RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AT THE OLD SCHOOL SITE,
HIGH STREET, POLESWORTH, WARWICKSHIRE
TRANSPORT STATEMENT
July 2017
G.J.Ford B.Sc, C.Eng, MICE, MCIHT
Impact Design Consultants
CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION 2. DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL & LOCAL HIGHWAY NETWORK 3. TRAFFIC GENERATIONS 4. ACCESS TO SERVE THE SITE 5. SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES 6. CONCLUSIONS
Appendices
(i) Location Plan (ii) Indicative Layout & Access Proposals (iii) Local Plan Allocation (iv) Highway Authority comments (v) Bus Timetable Route 65 (vi) Site Photographs
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.01 The Trustees of the Sir Francis Nethersole Foundation are the owners of a former educational site in High Street Polesworth and are to seek planning consent for a residential development on the land.
1.02 The site was formerly home to the Nethersole First School and latterly the Polesworth Learning Centre, a part of the North Warwickshire & Hinckley College.
1.03 The site has been allocated as a housing site in the North Warwickshire Local Plan (Draft for Consultation, August 2016). Included within Category 1 which covers market towns it is one of six sites within the Polesworth and Dordon area and covers an area of 0.7 hectares with the potential to deliver up to 14 dwellings (see Appendix iii).
1.04 This Transport Statement examines the impact in traffic and transport terms of a residential development on the site.
2.0 DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL
2.01 The site houses the now vacant 19th Century Nethersole First School which was in use for 116 years from 1848 – 1964. In order to retain a link with the long history of education on the site it is proposed to convert the building to provide 3 dwellings.
2.02 South of the aforementioned building additional single storey school buildings of a more recent date and construction are to be taken down to create space for further dwellings and their access on the site.
2.03 A feature of the site is the views from the High Street through to the Abbey Church and its grounds. The need to preserve these has dictated the proposed housing layout together with the road layout that will serve it.
2.04 The proposed housing layout is shown in Appendix (ii) and comprises a total of 11 dwellings. Three are achieved by the conversion of the former school together with 8 detached dwellings served from both High Street and a new Spine Road.
2.05 An area along the frontage of the site has provided end on parking for many years for parents and staff of the school. It is now used by a number of customers of the Co- Operative Store opposite and some visitors to the Abbey Church and its grounds. The proposed layout retains the boundary wall to the school and an area that can accommodate 8 parking spaces. 2.06 High Street Polesworth is located in the historical centre of the village which is divided into two distinct areas straddling the River Anker and its floodplain and the Coventry Canal. The site is located within an established residential area but close to the facilities that serve the village.
2.07 Polesworth is a large village in the north west district of Warwickshire. With a population in 2011 of 8423 it can be considered a market town. It lies close to the borders of both Staffordshire (4 miles) and Derbyshire (6 miles).
2.08 Polesworth has a central location within the country with links to the A5 Watling Street and Junction 10 of the M42 Motorway. For those living in the village the B5000 provides a ready link into Tamworth to the west.
3.0 TRAFFIC GENERATIONS
3.01 In assessing the traffic generated by the site and the routes it may take the distances to local centres of employment, schools, retail, leisure, health facilities all play an important role. Polesworth is located within convenient distances of the following, some of which can be reached by public transport :- Location Distance (miles) Tamworth 5 Atherstone 6 Nuneaton 12 Lichfield 13 Burton upon Trent 18 Walsall 19 Birmingham 20
3.02 The primary local centres of employment are to be found in Tamworth and Atherstone. Schools are to be found both junior and senior within Polesworth, many of which are within walking distance of the site.
3.03 Traffic that will be generated by the proposed development on a daily basis can be assessed by adopting trip rates for residential dwellings. A range of values can be used but this practice has recently adopted urban values as follows which when applied to a development of 11 dwellings and rounded to the nearest whole number produces :-
Am IN Am OUT Total Pm IN Pm OUT Total Trip Rate 0.153 0.426 0.579 0.405 0.234 0.639 Trips 2 5 7 4 3 7
3.04 The above are typical residential values and indicate that the new dwellings will generate 7 trips in both the am and pm peak periods on the highway network. It is understood that Warwickshire County Highways has made use of urban trip rates of 0.12 inbound (AM) and 0.48 outbound (Am) with a reversal for the peak period in their traffic models. This produces a similar result to that indicated above. On a daily basis each dwelling is capable of generating 7 trips resulting in 77 trips onto the local highway network.
