastructure scheme which would be ongoing is WRLtH, which is not yet committed and is expected to use the rail network for the most intensive phase of construction, limiting the number of HGVs impacting the site.
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4 Iver Village Relief Road
INTRODUCTION 4.1 Iver High Street currently accounts for 10,832 daily weekday vehicles with up to 11% HGVs resulting in considerable traffic congestion, concerns over pedestrian safety and issues regarding place functions especially at the northern, most sensitive section of Thorney Lane North. 4.2 The constrained carriageway width and narrow footways make it unsuitable for frequent HGV movements, yet historic buildings either side of the highway prevent the carriageway being widened as a mitigating measure to accommodate for the HGV flows. 4.3 The construction of a relief road to the south of Iver Village has been proposed to relieve the pressure of large numbers of HGVs travelling through the village. Three alignment options have been put forward in the Iver Transport Study (September 2016), including one through the Area North of Iver Station, providing routes between HGV generating sites and the wider network without the need to travel through the village. The three options are shown in Figure 4.1 and summarised in the following sections.
Figure 4.1 Iver Relief Road Options as shown in Iver Transport Study (September 2016)
OPTION 3: VIA LAND NORTH OF IVER STATION 4.4 Option 3 for the relief road, as proposed in the Iver Transport Study, would use land at the southern boundary of the site between Thorney Lane South in the east and Hollow Hill Lane or Mansion Lane in the west, with a sustainable line option south to North Park. Through the site, the relief road would run parallel to the railway line, to the south of any residential or commercial development. Despite using the existing access road infrastructure for Thorney Business Park, improvements would be required to provide a route suitable to accommodate frequent HGV flows in both directions, in addition to pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure.
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4.5 The relief road would offer significant traffic reduction, specifically from HGVs, to Iver High Street as well as providing additional safety and environmental benefits to the pedestrians and cyclists on Iver High Street and Thorney Lane North. Work undertaken by David Wilson Homes for Option 1 of the relief road gives an indication of the level of traffic reduction through the village that would result from the scheme and estimates that over 75% of HGVs, and approximately 32% of the total traffic flow, that currently use the High Street would use the new relief road. Whereas this estimate has not been verified and has not be accepted by BCC it does provide an indication as to the likely levels of transfer that could occur. Therefore the relief road, in conjunction with traffic control measures along Thorney Lane North and the High Street, would assist in reducing HGV movements through Iver Village by directing movements along more suitable, purpose built roads, towards the motorway network and away from current sensitive areas. 4.6 Option 3 would be promoted alongside residential-led mixed-use development, which would lead to redevelopment of Thorney Business Park in conjunction with the Land North of Iver Station. As shown in Table 4.1, Thorney Business Park is the biggest HGV generating site on Thorney Lane, followed by Court Lane Industrial Estate, the entrance to which is located directly in front of the access to the relief road. As such, the relief road and proposed redevelopment would lead to the removal of the largest HGV generating site at Thorney Business Park, and provide a direct and convenient access point to the second largest HGV generating site at Court Lane Industrial Estate. This is in direct accordance with South Bucks Core Strategy’s Core Policy 16, which states that support will be given to the regeneration of Thorney Business Park which delivers a significant reduction in HGV movements through Iver Village and Richings Park. The proposed development also satisfies Core Policy 7, which states that the adverse impacts associated with HGV movements around Iver Village and Richings Park should be addressed through land use changes and the consideration of a relief road. 4.7 It should be noted that the data in Table 4.1 is from 2011 and shows lower levels of HGV movements from Thorney Business Park than the most recent surveys undertaken in 2016, summarised in Table 3.6, and higher levels of HGV movements than Court Lane Industrial Estate in 2016. As such, it could be assumed that Thorney Business Park has increased the level of HGV trip generation, while other sites on Thorney Lane have reduced the number of HGV movements, resulting in Thorney Business Park generating an even greater share of the HGV trips.
Table 4.1: Summary of Traffic Flows from Key HGV Generating Sites on Thorney Lane North / South
AM Peak PM Peak 12 Hour Site* (08:00-09:00) (17:00-18:00) (07:00-19:00) Total Veh. HGVs Total Veh. HGVs Total Veh. HGVs
Thorney Business Park (TfB, 2011) 128 46 106 21 1,520 551
Court Lane Industrial Estate (RPS, 76 18 86 20 1,240 387 2011)
Ridgeway Trading Estate (TfB, 2011) 283 45 318 28 2,533 349
*Note that data is from RPS’ assessment work on the Quattro Thorney Lane Transport Statement and is compiled from surveys commissioned by RPS and data obtained from Transport for Buckinghamshire (TfB). This 2011 data for Thorney Business Park and Court Lane Industrial Estate has been used instead of more recent data as it is directly comparable with the Ridgeway Trading Estate. 4.8 Furthermore, Ridgeway Trading Estate is located just to the north of the site and is therefore in a convenient location to access the relief road to the south. During a site visit on Tuesday 1st November 2016, the operation of the Thorney Lane North / Ridgeway signalised T-junction was observed, and it was noted that HGVs turning left out of the junction from Ridgeway had insufficient space to turn, requiring them to use space on the opposite side of the carriageway, as shown in Figure 4.2 and Figure 4.3. As shown in Figure 4.2, this is particularly a problem when cars are parked on the western side of
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the carriageway on Thorney Lane North by the residential properties, as it further restricts the turning space for HGVs. This impacts the operation of the junction as cars travelling southbound are required to reverse slightly to allow HGVs through, and impacts the safety of the junction.
Figure 4.2: HGV Turning Left from Ridgeway to Thorney Lane North (View from North)
Figure 4.3: HGV Turning Left from Ridgeway to Thorney Lane North (View from South)
4.9 As shown in Figure 4.4, HGVs turning right out of Ridgeway onto Thorney Lane South can do so without impacting the northbound lane of traffic waiting at the traffic lights. As such, it is considered on safety grounds that it would be safer for HGVs from the Ridgeway Trading Estate to turn right out of the estate to access a relief road junction in the south, rather than turning left to access a relief road in the north. Measures could be put in place to the north of the Thorney Lane North / Ridgeway junction to prevent HGVs travelling north towards the High Street unnecessarily, encouraging them to use the relief road in the south.
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Figure 4.4: HGV Turning Right from Ridgeway to Thorney Lane South (View from North)
4.10 At the western extent of relief road, Hollow Hill Lane and Mansion Lane are sufficient widths to accommodate HGV movements. Furthermore, as the land on Mansion Lane is not currently built up apart from a couple of small clusters of dwellings, there would be significantly less impact on existing uses than an alignment further to the north on Thorney Lane North through to Langley Park Road. 4.11 As a result of the experimental closure of the section of Hollow Hill Lane under the railway line, which may become permanent, Hollow Hill Lane and Mansion Lane are no longer a through-route between Langley Park Road and Parlaunt Road and will experience a significant reduction in traffic. The road is currently only used to access the Mansion Lane Caravan Site, High Line Yachting and the two clusters of residential properties in the north. As such, it is considered that should the section of Hollow Hill Lane remain closed permanently, there is sufficient capacity to accommodate a new access junction and further traffic flows from a relief road. 4.12 One constraint of this alignment, is the bridge on Hollow Hill Lane over the Grand Union Canal which is approximately 4.0m in width and has a 10 tonne weight restriction. Therefore, to accommodate any HGV movements as part of the relief road alignment, should the link to Hollow Hill Lane be progressed, the bridge will require widening and strengthening works. 4.13 With the opening of the new Iver Crossrail Station in 2019, the station is anticipated to attract a greater number of commuters than currently, leading to an increase in traffic flow. Option 3 would serve the Crossrail Station, providing a new direct route to the new Crossrail car park and minimising the impact on the surrounding highway network. Both alternative alignment options are considered too far to accommodate a car park for station users. 4.14 Option 3 for the relief road has an additional link south from the main route to North Park, bypassing the Richings Park residential area. This would be beneficial for vehicles and HGVs travelling southwest- bound as it would provide a more direct and purpose built route, and would also have significant environmental, noise and air quality benefits for residents on Thorney Lane South with properties fronting onto the road. 4.15 Finally, Option 3 of the relief road can be delivered on land in the control of the client and therefore would not require the consent of multiple landowners to deliver it, increasing the feasibility of delivery.
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OTHER ALIGNMENT OPTIONS 4.16 Two other options were proposed for the relief road alignment in the Iver Transport Study; Option 1 via land directly to the south of Iver Village, and Option 2 via the Ridgeway Trading Estate.
Option 1: Via Land South of Iver Village 4.17 Option 1 is being promoted by David Wilson Homes (DWH) to support development on land directly to the south of Iver Village, and connects the section of Thorney Lane North south of the existing residential area, to Langley Park Road, between the exiting residential area and Shredding Green Farm. This alignment is considered to be undesirable due to the proximity of the relief road access points on Thorney Lane North and Langley Park Road to existing residential areas and Iver Village. As such, vehicles would still need to travel close to existing built-up areas and the benefits experienced would be less than an alignment further from the village. Furthermore, the requirement for a new major point of access for the relief road onto Langley Park Road, which already experiences high volumes of traffic, could cause potential traffic issues as further delay is introduced to drivers’ journeys. 4.18 As shown in Figure 4.2 and Figure 4.3, HGVs turning left out of the junction from the Ridgeway Trading Estate have insufficient space to turn, requiring them to use space on the opposite side of the carriageway. This impacts the operation of the junction as cars travelling southbound are required to reverse slightly to allow HGVs through, and impacts the safety of the junction. Therefore, should the provision of Option 1 be promoted, it is considered that the Thorney Lane North / Ridgeway junction would require significant improvements to improve the safety of the junction when HGVs are turning left towards the relief road from one of the key HGV generating sites in Iver. As shown in Figure 4.4, a safer option, which would not require improvements to be made to the junction, is for the main flow of HGVs to turn right and travel south on Thorney Lane South to access a relief road. 4.19 Due to its alignment, Option 1 would only be brought forward with development, as proposed by DWH. However, the location immediately to the south of the existing Iver Village is not the most sustainable in transport terms for large-scale residential development. The midpoint of the site is located approximately 1.8km from Iver Rail Station, using the existing pedestrian network, with the furthest point being located approximately 2.5km away. Furthermore, Iver Village is only served by one frequency bus service, the number 3 between Slough and Uxbridge, which has a frequency of every 20 minutes. As such, the site is not considered to be as well served by public transport facilities as the Land North of Iver Station which would further benefit from improved bus provision as a result of Crossrail, and is unlikely to generate the same level of modal shift.