3.05 The routes that drivers will follow to and from the site will depend upon their objectives and their destinations with for many employment opportunities located in Tamworth to the west and Atherstone to the east. For those who travel south the A5 will be the favoured route which can be reached via the village centre to Dordon. It is anticipated that the majority of trips will be west along High Street towards Bridge Street where they will split between Station Road to the north and south along Bridge Street to the village centre and beyond. Flows will thereafter split between the B5000 Tamworth Road and Fairfields Hill/Dordon Road/Whitehouse Road to the A5 Trunk road.
3.06 Considering the prime locations for employment, education, retail and leisure as assessment has been made of the anticipated routes and daily trips as follows :- Route % of total trips Daily Trips High Street East 20 15 High Street West 80 62 Station Road 8 6 Bridge Street 72 56 B5000 East 7 5 B5000 West 35 28 Fairfields Hill 30 23 A5 East 10 8 A5 West 20 15
It can be seen that the traffic flows will be diluted across the local highway network in a sustainable manner.
3.07 Of interest to the highway authority is how the above predicted traffic generations compare with the previous uses of the site. In considering its role as the Nethersole School this was divided into 4 phases which were:- Infant School 1848 – 1964 Infant Department of Polesworth Nethersoles junior & infant School 1964 - 1973 First School 1973 - 1994 Infant Department of Primary School 1994 – 1995
There were 250 pupils at the school with 30 – 40 staff making use of 7 permanent classrooms and 4/5 temporary classrooms.
3.08 There are no traffic counts available for the school but an assessment can be made by reference to TRICS data which provides indicative trip generations in the range 30 – 60 trips per 100 sq m for primary schools. The range reflects the wide variety of results, each dependent upon the location of the school in relation to its catchment area and the availability of school transport. It is understood that the school served a number of local villages in the area and adoption of a mean value in the above range would not be inappropriate. The combined area of the school buildings, old and more recent equates to 965 sq m and adopting a value of 45 trips/100 sq m gives a daily trip generation of 965/100 x 45 = 434 trips.
3.09 As an alternative this practice has made use of TRICS based trip rates/pupil of 2.215 & 1.336. Applying these to 250 pupils produces 554 and 334 trips respectively. Adopting a mean provides a daily figure of 444 which is not far removed from the aforementioned value.
3.10 From the above it would appear that daily traffic flows in excess of 400 trips a day may have been associated with the site during its role as the Nethersole School which are significantly in excess of those associated with a residential development of 11 dwellings.
3.11 In more recent times the site has been The Polesworth Learning Centre which was part of the North Warwickshire & Hinckley College. The applicant has provided details of the staff and student numbers at the centre at its busiest times. The centre comprised 2 classrooms, 1 computer room, 1 workroom, 1 hall and a kitchen. Four part time members of staff undertook the roles of tutors also doubling up as office and support staff. The principal was resident close to the site at the Abbey and walked to work each day, all others came by car.
3.12 Three classes were run concurrently each day with a morning session 1000 – 1200 hours, an afternoon session 1300 – 1500 hours and an evening session 1900 – 2100 hours. Classes required a minimum of 12 pupils to function but numbers were generally in excess of this. The principal advised that there were between 100 and 200 pupils on the premises each day.
3.12 If we adopt a mean of 150 students this equates to 50 pupils for each session. The principal also advised that approx. 2/3 of all students came by car each day which would generate student trips of 150 x 0.67 x 2 = 201 trips. The staff trips would depend upon how many sessions each tutor took but if we assume that all 3 plus the principal were present each day and 50% visited the site twice a day this would generate 10 trips equating to a total of 211 trips. Later when government funding was scaled back student numbers reduced significantly and with it the trips generated. TRICS has indicated trip rates in the region of 16 per 100 sq m which applied to the site would generate 965/11 x 16 = 154 trips. Again a higher level of trips associated with a former use.