Option 2: Via Ridgeway Trading Estate
4.20 Option 2 for the relief road shows the alignment between Thorney Lane North and Langley Park Road / Mansion Lane, via the Ridgeway Trading Estate. 4.21 Similarly to Option 1, the points of access onto Langley Park Road and Thorney Lane North are considered to be undesirable due to its proximity to existing residential areas and Iver Village. As such, vehicles would still need to travel close to existing built-up areas and the benefits experienced would be less than an alignment further from the village. Furthermore, the requirement for a new major point of access for the relief road onto Langley Park Road, which already experiences high volumes of traffic, could cause potential traffic issues as further delay is introduced to drivers’ journeys. 4.22 Furthermore, Option 2 is not being promoted in conjunction with any large scale redevelopment scheme and therefore is less likely to be delivered than Options 1 or 3 due to the requirement for the local authority to fully fund the scheme. Additionally. Ridgeway Trading Estate is currently under multiple ownerships and tenancies which, due to the lack of a single land owner for that section of the route, is likely to affect the deliverability of the route, including the timescale for delivery.
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SUMMARY 4.23 In line with the Chiltern and South Bucks Local Plan proposals to remove ‘Preferred Option 13: Area North of Iver Station’ from the Green Belt, the redevelopment of this site and the Thorney Business Park site complies with local policy by including significant financial contribution and land towards the construction of a relief road for Iver Village, via the Option 3 alignment. 4.24 Option 3 of the relief road would use land at the southern boundary of the site between Thorney Lane South in the east and Hollow Hill Lane or Mansion Lane in the west, with a sustainable line option south to North Park. Through the site, the relief road would run parallel to the railway line, to the south of any residential or commercial development, reducing the impact currently experienced due to high levels of HGV traffic by these areas. Work undertaken by David Wilson Homes indicates that the relief road would significantly reduce the general traffic flow on Iver High Street by approximately 32%, and over 75% for HGVs. 4.25 Option 3 would be promoted alongside residential-led mixed-use development, which would lead to redevelopment of Thorney Business Park in conjunction with the Land North of Iver Station, resulting in the removal of the largest HGV generating site at Thorney Business Park. Furthermore, the relief road’s convenient location in Option 3, opposite Court Lane Industrial Estate and to the south of the Ridgeway Trading Estate, would significantly improve the impact of HGVs on Thorney Lane North and South, and the High Street. 4.26 It is considered that due to the proximity of their alignments to Iver Village, Option 1 and 3 for the relief road alignment would not be as beneficial as Option 3. Furthermore, should the provision of Option 1 be promoted, it is considered that the Thorney Lane North / Ridgeway junction would require significant improvements to improve the safety of the junction when HGVs are turning left towards the relief road from one of the key HGV generating sites in Iver. Additionally, for both options the requirement for a new major point of access for the relief road onto Langley Park Road, which already experiences high volumes of traffic, could cause potential traffic issues as further delay is introduced to drivers’ journeys. 4.27 With regards to the deliverability of the relief road, Option 1 is being promoted alongside large scale residential development on Land South of Iver Village, an area that is not as sustainable as the Land North of Iver Station due to its distance from the rail station and limited bus provision. Option 3, however, is being promoted alongside the residential-led mixed-used development on a highly accessible site in transport terms due to its location immediately to the north of Iver Station and it will benefit from improved bus services accessing the new Crossrail station at Iver. Option 2 is not considered to be deliverable as it is not being promoted in conjunction with any large scale redevelopment scheme and therefore would require full funding from the local authority. Additionally, the Ridgeway Trading Estate is currently under multiple ownerships and tenancies which is likely to impact the deliverability. Option 3 of the relief road can be delivered on land in the control of the client and therefore would not require the consent of multiple landowners to deliver it. 4.28 As such, Option 3 is the safest and most sustainable option which has the potential to remove the most HGV trips from the network and has the greatest benefit for Iver High Street and Village, due to its location further to the south.
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5 Proposed Development
INTRODUCTION 5.1 This chapter considers the proposed redevelopment in terms of scale, land use and the site’s access arrangements. It should be noted however, that at this stage the proposals outlined offer an example of the type of development that could be accommodated, and is subject to change.
DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS 5.2 The area proposed for redevelopment, as outlined in this chapter, comprises both Preferred Option 13, ‘Area North of Iver Station’, as included in the Emerging Chiltern and South Bucks Local Plan, and the existing Thorney Business Park. 5.3 A summary of the development proposals is provided below: 23 hectares (230,000sqm) for residential use, at an average density of approximately 45 dwellings per hectare, which equates to circa 1,035 units across the site; 3 hectares of office and commercial employment use; 1.3 hectares for a primary school; A Crossrail car park with up to 500 spaces and facilities for the new Crossrail station at Iver to be operated by TfL; Land for Iver Villlage Relief Road Alignment Option 3; A new canal basin; and Local shops and services. 5.4 At the western end of the site, the residential element of the scheme would be defined by a classic garden village type layout, with large detached properties distributed around a looped road. To the east of this, it is proposed to provide a higher density residential neighbourhood in close proximity, and within walking distance, to Iver Station to encourage residents to use the enhanced public transport facilities available. The new primary school would be located centrally within the development, within walking distance of all areas of the residential use. The employment uses would be located close to the railway station to encourage a high proportion of employees to travel by rail or the enhanced bus services which would accompany Crossrail. 5.5 The Crossrail car park would be located immediately to the north of the station, with the focus of the new station switching to the north and the new facilities to be provided there. The car park area would also provide facilities for a taxi rank / drop off area, bus stop facilities and a new pedestrian bridge from the car park to the station. The car park would be operated by TfL and the plans are currently being finalised.
ACCESS ARRANGEMENTS
Vehicular Access
5.6 The residential, employment and school elements of the proposed development would have one primary point of access onto Thorney Lane South via a new priority compact roundabout to the north of the existing point of access to Thorney Business Park. From this access, an internal east to west road would be provided with connections providing access to all areas of the site.
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5.7 To the south of the main development access, the existing priority T-junction access for the Thorney Business Park would be retained and would provide the eastern point of access to the Iver Village Relief Road, which is aligned along the southern boundary of the site and would link to a new junction to the west of the site. At the eastern end of the relief road, an access to the Crossrail car park would be provided. Furthermore, an additional point of access to the residential and employment areas, and the school would be obtained from the relief road, allowing access to the site using the relief road from the west, via Hollow Hill Lane or Mansion Lane and a secondary access. 5.8 It should be noted that both the internal road and access junctions would be designed in accordance with the principles in Manual for Streets (2007) and Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB, 1992) and would ensure that suitable visibility is achieved and that pedestrian and cycle movements are fully considered.
Pedestrian and Cyclist Access
5.9 Pedestrian and cycle access would be provided at all points of vehicular access to the development and there would be dedicated provision in the form of a shared foot / cycleway along the relief road. Footways would be provided on both sides of the internal road network and pedestrian and cyclist movements would be prioritised through the design process. 5.10 Pedestrian access to the station would be provided via the new footbridge across the railway lines, which would be extended to serve the Crossrail car park and proposed development. This bridge could also be used to access the Richings Park area to the south of the railway lines, reducing the severance of the two areas.
Public Transport Access
5.11 Iver Station is located directly to the southeast of the site, less than 950m, or just over a 10 minute walk, from the furthest northwest corner of the site. Once opened in December 2019, Crossrail will significantly enhance the rail accessibility of the site, and the local area, providing direct and faster access to key employment and leisure destinations in London for residents, and significantly improved access to Iver for employees and visitors. As stated previously, the extended footbridge would provide access to the station, via the Crossrail car park. 5.12 The improved capacity and considerably faster journey times is anticipated to significantly increase the commuter demand for Iver Station, providing the potential for increased bus service provision, especially between Iver Village and Iver Station. Currently limited to the low frequency 582 and 583 services, an improved bus network would be required to serve the increasing commuter flows travelling to the station. While the improvement to bus services benefits people accessing the Crossrail station, they would also benefit future residents of the development, providing improved public transport links to key local destinations and facilities. 5.13 To accommodate the improvement to bus services, a bus layby would be provided in each direction on the relief road to the north of the station, providing access to the Crossrail station. Further bus stops would be provided along the length of the relief road, to serve the residential areas of the development.
CROSSRAIL CAR PARK 5.14 A Crossrail car park would be provided in the southeast corner of the site to serve the upgraded Iver Rail Station and would be operated by TfL. The car park would be accessed via a priority T-junction from the relief road and would have up to 500 spaces, with around 5% of the total provision provided as disabled parking bays. The disabled parking bays would be located close to the entrance to the footbridge to the station, with a lift provided to access it. Cycle parking would also be provided for station users, and would be located close to the entrance of the footbridge.
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5.15 The plans for the car park are currently being reviewed and are subject to agreement with TfL. 5.16 As mentioned in Chapter 3, there is currently minimal car parking provided at the station in the form of space for 20 vehicles to park informally on an access road to the west of Wellesley Avenue. The limited parking combined with a lack of controls on surrounding streets currently leads to significant on-street parking around / adjacent to the station and Richings Park area on residential roads with no restrictions. 5.17 Furthermore, many other Crossrail stations along the western section of the route do not have car parking facilities and therefore Iver Station car park could generate additional traffic from commuters who aren’t currently travelling through the area. 5.18 The Crossrail car parking would provide a convenient and dedicated location for commuters to park which, in conjunction with formal parking restrictions on surrounding roads, would remove on-street parking associated with the station. This would significantly benefit residents who are currently affected in the Richings Park area. 5.19 Additionally, a reduction in on-street parking in Richings Park, due to the provision of the proposed station car park, would reduce obstructions to Wellesley Avenue and Bathurst Walk, ensuring buses could travel along these residential streets without reducing traffic to a single lane flow, further underpinning the mitigation measures identified in the Transport Study.
RELIEF ROAD 5.20 In line with the Chiltern and South Bucks Local Plan proposals to remove ‘Preferred Option 13: Area North of Iver Station’ from the Green Belt, the redevelopment of this site and the Thorney Business Park site complies with local policy by including significant financial contribution and land towards the construction of a relief road for Iver Village, via the Option 3 alignment. 5.21 The relief road would use land at the southern boundary of the site between Thorney Lane South in the east and Hollow Hill Lane or Mansion Lane in the west, with a sustainable line option south to North Park. The eastern access to the relief road, from Thorney Lane South, would be via the existing point of access to the Thorney Business Park. 5.22 Through the site, the relief road would run parallel to the railway line, to the south of any residential or commercial development, reducing the impact currently experienced due to high levels of HGV traffic by these areas. The relief road would significantly reduce the general traffic flow on Iver High Street by approximately 32%, and over 75% for HGVs. 5.23 Furthermore, the relief road’s convenient location, opposite Court Lane Industrial Estate and to the south of the Ridgeway Trading Estate, would significantly improve the impact of HGVs on Thorney Lane North and South, and the High Street.