3.13 The site currently lies within the D1 use class category which indicates that without a planning consent it can operate as a clinic, health centre, crèche, day nursery, non-residential education and training centre, museum, public library, public hall, exhibition hall, place of worship or law court. Many of these uses would be capable of generating trips on a daily basis that would exceed those associated with its use as a residential site.
3.14 It can be seen that the site in its former role as a Junior School and later as the Polesworth Learning Centre generated a significant number of trips on the local highway network. Its proposed use for residential housing will generate a modest level of trips by comparison that can safely be accommodated.
4.0 ACCESS TO SERVE THE SITE
4.01 It is proposed to locate the primary site entrance midway along its frontage at the location of the existing gated access to the school. The Spine Road will follow a north – south alignment past the retained school building terminating in a turning facility.
4.02 Visibility has been measured at the site entrance and can provide a splay to the east of 2.4 x 88 m to the nearside kerbline. To the west a splay of 2.4 x 56 m can be provided to the nearside kerbline. In this direction visibility is curtailed by the reduced footpath width that flanks for a short length the Tudor Gatehouse to the Abbey.
4.03 Vehicles approaching the site from the west do so on the north side of the road and visibility has been measured at 2.4 x 170 m. Cars can be seen as they negotiate the turn from Bridge Street and begin their approach.
4.04 Photographs in Appendix (vi) illustrate the views from the site entrance and on both approaches. On the approach from the west views from both sides of High Street are provided. High Street is the subject of a 30 mph speed limit within which Manual for Streets splays of 2.4 x 43 m are required. Splays in excess of this are available although there are no reasons to suggest that this is a location where abuse of the speed limit is prevalent.
4.05 An established access to the former school building is located at the eastern extremity of the site frontage. This is to be retained and will become the vehicular access to serve the 3 conversions.
4.06 It is proposed that Plots 1 & 2 will have direct frontage access in keeping with many other properties along this length of High Street. Effectively the Spine Road will serve 6 dwellings namely Plots 3, 4, 8, 9, 10 & 11 thereby reducing the number of movements at the site entrance. Whilst the site as a whole will generate 77 trips in a day 42 will be associated with the site entrance and the Spine Road. Turning facilities will be provided on site to ensure vehicles will always enter and leave in a forward gear.
5.0 SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES
5.01 The site is located close to the facilities and amenities that are available in the village. Many are located along Bridge Street a 200 m walk away and comprise general local shops, mini supermarket, pharmacy, restaurants, takeaway, post office and library. A Co-Operative store is located on High Street opposite the site, customers for which currently make use of part of the site frontage for parking.
5.02 The Nethersole School and the Polesworth Pre School is located 300 m to the east of the site on High Street.
5.03 The village is served by Arriva’s No 65 bus service which links Tamworth to Nuneaton via Polesworth, Birchmoor, Dordon, Grendon, Atherstone and Manatter. Operating hourly it provides a convenient service linking Polesworth to the larger retail centres in the area, the main employment centres and educational establishments. Bus stops are located on High Street with the westbound stop adjacent to the site and the eastbound stop a few metres away outside the fish and chip shop, see Appendix (v).
5.04 Polesworth has its own railway station on the busy West Coast Main Line but this currently has only one “parliamentary” train a day. At the present time this is not a viable alternative to the use of the car although the situation could change. The nearest station is in Tamworth a short journey away where there are regular services to Crewe, Stoke, Stafford, London etc.
5.05 Medical practices are located in High Street all within a short walking distance from the site.
5.06 In considering sustainability the highway observations of Warwickshire County Council are of relevance, see Appendix (iv). The comments indicate support for development on the site and recognise its sustainable characteristics.