SUMMARY 5.24 This chapter has summarised the redevelopment proposals for the Thorney Lane site in Iver and shown that the proposals comprise: The development of 23 hectares as residential use (circa 1,035 units), 3 hectares as office and commercial use and 1.3 hectares for a primary school; A Crossrail car park with up to 500 spaces, facilities for the new Crossrail station at Iver and land for the Iver Village Relief Road (Option 3); The provision of a new priority roundabout access on Thorney Lane South to the north of the existing Thorney Business Park access for the residential, employment and school elements of the scheme;
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The retention of the existing vehicular access on Thorney Lane South for the Relief Road and Crossrail car park, and the provision of a new access to the west of the site, via the relief road through to Mansion Lane or Hollow Hill Lane; Pedestrian and cycle access by dedicated provision via the vehicular accesses, new point of access via the new railway footbridge and the prioritisation of pedestrian and cycle movement throughout the site; and Improved public transport access via access to the new Crossrail station and improvements to local bus services, including new bus stops within the site.
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6 Multi-Modal Trip Generation
INTRODUCTION 6.1 This section considers the trip generation and potential travel patterns that are anticipated to occur as a result of the proposed development. Consideration is given to trips associated with the site’s existing and historical operation.
EXISTING VEHICULAR TRIP GENERATION 6.2 To determine the current trip generation of the existing use on site, Thorney Business Park, a peak hour MCC survey was undertaken on 9th November 2016 at the staggered junction of Thorney Lane South / Thorney Business Park / Court Lane Industrial Estate. 6.3 As this survey did not provide the 12 hour flows, trip generation data for the land use used in previous work undertaken by RPS for the site, which includes both peak hour flows and 12 hour flows, was utilised. These traffic flows are the weekday average flows from 16-20th May 2011 and were provided by Transport for Buckinghamshire for RPS’ assessment work on the Quattro Thorney Lane Transport Statement. 6.4 The flows, summarised in Table 6.1, were used to calculate the proportion of peak hour flows combined which occur in the 12 hour period. This proportion has been used to estimate 2016 12 hour flows using the combined peak hour flows from the 2016 survey data. 6.5 The existing Thorney Business Park trip generation is summarised in Table 6.2 and shows that the land use generates a total of 121 trips in the AM peak, of which 38 (31%) are HGVs, and 170 trips in the PM peak, of which 32 (19%) are HGVs. Across the 12 hour period, it is estimated that the site generates approximately 1,890 total vehicle movements, of which 576 (30%) are HGV movements.
Table 6.1: Previous Thorney Business Park Vehicular Trip Generation (May 2011, TfB)
Total Vehicles HGVs
Arrivals Departures Two-way Arrivals Departures Two-way
AM Peak 77 51 128 21 25 46 (08:00-09:00)
PM Peak 32 74 106 13 8 21 (17:00-18:00)
12 Hour Period 743 777 1,520 277 274 551 (07:00-19:00)
Proportion of 12 Hour Period Trips in the 14.7% 16.1% 15.4% 12.3% 12.0% 12.2% Combined Peak Hours
Table 6.2: Existing Thorney Business Park Vehicular Trip Generation (November 2016)
Total Vehicles HGVs
Arrivals Departures Two-way Arrivals Departures Two-way
AM Peak 62 59 121 11 27 38 (08:00-09:00)
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Total Vehicles HGVs
Arrivals Departures Two-way Arrivals Departures Two-way
PM Peak 51 119 170 25 7 32 (17:00-18:00)
Estimated 12 Hour Period* 770 1,106 1,876 293 282 576 (07:00-19:00)
*Note: 12 hour flows estimated using the proportion of 12 hour flows in the combined peak hours, as calculated using the May 2011 TfB flows 6.6 A comparison of the 2011 and 2016 traffic flows to the site show that the overall trip generation is greater in 2016. As such, these values have been used for the trip generation assessment in the following sections. 6.7 It should be noted that the parts of the site occupied by Capagh and Elliot Group are subject to formal restrictions (caps) on HGV movements of 50 and 80 HGV movements per day, respectively. However, much of the rest of the Thorney Business Park site does not have any restrictions on HGV movements and therefore could increase movements beyond the current HGV generation of the site if it is not redeveloped, as proposed. This would have a detrimental impact on the road network in Iver and Richings Park, which is already under considerable strain as a result of the number of HGV movements.
PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT VEHICULAR TRIP GENERATION
Proposed Residential Development 6.8 One element of the proposals involve the redevelopment of 23 hectares of the existing Thorney Business Park and Area North of Iver Station greenbelt site with approximately 1,035 residential units. To determine any future trip generation from this element of the scheme, a trip rate search has been undertaken using the latest available TRICS database (version 7.3.3) using the following parameters: 03 Residential – Mixed private / affordable housing; Located in all regions excluding Greater London, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland; Located in a Suburban Area, Neighbourhood Centre or Edge of Town; Survey date of 2008 onwards; Any weekday; and Developments of over 190 units. 6.9 The search returned 10 sites, one of which was excluded due to the units only comprising flats, and seven of which were excluded due to their distance from a rail station. It was considered that sites selected should be located in close proximity to a rail station to reflect the likelihood of increased rail use. The two remaining sites are located in similar locations outside of London and in close proximity to a rail station used by commuters into Central London. 6.10 The residential TRICS sites included in the analysis are summarised in Table 6.3 and the trip rates, for total vehicles and OGVs, are included in Table 6.4. The full TRICS outputs are provided in Appendix C.
6.11 It should be noted that TRICS Other Goods Vehicle (OGV) trip rates also account for vans with double rear wheels, which are not HGVs, and therefore is greater than the number of HGVs which would be accessing the site. However, for the purposes of our robust assessment, it has been assumed that all OGVs will be HGVs.
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Table 6.3: Residential TRICS Sites
Site Location Local Authority No. Units SC-03-M-06 St Anne’s Drive, Redhill Surrey 500 SC-03-M-07 Epsom Road, Guildford Surrey 199
Table 6.4: Proposed Residential Vehicular TRICS Trip Rates
Total Vehicles OGVs
Arrivals Departures Two-way Arrivals Departures Two-way
AM Peak 0.084 0.275 0.359 0.000 0.000 0.000 (08:00-09:00)
PM Peak 0.195 0.064 0.259 0.000 0.000 0.000 (17:00-18:00)
12 Hour Period 1.277 1.321 2.598 0.007 0.006 0.013 (07:00-19:00)
6.12 Using the trip rates in Table 6.4 and the number of residential units (1,035 units), the number of trips forecast to be generated by the proposed residential element of the scheme were calculated and are provided in Table 6.5.
Table 6.5: Proposed Residential Vehicular Trip Generation (1,035 units)
Total Vehicles OGVs
Arrivals Departures Two-way Arrivals Departures Two-way
AM Peak 87 285 372 0 0 0 (08:00-09:00)
PM Peak 202 66 268 0 0 0 (17:00-18:00)
12 Hour Period 1,322 1,367 2,689 7 6 13 (07:00-19:00)
6.13 The results show that in the AM and PM peaks there would be a total of 372 and 268 vehicle movements, respectively, none of which would be made by OGVs. Across the 12 hour period between 07:00-19:00, there would be 2,689 vehicle movements, of which 13 would be made by OGVs, a small fraction of the number of HGV movements made by the existing Thorney Business Park site. Furthermore, due to the residential nature of the scheme, the majority of the OGV trips are likely to be by couriers in vans delivering items purchased online, rather than HGVs.
Proposed Employment Development
6.14 Three hectares (30,000sqm) of the site would be developed for office and commercial employment use. As a rule of thumb, it is usually considered that 60% of the total area would be used for parking and landscaping, with 40% of the area used for employment buildings. Due to the site’s location in close proximity to a mainline rail station, it has been assumed that the employment element of the scheme would be higher density and therefore a GFA of 20,000sqm has been assumed for employment uses. 6.15 To determine any future trip generation from this element of the scheme, a trip rate search has been undertaken using the latest available TRICS database (version 7.3.3) using the following parameters: 02 Employment – Office;
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Located in all regions excluding Greater London, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland; Located in a Suburban Area or Edge of Town; Survey date of 2008 onwards; Any weekday; and Developments of 10,000-40,000sqm. 6.16 The search returned eight sites, three of which were excluded as they were considered too central in a large town or city, and two of which were excluded due to their distance from a rail station. It was considered that sites selected should be located in close proximity to a rail station to reflect the likelihood of increased rail use. Similarly to the residential use, the three remaining sites are located in similar locations outside of London and in close proximity to a rail station. 6.17 The employment TRICS sites included in the analysis are summarised in Table 6.6 and the trip rates, for total vehicles and OGVs, are included in Table 6.7. The full TRICS outputs are provided in Appendix C.
Table 6.6: Employment TRICS Sites
Name / Type of Site Location Local Authority GFA (sqm) Organisation SC-02-A-14 Unilever Springfield Drive, Surrey 19,974 Leatherhead SC-02-A-16 Bank of America Stanhope Road, Surrey 39,230 Camberley SC-02-A-17 Pharmaceuticals St George’s Avenue, Surrey 10,293 Weybridge
Table 6.7: Proposed Employment Vehicular TRICS Trip Rates
Total Vehicles OGVs
Arrivals Departures Two-way Arrivals Departures Two-way
AM Peak 0.566 0.046 0.612 0.002 0.003 0.005 (08:00-09:00)
PM Peak 0.032 0.455 0.487 0.000 0.001 0.001 (17:00-18:00)
12 Hour Period 1.765 1.644 3.409 0.007 0.008 0.015 (07:00-19:00)
6.18 Using the trip rates in Table 6.7 and the GFA of 20,000sqm, the number of trips forecast to be generated by the proposed employment element of the scheme were calculated and are provided in Table 6.8.
Table 6.8: Proposed Employment Vehicular Trip Generation (20,000sqm)
Total Vehicles OGVs
Arrivals Departures Two-way Arrivals Departures Two-way
AM Peak 113 9 122 0 1 1 (08:00-09:00)
PM Peak 6 91 97 0 0 0 (17:00-18:00)
12 Hour Period 353 329 682 1 2 3 (07:00-19:00)
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6.19 The results show that in the AM and PM peaks there would be a total of 122 and 97 vehicle movements, respectively, of which one in the AM would be made by an OGV. Across the 12 hour period between 07:00-19:00, there would be 682 vehicle movements, of which only three would be made by OGVs. Furthermore, due to the employment nature of the scheme, the return OGV trip is likely to be by a van delivering supplies, rather than an HGV. 6.20 To provide a robust assessment, no internalisation of trips has been accounted for in the values included in Table 6.8. However, due to the mixed-use nature of the proposed development, it is highly likely that a proportion of the employment trips would be generated by residents of the scheme and the trips would therefore be internal to the development. As such, the trip generation presented above is a worst case scenario.
Proposed Primary School
6.21 Approximately 1.3 hectares (13,000sqm) of the site would be developed as a primary school. It has been assumed that of the total area, 75% would be used for outside uses and parking, with 75% of the area used for school buildings. This is equivalent to a GFA of 3,250sqm. 6.22 To determine any future trip generation from this element of the scheme, a trip rate search has been undertaken using the latest available TRICS database (version 7.3.3) using the following parameters: 04 Education - Primary; Located in all regions excluding Greater London, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland; Located in a Suburban Area or Edge of Town; Survey date of 2008 onwards; and Any weekday. 6.23 The search returned four sites, one of which was excluded as it was considered too central in a city, and the other which was excluded as its location was considered too rural. The primary school TRICS sites included in the analysis are summarised in Table 6.9 and the trip rates, for total vehicles and OGVs, are included in Table 6.10. The full TRICS outputs are provided in Appendix C.
Table 6.9: Primary School TRICS Sites
Site Location Local Authority GFA (sqm) MS-04-A-02 Booker Avenue, Liverpool Merseyside 2,500 NE-04-A-01 Sunningdale Road, Scunthorpe North East Lincolnshire 625
Table 6.10: Proposed Primary School Vehicular TRICS Trip Rates
Total Vehicles OGVs
Arrivals Departures Two-way Arrivals Departures Two-way
AM Peak 3.936 2.848 6.784 0.000 0.000 0.000 (08:00-09:00)
PM Peak 0.704 1.152 1.856 0.000 0.000 0.000 (17:00-18:00)
12 Hour Period 11.232 10.944 22.176 0.064 0.064 0.128 (07:00-19:00)
6.24 Using the trip rates in Table 6.10 and the approximate GFA of the school (3,250sqm), the number of trips forecast to be generated by the proposed primary school element of the scheme were calculated and are provided in Table 6.11.
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Table 6.11: Proposed Primary School Vehicular Trip Generation (3,250sqm)
Total Vehicles OGVs
Arrivals Departures Two-way Arrivals Departures Two-way
AM Peak 128 93 221 0 0 0 (08:00-09:00)
PM Peak 23 37 60 0 0 0 (17:00-18:00)
12 Hour Period 365 356 721 2 2 4 (07:00-19:00)
6.25 Due to the local nature of primary schools and the proposed large scale residential development, it has been assumed that there will be a significant degree of internalisation of trips associated with the use. 6.26 To calculate the number of pupils likely to be on roll at the school, the number of pupils per sqm of the local Iver Village Junior School was calculated using the approximate GFA of the school building on the B470 High Street (2,340sqm), as calculated using ArcGIS, and the number of pupils on roll, as taken from the school’s website (170 pupils). This provided a rate of approximately 7.3 pupils per 100sqm GFA. When applied to the proposed primary schools GFA of 3,250sqm, it is estimated that the new school would have approximately 236 pupils on roll. 6.27 Buckinghamshire County Council’s Guidance on Planning Obligations for Education Provision (2010) states that the county average housing development pupil yield rate is 30.4 pupils per 100 dwellings. For the 1,035 dwelling development proposed, this equates to approximately 315 pupils. As such, it could be assumed that 100% of the pupil trips associated with the new primary school would be generated by the new residential use and would therefore be internal to the development. However to provide a robust assessment, due to the proximity of the Richings Park residential area, it has been assumed that only 80% of pupil related trips would be internal to the development. 6.28 An estimate of the number of staff at the school was calculated using the staff to pupil ratio from Iver Village Junior School, as calculated using staff numbers on their website. Iver Village Junior School has approximately 8.5 pupils per staff member, which when applied to the proposed primary school’s 236 pupils equates to 28 staff members. Assuming that 75% of pupils are escorted to school and therefore generate additional trips, and based upon the staff to pupil ratio, it is estimated that 6% of all trips the primary school generates are by members of staff. 6.29 The following assumptions have been made regarding the internalisation and temporal distribution of trips by staff: AM peak: half of staff arrive at the school during this time – 3% of all AM trips are by staff members; PM peak: 75% of all PM trips are by staff members and 25% are pupil related due to afterschool clubs; 12 hour period: staff member trips comprise 6% of total trips; and 25% of staff live in the local area and are therefore internal to the proposed development. 6.30 Note that it has been assumed that all OGV trips are external. 6.31 Based upon the assumptions outlined above and the overall trip generation in Table 6.11, the external trip generation of the proposed primary school has been calculated and is summarised in Table 6.12.
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Table 6.12: Proposed Primary School External Vehicular Trip Generation (Adjusted for Internalisation)
Total Vehicles OGVs
Arrivals Departures Two-way Arrivals Departures Two-way
AM Peak 28 20 48 0 0 0 (08:00-09:00)
PM Peak 14 23 37 0 0 0 (17:00-18:00)
12 Hour Period 86 83 169 2 2 4 (07:00-19:00)
6.32 The results show that in the AM and PM peaks there would be a total of 48 and 37 vehicle movements, respectively, none of which would be made by an OGV. Across the 12 hour period between 07:00- 19:00, there would be 169 vehicle movements, of which only four would be made by OGVs.
Total Proposed Development
6.33 Based upon the vehicular trip generation for the proposed residential, employment and primary school uses outlined in the previous sections, the total anticipated trip generation of the proposed development has been calculated and is summarised in Table 6.13.
Table 6.13: Total Proposed Development Vehicular Trip Generation
Total Vehicles OGVs
Arrivals Departures Two-way Arrivals Departures Two-way
AM Peak 228 314 542 0 1 1 (08:00-09:00)
PM Peak 222 180 402 0 0 0 (17:00-18:00)
12 Hour Period 1,760 1,779 3,539 11 10 21 (07:00-19:00)
6.34 The results show that in the AM and PM peaks there would be a total of 542 and 402 vehicle movements, respectively, of which none would be made by OGVs. Across the 12 hour period between 07:00-19:00, there would be 3,540 vehicle movements, of which 21 (0.6%) would be made by OGVs.
NET CHANGE IN VEHICLE TRIPS 6.35 To determine the net change in trips as a result of the proposed redevelopment, a comparison of the trip generation for the existing Thorney Business Park (Table 6.1) and the proposed residential-led mixed use redevelopment has been undertaken (Table 6.13). The results are summarised in Table 6.14.
Table 6.14: Net Change in Vehicular Trip Generation
Total Vehicles HGVs
Arrivals Departures Two-way Arrivals Departures Two-way
AM Peak +116 +225 +421 -11 -26 -37 (08:00-09:00)
PM Peak +171 +61 +232 -25 -7 -32
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Total Vehicles HGVs
Arrivals Departures Two-way Arrivals Departures Two-way
(17:00-18:00)
12 Hour Period +990 +673 +1,663 -283 -272 -555 (07:00-19:00)
6.36 The comparison of the trip generation for the existing site and the proposed redevelopment shows that there is expected to be a net increase in total vehicle trips of 421 in the AM peak, 232 in the PM peak and 1,663 across the 12 hour period assessed.
6.37 However, redeveloping the site for residential and employment use with a primary school and Crossrail car park, is estimated to lead to a significant reduction of 555 HGV movements across the 12 hour period assessed, of which 37 would be in the AM peak period and 32 in the PM peak. This significant decrease in HGV movements is due to the redevelopment of the site on Thorney Lane generating the greatest number of HGVs, Thorney Business Park. This reduction would lead to a significant improvements to other user experience on Thorney Lane South and throughout Iver Village.
6.38 When undertaking transport modelling, different vehicle types are categorised differently to account for the different impacts that they have on the operation of the highway network. Cars account for one Passenger Car Unit (PCU), while HGVs account for two PCUs due to their greater impact. Therefore, when reviewing the net change in trip generation, it is more accurate to review it in PCUs to fully understand the impact resulting from the reduction in HGVs. Table 6.15 summarises the net change in PCUs as a result of the redevelopment of the site.
Table 6.15: Net Change in Vehicular Trip Generation (PCUs)
Total Vehicles HGVs
Arrivals Departures Two-way Arrivals Departures Two-way
AM Peak +115 +229 +384 -21 -53 -75 (08:00-09:00)
PM Peak +146 +54 +200 -50 -14 -64 (17:00-18:00)
12 Hour Period +708 +401 +1,109 -565 -545 -1,110 (07:00-19:00)
6.39 The comparison of the trip generation for the existing site and the proposed redevelopment shows that there is expected to be a net increase in total PCUs trips of 384 in the AM peak, 200 in the PM peak and 1,109 across the 12 hour period assessed. When comparing just HGV trips, there would be a reduction of 75 PCUs in the AM, 64 in the PM and 1,109 across the 12 hour period. 6.40 The significant reduction in HGV movements from the site is in direct accordance with South Bucks Core Strategy’s Core Policy 16, which states that support will be given to the regeneration of Thorney Business Park which delivers a significant reduction in HGV movements through Iver Village and Richings Park. The proposed development also satisfies Core Policy 7, which states that the adverse impacts associated with HGV movements around Iver Village and Richings Park should be addressed through land use changes and the consideration of a relief road.
PROPOSED CROSSRAIL CAR PARK VEHICULAR TRIP GENERATION 6.41 To calculate the anticipated trip generation of the Crossrail car park, trip rates were used from work previously undertaken by JMP for a new station car park as a guide. The trip rates, summarised in Table 6.16, were calculated using the number of spaces in the existing car park and data from a traffic survey
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carried out in 2015. The resulting trip rates per space are outlined in Table 6.16. It should be noted that no trip rates are available for HGVs for this element of the scheme, however it is not anticipated that the car park would generate any trips by this mode.
Table 6.16: Proposed Crossrail Car Park Vehicular Trip Rates (per space)
Total Vehicles
Arrivals Departures Two-way
AM Peak 0.189 0.019 0.208 (08:00-09:00)
PM Peak 0.015 0.291 0.306 (17:00-18:00)
12 Hour Period 1.136 1.155 2.291 (07:00-19:00)
6.42 Using the trip rates in Table 6.16 and the anticipated number of spaces that will be provided in the Iver Crossrail car park (500 spaces), the number of trips forecast to be generated by the use were calculated and are provided in Table 6.17.
Table 6.17: Proposed Crossrail Car Park Vehicular Trip Generation (500 spaces)
Total Vehicles
Arrivals Departures Two-way
AM Peak 95 10 105 (08:00-09:00)
PM Peak 8 146 154 (17:00-18:00)
12 Hour Period 568 578 1,146 (07:00-19:00)
6.43 The results show that in the AM and PM peaks there would be a total of 105 and 154 vehicle movements, respectively. Across the 12 hour period between 07:00-19:00, there would be 1,146 vehicle movements. It should be noted that there are already rail services serving Iver Station and therefore a significant proportion of these trips are already on the network, with many commuters currently regularly parking in Richings Park. However, the improvement of services through the station could generate additional traffic from commuters who aren’t currently travelling through the area. 6.44 The vehicle trips generated by the Crossrail car park has been calculated separately to the rest of the scheme as, due to its nature, it is a purely car trip generating scheme. Furthermore, while the scheme would generate vehicular trips, it is enabling the use of the rail network and therefore is allowing local residents greater access to public transport modes, helping to meet wider sustainability aims.
PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT MULTI-MODAL TRIP GENERATION 6.45 The multi-modal trip generation has been calculated for the residential, employment and primary school elements of the proposed development. Due to the nature of the Crossrail car park, it is assumed that it will only generate vehicle trips. 6.46 The following sections outlined the anticipated multi-modal trip generation of the proposed development.
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Proposed Residential Development 6.47 The multi-modal trip generation for the proposed residential use has been calculated using trip rates extracted from the TRICS database, using the same sites as for the vehicular trip generation, as shown in Table 6.3. 6.48 Table 6.18 summarises the residential multi-modal trip rates and Table 6.19 details the trip generation for the site, based upon the proposed 1,035 units.
Table 6.18: Proposed Residential Development Multi-Modal TRICS Trip Rates
Trip Generation Mode AM Peak PM Peak 12 Hour Period
Train 0.045 0.039 0.197
Bus, minibus or coach 0.054 0.021 0.199
Taxi 0.010 0.005 0.092
Car driver 0.359 0.259 2.585
Car passenger 0.128 0.037 0.637
Bicycle 0.018 0.014 0.065
On foot 0.048 0.046 0.553
OGVs 0.000 0.000 0.013
Table 6.19: Proposed Residential Development Multi-Modal Trip Generation (1,035 units)
Average Modal Trip Generation Mode Split AM Peak PM Peak 12 Hour Period
Train 5% 47 40 204
Bus, minibus or coach 5% 56 22 206
Taxi 2% 10 5 95
Car driver 59% 372 268 2,675
Car passenger 15% 132 38 659
Bicycle 2% 19 14 67
On foot 12% 50 48 572
OGVs 0% 0 0 13
Total 100% 685 436 4,493
6.49 The resulting trip generation shows that the residential element of the development is expected to generate approximately 685 two-way trips in the AM peak by all modes and 436 in the PM peak. Across the 12 hour period assessed, approximately 4,493 two-way person trips would be generated. Of these, 10% would be made by public transport and 14% by walking and cycling.
Proposed Employment Development 6.50 The multi-modal trip generation for the proposed employment use has been calculated using trip rates extracted from the TRICS database, using the same sites as for the vehicular trip generation, as shown in Table 6.6.
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6.51 Table 6.20 summarises the employment multi-modal trip rates and Table 6.21 details the trip generation for the site, based upon the proposed GFA of 20,000sqm.
Table 6.20: Proposed Employment Development Multi-Modal TRICS Trip Rates
Trip Generation Mode AM Peak PM Peak 12 Hour Period
Train 0.203 0.152 0.802
Bus, minibus or coach 0.003 0.004 0.009
Taxi 0.028 0.012 0.130
Car driver 0.589 0.469 3.200
Car passenger 0.082 0.072 0.533
Bicycle 0.016 0.010 0.059
On foot 0.026 0.025 0.330
OGVs 0.005 0.001 0.015
Table 6.21: Proposed Employment Development Multi-Modal Trip Generation (20,000sqm)
Average Modal Trip Generation Mode Split AM Peak PM Peak 12 Hour Period
Train 17% 41 30 160
Bus, minibus or coach 0% 1 1 2
Taxi 3% 6 2 26
Car driver 63% 118 94 640
Car passenger 10% 16 14 107
Bicycle 1% 3 2 12
On foot 6% 5 5 66
OGVs 0% 1 0 3
Total 100% 191 148 1,016
6.52 The resulting trip generation shows that the employment element of the development is expected to generate approximately 191 two-way trips in the AM peak by all modes and 148 in the PM peak. Across the 12 hour period assessed, approximately 1,016 two-way person trips would be generated. Of these, 17% would be made by public transport and 7% by walking and cycling.
Proposed Primary School
6.53 The multi-modal trip generation for the proposed primary school has been calculated using trip rates extracted from the TRICS database, using the same sites as for the vehicular trip generation, as shown in Table 6.9. 6.54 Table 6.22 summarises the primary school multi-modal trip rates and Table 6.23 details the trip generation for the site, based upon the GFA of 3,250sqm.
Table 6.22: Proposed Primary School Multi-Modal TRICS Trip Rates
Mode Trip Generation
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AM Peak PM Peak 12 Hour Period
Train 0.032 0.000 0.128
Bus, minibus or coach 0.480 0.032 0.896
Taxi 0.128 0.000 0.384
Car driver 6.784 1.856 22.048
Car passenger 4.352 0.512 10.592
Bicycle 0.128 0.000 0.320
On foot 19.872 0.288 43.712
OGVs 0.000 0.000 0.128
Table 6.23: Proposed Primary School Multi-Modal Trip Generation (3,250sqm)
Trip Generation Mode AM Peak PM Peak 12 Hour Period
Train 1 0 4
Bus, minibus or coach 16 1 29
Taxi 4 0 12
Car driver 220 60 717
Car passenger 141 17 344
Bicycle 4 0 10
On foot 646 9 1,421
OGVs 0 0 4
Total 1,033 87 2,542
6.55 As with the vehicular trip generation for the primary school, it has been assumed that there will be a significant degree of internalisation of trips associated with the use and therefore all of the same assumptions have been made to calculate the multi-modal trip generation adjusted for internalisation. The adjusted trip generation is provided in Table 6.24. It should be noted that all OGV movements are assumed to be external.
Table 6.24: Proposed Primary School Multi-Modal Trip Generation (Adjusted for Internalisation)
Average Modal Trip Generation Mode Split AM Peak PM Peak 12 Hour Period
Train 0% 0 0 1
Bus, minibus or coach 1% 3 1 7
Taxi 0% 1 0 3
Car driver 29% 48 37 168
Car passenger 14% 31 10 81
Bicycle 0% 1 0 2
On foot 54% 140 6 333
OGVs 1% 2 2 4
Total 100% 227 56 600
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6.56 The resulting trip generation shows that the primary school element of the development is expected to generate approximately 227 two-way trips in the AM peak by all modes and 56 in the PM peak. Across the 12 hour period assessed, approximately 600 two-way person trips would be generated. Of these, 54% would be made by walking and cycling.
Total Proposed Development
6.57 Based upon the multi-modal trip generation for the proposed residential, employment and primary school uses outlined in the previous sections, the total anticipated trip generation of the proposed development has been calculated and is summarised in Table 6.25.
Table 6.25: Total Proposed Development Multi-Modal Trip Generation
Average Modal Trip Generation Mode Split AM Peak PM Peak 12 Hour Period
Train 7% 87 71 365
Bus, minibus or coach 4% 60 23 215
Taxi 2% 17 8 124
Car driver 56% 537 399 3,484
Car passenger 14% 180 63 847
Bicycle 1% 23 16 82
On foot 16% 195 58 972
OGVs 0% 3 2 21
Total 100% 1,102 640 6,110
6.58 The total multi-modal trip generation shows that the employment element of the development is expected to generate approximately 1,102 two-way trips in the AM peak by all modes and 640 in the PM peak. Across the 12 hour period assessed, approximately 6,110 two-way person trips would be generated. Of these, 11% would be made by public transport and 17% by walking and cycling. 6.59 It should be noted that these trips exclude the Crossrail car park vehicular trips generated.
INTERIM RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT SCENARIO 6.60 Should limits be placed on the proposed development until the series of construction projects in Iver be completed, a scenario has been tested to determine the level of residential development that would have no net change from the existing Thorney Business Park use. 6.61 As stated previously, HGVs have a greater impact than smaller vehicles, such as cars, on the operation of the local highway network. Therefore, due to the significant number of HGVs generated by the existing site, the level of residential development that could be accommodated with no net change in trips has been calculated in both vehicles and PCUs.
6.62 Table 6.26 summarises the level of residential development which can be accommodated without a net change in trip generation from the site.
Table 6.26: Level of Residential Development Equal to Existing Use Trip Generation Calculations
Calculation For Vehicles For PCUs
12 Hour (07:00-19:00) Existing Site Trip Generation 1,877 2,452
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12 Hour (07:00-19:00) Residential TRICS Trip Rate (per unit) 2.598 2.598
Number of dwellings which generate same number of trips as existing 722 944 site
6.63 The results show that just taking account of vehicle trips and providing equal weighting to each type of vehicle, approximately 722 new dwellings could be developed on the land north of Iver Station following the termination of use at Thorney Business Park, with no impact on the highway network. However, due to the significant number of HGV trips generated by the existing use, which cause a significantly greater impact on the local highway network than car trips, the development of 722 residential units would actually cause a net benefit. 6.64 Therefore, when assuming that HGVs have double the impact of a car and using PCUs to calculate the number of dwellings which could be accommodated without a net increase in impact, the results show that approximately 944 residential units could be accommodated. 6.65 Furthermore, as the existing Thorney Business Park is accessed from a single point of access via Thorney Lane South and generates the number of trips outlined in Table 6.26, it is considered that residential development with trip generation up to the same level could be accommodated without the need for a secondary access point. There is however the option of a link to Hollow Hill Lane for cars and LGVs only, prior to the improvements to the bridge over the canal on Hollow Hill Lane when it would become suitable for HGVs.
SUMMARY 6.66 The multi-modal trip generation assessments for the existing and proposed uses of the site has shown that: Compared with the existing use, the residential, employment and school elements of the proposed development would generate 421 additional vehicle trips (or 384 PCU trips) in the AM peak, 232 additional vehicle trips (or 200 PCUs) in the PM peak and 1,663 additional vehicle trips (or 1,109 PCUs) across the 12 hour period between 07:00-19:00. Across the 12 hour period, this is equivalent to two additional vehicles per minute; Compared with the existing use, the proposed development would generate 555 fewer HGV movements across the 12 hour period assessed between 07:00-19:00, of which 37 would be in the AM peak period and 32 in the PM peak, resulting in significant improvements to the quality of other road users journeys and the environment of local residents. This reduction in HGVs is more likely to be noticeable than a minor increase in car movements; To provide a robust assessment, no internalisation of employment trips has been accounted for. However, due to the mixed-use nature of the proposed development, it is highly likely that a proportion of the employment trips would be generated by residents of the scheme and the trips would therefore be internal to the development. As such, the trip generation presented is a worst case scenario; While parts of the site are subject to formal restrictions (caps) on HGV movements, the rest of the site does not have any restrictions on HGV movements and therefore could increase movements beyond the current HGV generation of the site if it is not redeveloped, as proposed; The proposed residential, employment and school elements of the proposed development would generate a total of 6,110 multi-modal trips across the 12 hour period assessed, of which 11% would be made by public transport and 18% would be made by walking or cycling; The proposed 500 space Crossrail car park has been assessed separately and would generate 105 total trips in the AM peak, 154 in the PM peak and 1,146 across the 12 hour period assessed. However, the car park is a means of enabling the use of the rail network and therefore is allowing
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local residents greater access to sustainable transport modes, helping to meet wider sustainability aims; and The maximum number of dwellings which could be developed at the site without generating a net increase in vehicle trips compared to the existing use would be 722 units, or 944 units when calculated using the baseline PCUs.
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7 Suitability of the Site for Mixed-Use Development
INTRODUCTION 7.1 Based upon the analysis presented in this report, this section evaluates the suitability of the site for residential-led mixed use development, taking into account the local baseline conditions, upcoming public transport improvements, the proposed development and other committed developments within Iver.
LOCAL HIGHWAY NETWORK 7.2 Thorney Business Park is the highest HGV generating site on Thorney Lane, generating at least 43% of all HGVs from the three sites, including Crown Lane Industrial Estate and Ridgeway Trading Estate. While the section of Thorney Lane south of the Ridgeway and north of Richings Park is suitable for HGV movements, the other sections of Thorney Lane, especially within Iver Village and to the south of the High Street are constrained in terms of width, levels of congestion and environmental capacity and are therefore not considered suitable to support significant volumes of HGVs. 7.3 The proposed development would lead to the ceasing of operations at the existing Thorney Business Park and the redevelopment of the site, and the adjacent land released from the Green Belt, for residential and employment use, with the provision of a primary school and Crossrail car park. As shown by the trip generation for the proposed development, these land uses generate significantly fewer HGV movements and therefore would lead to a net reduction of 555 HGV movements each day. When undertaking transport modelling, different vehicle types are categorised differently to account for the different impacts that they have on the operation of the highway network. Cars account for one Passenger Car Unit (PCU), while HGVs account for two PCUs due to their greater impact. Therefore, when reviewing the net reduction in HGV trip generation, it is more accurate to review it in PCUs to fully understand the impact resulting from the reduction in HGVs (1,110 PCUs). 7.4 It should be noted that although some parts of the site (Capagh and Elliot Group) are subject to restricted HGV movements (caps), other parts do not and therefore HGV movements could increase beyond the current generation of the site if it is not redeveloped. This would have a detrimental impact on the road network in Iver and Richings Park, which is already under considerable strain as a result of the number of HGV movements. 7.5 Across both the AM and PM peak periods, approximately 45% of HGVs from Thorney Business Park turn north out of the site and travel towards the constrained sections of Thorney Lane North and Iver High Street. Therefore, the removal of Thorney Business Park, the site generating the greatest number of HGVs on Thorney Lane, would have a significant benefit for sections of the road network in Iver Village currently under significant strain from the volume of HGVs. 7.6 Additionally, the development proposals allocate land for the provision of the Iver relief road between Thorney Lane South in the east and Hollow Hill Lane or Mansion Lane in the west. Through the site, the relief road would run parallel to the railway line, to the south of any residential or commercial development, and, as a guide, is anticipated to significantly reduce the general traffic flow on Iver High Street by approximately 32%, and over 75% for HGVs. Indicative designs of the relief road show that the route can be provided entirely within land under the client’s control and demonstrate the feasibility of provision. 7.7 The location of the relief road access, using the existing point of access which is suitable for HGV movements, is almost opposite the existing point of access to Court Lane Industrial Estate, the second highest HGV generating site on Thorney Lane. As such, the relief road would be a convenient route for
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vehicles travelling north, instead of using the constrained High Street. Ridgeway Trading Estate is located to the north of the site and HGVs currently experience problems turning left out of the site to travel north. As such, the location of the relief road to the south of the estate would provide an easier option for HGVs from this site. 7.8 Due to its location adjacent to proposed large scale residential and commercial development, the relief road would absorb a significant proportion of the trips travelling northbound, directing vehicles away from Iver High Street and reducing the impact of further growth in the village. The relief road would also reduce the impact of vehicles accessing the Crossrail car park from the north, as it would provide a direct link, helping to reduce the impact of the anticipated increased demand for Iver Rail Station as a result of Crossrail.
COMMITTED DEVELOPMENTS IN IVER 7.9 The Area North of Iver Station is included in the emerging Local Plan as land proposed for release from the Green Belt. However, the plan questions whether development should be held back until after 2025 to avoid construction traffic from major infrastructure projects such as Western Rail Link to Heathrow (WRLtH) and the new Heathrow Express (HEx) depot, or whether development should be phased over a period of time to allow early provision of the relief road. 7.10 There are a number of major infrastructure projects in the Iver area under construction or due to begin construction from 2017. Of these, three have a construction route which passes the site; the new HEx depot at Langley, Crossrail and WRLtH. During the peak period of construction (2017-2019), these schemes are anticipated to generate approximately 190 daily HGV movements, plus those currently unknown from WRLtH, along roads in the vicinity of the site. However, current plans for the construction phase of the WRLtH scheme account for the removal of spoil from the tunnelling process by rail from Langley, and therefore would not impact the Thorney Lane site. As such, there are likely to be low numbers of HGV movements generated by the scheme. 7.11 Both the HEx and Crossrail schemes are due to be completed by 2019, at which point there will be a significant reduction in HGV movements (190 trips per day) in the immediate vicinity of the site. It is considered that due to the planning process, it would be unlikely to start construction at the Area North of Iver Station until 2019 and therefore the scheme is unlikely to be impacted by the construction flows from these schemes. 7.12 The WRLtH scheme is yet to go through planning and finer details about the construction period, such as HGV numbers, are not currently known. However, it is expected that, subject to consent, work would begin in 2019 and be completed by 2024. As such, the construction phase of the scheme is unlikely to coincide with the HEx or Crossrail schemes and would be the only committed infrastructure project to impact the site. Additionally, as the most intensive phase of the construction period would be undertaken using the rail network, there would be a limited impact in terms of HGVs on the site. 7.13 Furthermore, the redevelopment of the Thorney Business Park site, the highest HGV generating site on Thorney Lane, in conjunction with the Area North of Iver Station would lead to a reduction of approximately 555 HGVs each day. This substantial decrease in HGV movements equates to approximately 46 HGVs per hour during a 12 hour period (07:00-19:00) and would have a significant impact on the local area. 7.14 We consider that initial phases of development should be permitted on-site from 2019 to allow for early provision of the relief road. Furthermore, once the relief road is open, the improved connections between the north and south will remove many trips form Iver village, reducing the impact of the construction projects on the wider area. 7.15 Finally, considering all other construction projects being undertaken in the local area, the construction of a residential development is relatively insignificant in terms of vehicle and HGV movements. If the
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residential development is built out at a rate of 75-100 dwellings per annum, it would likely generate approximately 14 HGV movements per day and 78 construction worker movements, not all of whom would travel in a single occupancy vehicle. Therefore, in comparison to the wider construction activities, these movements are unlikely to be perceptible on the wider highway network and would have a negligible impact.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT ACCESSIBILITY 7.16 The site has a good baseline level of public transport accessibility, predominantly due to its location directly to the north of Iver Rail Station where there is a frequent and direct rail service to London Paddington, which takes less than 30 minutes. There are also frequent rail services to other key local employment and leisure destinations, such as Slough, Reading and Maidenhead. 7.17 In December 2019, the full Crossrail line between Reading and Shenfield will open providing direct access from Iver station to key stations in Central London and the Docklands including London Paddington, Tottenham Court Road, Liverpool Street and Canary Wharf. Crossrail will significantly enhance the rail accessibility of the area providing direct and faster access to key employment and leisure destinations in London without the need to change onto the Underground network at Paddington. Key employment areas in Central and East London such as Tottenham Court Road, Liverpool Street and Canary Wharf will become directly accessible from Iver in 2019 as part of Crossrail expansion. 7.18 As a result, commuter demand for Iver Station is expected to increase, providing the potential for increased bus service provision, which is currently limited with services operating on a low frequency, especially between Iver Village and Iver Station. An improved bus network would be required to serve the increasing commuter flows travelling to the station, which would also provide significant benefits for local residents, such as those from the proposed development. 7.19 The NPPF Consultation Draft suggests that more emphasis should be given to development adjacent to transport hubs, therefore the inclusion of Iver Station as part of the Crossrail scheme presents the proposed development site as being in direct compliance with the NPPF. 7.20 Furthermore, the site can deliver the Crossrail car park within its land, enabling the use of the rail network and therefore is allowing local residents greater access to public transport modes, helping to meet wider sustainability aims.
DEVELOPMENT IMPACT 7.21 Within the Emerging Local Plan, the ‘Area North of Iver Station’ site is included for release from the Green Belt with the ability to accommodate 800 residential units. However, it is considered that in conjunction with the redevelopment of the Thorney Business Park, and the resulting reduction in trips generated by that use, the land has the potential to accommodate significantly more. As such, indicative trip generation assessments have been undertaken with a view to developing the site for 1,035 residential units, in addition to employment uses and a primary school. 7.22 Based upon the vehicular trip generation for the proposed residential, employment and primary school uses, the total anticipated trip generation of the proposed development at the site north of Iver Station has been calculated. The results show that in the AM and PM peaks there would be a total of 542 and 402 vehicle movements, respectively, of which one in the AM would be made by an OGV. Across the 12 hour period between 07:00-19:00, there would be 3,539 vehicle movements, of which 21 (0.6%) would be made by OGVs. 7.23 A comparison of the trip generation for the existing Thorney Business Park site and the proposed redevelopment shows that there is expected to be a net increase in total vehicle trips of 421 in the AM peak, 232 in the PM peak and 1,663 across the 12 hour period assessed. If translated into PCUs to
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consider the a more representative impact on the operation of the highway network, due to the significant reduction in HGVs, there is expected to be a net increase in total PCUs trips of 384 in the AM peak, 200 in the PM peak and 1,109 across the 12 hour period assessed. When comparing just HGV trips, there would be a reduction of 74 PCUs in the AM, 64 in the PM and 1,110 across the 12 hour period. 7.24 The significant reduction in HGV movements from the site is in direct accordance with South Bucks Core Strategy’s Core Policy 16, which states that support will be given to the regeneration of Thorney Business Park which delivers a significant reduction in HGV movements through Iver Village and Richings Park. The proposed development also satisfies Core Policy 7, which states that the adverse impacts associated with HGV movements around Iver Village and Richings Park should be addressed through land use changes and the consideration of a relief road. 7.25 When calculating the vehicular generation for the proposed development, the vehicle trips generated by the Crossrail car park have not been included as while the scheme would generate vehicular trips, it is enabling the use of the rail network and therefore is allowing local residents greater access to sustainable transport modes, helping to meet wider sustainability aims. 7.26 Furthermore, it is considered that the site is able to accommodate more than the 800 units stated in the Emerging Local Plan due to its mixed-uses and location adjacent to a major transport node, Iver Rail Station. While the station is currently served by frequent and direct rail service to London Paddington, from 2019 the Crossrail services will significantly enhance the rail accessibility of the area and will likely lead to improved bus services catering for the increased commuter demand for Iver Station from the local area. 7.27 A comparison of the existing Census 2011 modal split for the residential and employment uses in the Iver area, as summarised in Table 3.5, and the anticipated modal splits for the residential and employment elements of the proposed development, as calculated using the TRICS trip rates for sites with similar characteristics, is provided in Table 7.1.
Table 7.1: Comparison of Existing Local and Anticipated Proposed Development Modal Split
Residential Employment Overall Mode Census 2011 Proposed Modal Census 2011 Proposed Modal Development Modal Split Split Modal Split Split Modal Split
Train 6% 5% 3% 17% 7%
Bus, minibus or 2% 5% 3% 0% 4% coach
Taxi 0% 2% 0% 3% 2%
Car driver 77% 59% 78% 63% 56%
Car passenger 5% 15% 6% 10% 14%
Bicycle 2% 2% 2% 1% 1%
On foot 4% 12% 4% 6% 16%
Other 4% 0% 4% 0% 0%
Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
7.28 The results show that for the residential use, a higher proportion of residents of the proposed development would travel by public transport (10%) than the existing population of Iver (8%). A significantly lower proportion of residents would travel by car (as the driver) from the proposed development (59%) than the existing population (77%), with a greater number car-sharing (15%
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compared to 5%). It is expected that approximately 14% of residents from the proposed development would travel by walking or cycling, compared to 6% in the wider Iver area. 7.29 For the employment use, there is a similar pattern, with fewer employees of the proposed development travelling by private car (63% compared to 78%) and more car sharing (10% compared to 6%). Significantly more employees would travel to the site via train than the existing Iver area (17% compared to 3%), although this would be expected due to the proximity of the site to Iver Station. It is expected that approximately 7% of employees from the proposed development would travel by walking or cycling, compared to 6% in the wider Iver area. 7.30 An overall development modal split, which takes into account the proposed residential, employment and educational uses at the site, is provided in Table 7.1. The modal split shows that across the development approximately 42% of users would use more sustainable means of transport such as walking, cycling, rail, bus and car sharing. This is considered to be a good level of use of sustainable modes of transport, considering the site’s location outside London.
No Impact Development Scenario
7.31 Should limits be placed on the proposed development until the series of construction projects in Iver be completed, a scenario has been tested to determine the level of residential development that would have no net change from the existing Thorney Business Park use. 7.32 The results show that just taking account of vehicle trips and providing equal weighting to each type of vehicle, approximately 722 new dwellings could be developed on the land north of Iver Station following the cease of operations at Thorney Business Park, with no impact on the highway network. However, due to the significant number of HGV trips generated by the existing use, which cause a significantly greater impact on the local highway network than car trips, a development of 722 residential units would actually cause a net benefit. Therefore, when assuming that HGVs have double the impact of a car and using PCUs, approximately 944 residential units could be accommodated. As this level of development would begin to be built out once the operation on Thorney Business Park ceases, there would be no net increase in impact. 7.33 Furthermore, as the existing Thorney Business Park is accessed from a single point of access via Thorney Lane South and generates trips equivalent to 722 units when calculated using total vehicle trips or 944 units when calculated using PCUs, it is considered that residential development with trip generation up to the same level could be accommodated without the need for a secondary access point. However, it should be noted that the development would have two points of access accessible from the east; the primary residential access and a secondary access from the eastern section of the relief road. 7.34 Therefore this level of development could be accommodated until improvements are made to the Hollow Hill Lane bridge over the Grand Union Canal to lift the weight restriction, becoming suitable for HGVs and the full opening of the relief road, including the western link. 7.35 There is however the option of a link to Hollow Hill Lane for cars and LGVs only, prior to the improvements to Hollow Hill Lane when it would become suitable for HGVs. This option would enable the full build out of the development.
SUMMARY 7.36 Based upon the findings in this note, the Area North of Iver Station is considered suitable for residential- led mixed-use development for the following reasons: The redevelopment of the site would lead to the cease of operations of the greatest HGV generating site on Thorney Lane, Thorney Business Park, leading to a net reduction of 555 HGV movements each day, of which 45% currently travel north towards the constrained High Street;
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Following the redevelopment of the site, there is expected to be a net increase in total PCUs of 384 in the AM peak, 200 in the PM peak and 1,109 across the 12 hour period assessed. When comparing just HGV trips, there would be a reduction of 74 PCUs in the AM, 64 in the PM and 1,110 across the 12 hour period; The development proposals include provision for Iver Village Relief Road through the site, which would reduce the general traffic flow on Iver High Street by approximately 32%, and over 75% for HGVs, relieving significant pressure on the highly constrained High Street; Initial phases of development are not likely to coincide with the construction phases of the HEx and Crossrail schemes which are due to finish in 2019 and therefore, when factoring in the reducing in vehicle and HGV movements following the cease of operations of Thorney Business Park, the delaying of development to avoid construction traffic is not considered necessary; The site has a good baseline level of public transport accessibility due to its location adjacent to Iver Rail Station, which will be significantly improved following the opening of Crossrail in 2019 and the resulting improvements to bus services in the local area; The redevelopment of the site complies with the NPPF suggestion that more emphasis should be given to development adjacent to transport hubs; The proposed development would have a greater sustainable mode share than the existing Iver area due to its mixed land uses and location adjacent to Iver Station; and Approximately 722 residential units could be developed on the site without generating a net increase in vehicle trips compared to the existing use, which increases to 944 residential units when calculated using PCUs.
7.37 Therefore, not only is the Area North of Iver Station site suitable for removal from the Green Belt for the purposes of development, but it is the best site in the area for the Iver Village relief road, Crossrail car park and residential-led mixed-use development, helping the South Bucks District Council to achieve many policy aspirations.
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8 Summary and Conclusion
8.1 JMP Consultants Ltd (JMP) has been commissioned by Savills on behalf of Thorney Lane LLP (the client) to provide transport consultancy services for a site located off Thorney Lane South in Iver, South Bucks, with the potential for a residential-led mixed-use development. The client is seeking to have part of the site released from the Green Belt, through the Local Plan process and allocated for the development of residential, employment and educational uses, in addition to new transport infrastructure. 8.2 The overall site comprises two distinct parcels of land; the existing Thorney Business Park at the western end of the site, and Green Belt land at the central and eastern end of the site. Thorney Business Park comprises approximately 12 hectares of commercial industrial land occupied by a range of industrial uses including storage solutions, aggregate, transport and distribution, and utilities. 8.3 The redevelopment proposals comprise the development of 23 hectares as residential use (circa 1,035 units), 3 hectares as office and commercial use and 1.3 hectares for a primary school. A 500 space Crossrail car park would also be provided, including facilities for the new Crossrail station at Iver, and land for the Iver Village Relief Road. 8.4 The principle of access onto Thorney Lane South would be retained, with the existing access being used for the relief road and Crossrail car park, and an additional access provided to the north as the primary point of access for the residential, employment and school development. The western access to the relief road would be via Hollow Hill Lane or Mansion Lane, and a secondary point of access to the residential, employment and school uses would be provided from the relief road towards the western section of the site. Pedestrian and cycle access would be provided by dedicated provision via the vehicular accesses, new points of access via the new railway footbridge and a potential new foot / cycle bridge across the canal to the north of the site. Pedestrian and cycle movement would be prioritised throughout the site. Improved public transport access would be achieved via access to the new Crossrail station and improvements to local bus services, including new bus stops within the site. 8.5 The residential, employment and school elements of the proposed redevelopment would generate a net change of approximately 421 and 232 trips by all types of vehicles across the AM and PM peaks, respectively, and 1,663 trips across the 12 hour period assessed. However, when reviewing the net change in HGVs alone, there is a reduction of 37 and 32 HGVs in the AM and PM peaks, respectively, with a reduction of 555 HGVs across the 12 hour period assessed. Despite the increase in light vehicles, the net decrease in HGVs is likely to be more noticeable due to the vehicles noise and disruption would be a significant improvement for residents and to the operation of the local highway network. 8.6 To provide a robust assessment, no internalisation of employment trips has been accounted for. However, due to the mixed-use nature of the proposed development, it is highly likely that a proportion of the employment trips would be generated by residents of the scheme and the trips would therefore be internal to the development. As such, the trip generation presented is a worst case scenario. 8.7 The proposed 500 space Crossrail car park has been assessed separately and would generate 105 total trips in the AM peak, 154 in the PM peak and 1,146 across the 12 hour period assessed. However, the car park is a means of enabling the use of the rail network and therefore is allowing local residents greater access to sustainable transport modes, helping to meet wider sustainability aims. 8.8 As part of the development proposals, land would be provided for a relief road for Iver Village through the site, which would reduce the general traffic flow on Iver High Street by approximately 32%, and over 75% for HGVs, relieving significant pressure the High Street with is constrained in terms of congestion and environmental capacity.
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8.9 The redevelopment of the site as a residential-led mixed-use scheme would support the NPPF’s requirement for developments that generate significant movement, such as those with mixed-uses, to be located where the use of sustainable transport modes can be maximised. Additionally, the redevelopment of the site complies with the NPPF suggestion that more emphasis should be given to development adjacent to transport hubs. 8.10 Concerning the timescales for the development of the site, initial phases of development are not likely coincide with the construction phases of the HEx and Crossrail schemes which are due to finish in 2019 and therefore, when factoring in the reducing in vehicle and HGV movements following the cease of operations of Thorney Business Park, the delaying of development to avoid construction traffic is not considered necessary. Furthermore, the maximum number of dwellings which could be developed at the site without generating a net increase in vehicle trips compared to the existing Thorney Business Park use would be 722 units, or 944 units when calculated using the baseline PCUs. It is considered that this level of development would be acceptable prior to the completion of the WRLtH construction phase, should it be progressed. Additionally, as the existing Thorney Business Park is accessed from a single point of access via Thorney Lane South, it is considered that residential development with trip generation up to the same level could be accommodated without the need for a secondary access point. 8.11 Therefore, on transport and highway terms it is considered that the release of the Area North of Iver Station for development as a mixed-use scheme in conjunction with the redevelopment of Thorney Business Park, would have significant benefits for the local highway network and local residents in addition to providing a highly accessible and sustainable location for large-scale residential and employment development. The proposed redevelopment has been shown to have a minor impact on the local highway network in terms of increase in light vehicle trips and will benefit local residents and other road users by significantly reducing the number of HGV trips. As such, not only is the Area North of Iver Station site suitable for removal from the Green Belt for the purposes of development, but it is the best site in the area for the Iver Village relief road, Crossrail car park and residential-led mixed-use development.
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Appendix A
TRAFFIC SURVEY DATA
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Appendix B
PERSONAL INJURY ACCIDENT (PIA) DATA
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Appendix C
TRICS OUTPUTS
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Classification: OFFICIAL PORep2372 (REDACTED)
Richings Park North Garden Village
Masterplan
December 2016
Urban Design Studio
Page 85 of 90 Classification: OFFICIAL PORep2372 (REDACTED) Land South of Thorney Lane, Iver, Buckinghamshire
Note:- Reproduced from the Ordnance Survey Map with the permission of the Controller of H.M. Stationary Office Crown copyright license number 100024244 Savills (L&P) Limited. Published for the purposes of identification only and although believed to be correct accuracy is not guaranteed. Site Plan G:\URBAN DESIGN\JOBS\MSBJ 331399 - Thorny Lane Iver, Bucks\B) Drawings\INDD\Dec16 Masterplan FolderG\Dec16 Masterplan. 12/12/16.
Site boundary
Iver M25 Client land ownership Shreding Green
Ridgeway Trading Estate
Langley
Richings Park
Copyright Savills (L&P) Ltd. No dimensions are to be scaled from this drawing. All dimensions to be checked on site. Area measurements for indicative purposes only.
project drawing Savills Urban Design Studio Land at Thorney Lane South, Iver Site Plan client Landowners 2 Charlotte Place date 09/15 job no. WIPL111834 Southampton SO14 0TB N t 02380 713900 drawn by CO drawing no. L002 savills.com/urbandesign checked by CO rev - scale NTS Page 86 of 90 Classification: OFFICIAL PORep2372 (REDACTED)
Richings Park North 09 Garden Village Masterplan 07 06
13
15 14 13
T h o r n e y L a n e S o u t h 08 01
02 10 12 11 04 18
05 03 17
B a t h u r s t W a l k 16
Village park 01 New canal basin Employment uses 16 Bathurst Walk This formal park at the heart of the new community will be 06 A new canal basin will be a key part of the scheme 11 This key location close to the railway station could be There will be easy access to the existing shops and services characterised by the large mature trees which exist on site. providing an attractive interface with the water and a occupied by offices and other commercial uses. from the site. A Garden Village for South Bucks destination in its own right. 02 Local shops and services 12 Western crescent area Situated in a south facing location this area will provide This part of the scheme will be defined by a classic garden A new community at Richings Park North would combine the best civic principles of the residents with their day to day needs. 07 Natural play areas Attenuation ponds The focus of recreation activities in this part of the site would village type layout where large detached properties will be 17 This corner of the site would be best utilised by attenuation Garden City movement with current thinking about public transport oriented development. be natural play areas and walking routes. arrayed around classic looped road. ponds which will intercept storm water run off. Higher density housing would be located in the eastern flank of the scheme within 2 or 3 03 Sustainable urban drainage This area will be a defining feature of the new Linear park 13 Higher density neighbourhood neighbourhood, providing waterside locations along the 08 A key characteristic of this part of the scheme will be the 18 Western link minutes walk of the Crossrail station. A central park would be the focal point of the scheme A linear park will blend seamlessly into the heart of the This route could be utilised as a ‘bypass’ route for HGV’s southern flank of the scheme. scheme from the new open space to the east. The wild higher density residential development all within walking distance of the railway station. from Thorney Lane South to the western end of the site. and lower densities would occupy the western half of the site. Depending on densities, the character of the landscape will be maintained to ensure The route will drop below ground level to meet the level that biodiversity is enhanced. scheme could generate between 900 - 1200 new homes alongside a new primary school, Primary school 14 of the train lines and to create a completely independent 04 Towpath access through route. The primary school could be situated in the southern The layout provides offers many opportunities to gain easy local services, offices and a canal basin. part of the scheme. It will have easy access from the 09 Potential new foot/cycle bridge access to the canal towpath, this corner of the site offers A new foot/cycle bridge could be provided over the canal site’s greenways, while being in a pivotal location for the easy access to the canal and a quick route into central Date: December 16 to create a direct link to the business park to the north. residential area. Slough. Job No: MSBJ331319/UDSK2 Public Right of Way Subject to landowner agreement. Scale: NTS 05 Iver rail station - Crossrail 15 Natural Park Drawn by: CO Iver station will be a significantly upgraded station with 10 Station parking A significant feature of the scheme will be the retained new direct access to central London. Bond Street will be 26 A new parking area will be provided for the station with natural open space in the east, this will be enhanced with a Savills, 2 Charlotte Place, Reproduced with the permission of the controller of HM Stationary Office crown copyright license number 100024244 Savills (UK). Published for the purposes of identification only and although believed to be correct accuracy minutes away via the new Crossrail link. approximately 500 spaces. is not guranteed. Copyright Savills UK. No dimensions are to be scaled from this drawing. All dimensions to be checked on site. Area measurements are indicative only. No utilities information has been received and further new management regime and opened up to leisure users. Southampton,Page SO14 0TB 87 of 90 design work would need to take this into account. Classification: OFFICIAL PORep2372 (REDACTED)
09
07 06
13
15 14 13
T h o r n e y L a n e S o u t h 01 M25
08
02 10 12 11 18 04
05 03 17
16 B a t h u r s t W a l k
Richings Park North Garden Village Masterplan
Village park 01 New canal basin Employment uses 16 Bathurst Walk This formal park at the heart of the new community will be 06 A new canal basin will be a key part of the scheme 11 This key location close to the railway station could be There will be easy access to the existing shops and services characterised by the large mature trees which exist on site. providing an attractive interface with the water and a occupied by offices and other commercial uses. from the site. A Garden Village for South Bucks destination in its own right. 02 Local shops and services 12 Western crescent area Situated in a south facing location this area will provide This part of the scheme will be defined by a classic garden A new community at Richings Park North would combine the best civic principles of the residents with their day to day needs. 07 Natural play areas Attenuation ponds The focus of recreation activities in this part of the site would village type layout where large detached properties will be 17 This corner of the site would be best utilised by attenuation Garden City movement with current thinking about public transport oriented development. be natural play areas and walking routes. arrayed around classic looped road. ponds which will intercept storm water run off. Higher density housing would be located in the eastern flank of the scheme within 2 or 3 03 Sustainable urban drainage This area will be a defining feature of the new Linear park 13 Higher density neighbourhood neighbourhood, providing waterside locations along the 08 A key characteristic of this part of the scheme will be the 18 Western link minutes walk of the Crossrail station. A central park would be the focal point of the scheme A linear park will blend seamlessly into the heart of the This route could be utilised as a ‘bypass’ route for HGV’s southern flank of the scheme. scheme from the new open space to the east. The wild higher density residential development all within walking distance of the railway station. from Thorney Lane South to the western end of the site. and lower densities would occupy the western half of the site. Depending on densities, the character of the landscape will be maintained to ensure The route will drop below ground level to meet the level that biodiversity is enhanced. scheme could generate between 900 - 1200 new homes alongside a new primary school, Primary school 14 of the train lines and to create a completely independent 04 Towpath access through route. The primary school could be situated in the southern The layout provides offers many opportunities to gain easy local services, offices and a canal basin. part of the scheme. It will have easy access from the 09 Potential new foot/cycle bridge access to the canal towpath, this corner of the site offers A new foot/cycle bridge could be provided over the canal site’s greenways, while being in a pivotal location for the easy access to the canal and a quick route into central Date: December 16 to create a direct link to the business park to the north. residential area. Slough. Job No: MSBJ331319/UDSK2 Public Right of Way Subject to landowner agreement. Scale: NTS 05 Iver rail station - Crossrail 15 Natural Park Drawn by: CO Iver station will be a significantly upgraded station with 10 Station parking A significant feature of the scheme will be the retained new direct access to central London. Bond Street will be 26 A new parking area will be provided for the station with natural open space in the east, this will be enhanced with a Savills, 2 Charlotte Place, Reproduced with the permission of the controller of HM Stationary Office crown copyright license number 100024244 Savills (UK). Published for the purposes of identification only and although believed to be correct accuracy minutes away via the new Crossrail link. approximately 500 spaces. is not guranteed. Copyright Savills UK. No dimensions are to be scaled from this drawing. All dimensions to be checked on site. Area measurements are indicative only. No utilities information has been received and further new management regime and opened up to leisure users. Southampton,Page SO14 0TB 88 of 90 design work would need to take this into account. Classification: OFFICIAL PORep2372 (REDACTED) Land South of Thorney Lane, Iver, Buckinghamshire
Note:- Reproduced from the Ordnance Survey Map with the permission of the Controller of H.M. Stationary Office Crown copyright license number 100024244 Savills (L&P) Limited. Published for the purposes of identification only and although believed to be correct accuracy is not guaranteed. Land Use Budget Plan G:\URBAN DESIGN\JOBS\MSBJ 331399 - Thorny Lane Iver, Bucks\B) Drawings\INDD\Dec16 Masterplan FolderG\Dec16 Masterplan. 12/12/16.
Copyright Savills (L&P) Ltd. No dimensions are to be scaled from this drawing. All dimensions to be checked on site. Area measurements for indicative purposes only.
project drawing Savills Urban Design Studio Land at Thorney Lane South, Iver Land Use Budget Plan client Landowners 2 Charlotte Place date 09/15 job no. WIPL111834 Southampton SO14 0TB N t 02380 713900 drawn by CO drawing no. L005 savills.com/urbandesign checked by CO rev - scale NTS Page 89 of 90 Classification: OFFICIAL PORep2372 (REDACTED)
Urban Design Studio
Savills 2 Charlotte Place Southampton SO14 0TB www.savills.co.uk Page 90 of 90