5.07 High Street is 5.8 – 6.2 m wide in the vicinity of the site with a 2.5 m wide footpath to the north and a 2.0 m wide footpath to the south. A pinch point exists for a short length where it is 1.0 m wide adjacent to the Tudor Gatehouse to the Abbey. Footfall however is modest along this length and no safety issues are involved. With a straight alignment forward visibility along High Street is excellent and pedestrians are able to cross in a safe manner. In addition there are alternative pedestrian routes to the village centre south of the site through the attractive Abbey grounds.
5.08 Dedicated cycle routes are not available along High Street but its width and modest traffic flows are such as to encourage cycling as a viable alternative for some journeys.
6.0 CONCLUSIONS
6.01 This Transport Statement has considered the traffic impact of a residential development on the site of the former Polesworth High School and found it to be sustainable.
6.02 An allocated site it is capable of delivering a combination of new dwellings and conversions of the former school building.
6.03 Examination has revealed that traffic generations associated with its former and extant uses are significantly greater than those of residential housing.
6.04 The site is centrally located within the village and close to available facilities. Its close proximity to schools, medical centres, shops and public transport make this a sustainable location for residential housing.
6.05 The site will be served by an access built to adoptable standards with good visibility and a layout that dilutes traffic impact upon the High Street. Views across the site to the Abbey Church and its grounds will be maintained.
6.06 A link to the site past history will be retained by retention and conversion of the 19th century school building. The highway network will be a beneficiary of the change of use to residential and the development proposal is deserving of highway support.
Appendix (i) Location Plan
35a 23 33 35 Club 29 19
21 PH 15 11
HIGH STREET
28 34
30
58 24 22
The Tithe Barn Gate House
Polesworth Learning Centre Hall Court APPLICATION SITE 1to8 EDGED IN RED
N
Vicarage St Editha's Church
Site Location Plan 0 25 50 62.5m 1: 1250 Ordnance Survey &URZQ&RS\ULJKW$OOULJKWVUHVHUYHG/LFHQFHQXPEHU
Client Original Drawing Size The Trustees of the Francis Nethersol Foundation A4 c/o Howkins & Harrison Scale 1: 1250 Job Title Residential Development at Drawing Issue The Old School Site, High Street, Planning
Bishop Crewe House, North Street, Polesworth,Tamworth, Warwickshire. B78 1DU Date Daventry, Northamptonshire, NN11 4GH Telephone No: 01327 301123 25-07-17 Facsimile No: 01327 301986 E-mail: [email protected] Drawing Title Job/Drawing No Site Location Plan 1712-11
Appendix (ii) Indicative Layout & Access Proposals
NOTES
This drawing and its contents are copyright of JJB Chartered Architects Ltd. This drawing or any portion of it may not be reproduced in any way without the consent of the Architect. Do not scale from this drawing only figured dimensions to be used. Check all dimensions on site and notify the Architect of any discrepancies.
N
2 3
2.4 X 88M
2.4 X 56M AREA TO BE RETAINED FOR 8NO. PUBLIC CAR PARKING SPACES
2000 4800 2000
T9 SCHEDULE OF ACCOMMODATION (INCLUDING GARAGE)
PLOT NO. HOUSE TYPE TYPE NO. BEDS GIA SQM GIA SQFT
1 DETACHED A 4 151 1625
2 DETACHED B 4 162 1743 PLOT 5 3 DETACHED C 4 167 1797
PLOT 1 PLOT 2 4 DETACHED D 4 159 1711
5 CONVERSION - 3 127 1367
6 CONVERSION - 3 117 1263
7 CONVERSION - 3 151 1631
8 DETACHED E 4 152 1636
9 DETACHED F 4 152 1636 PLOT 6 10 DETACHED G 5 197 2120 EXISTING BUILDING CONVERTED 11 DETACHED G 5 197 2120
PLOT 7 REPLACEMENT PLOT 3 G1 YEW TREE HEDGE WHERE TREES TREE CONSTRAINTS/PROTECTION KEY REMOVED
T8 EXISTING FOOTPATH ROOT PROTECTION AREA RETAINED FOR PUBLIC USE T13 U CATEGORY TREES - REMOVE
A CATEGORY TREES - HIGH QUALITY
B CATEGORY TREES - MODERATE QUALITY T12 C CATEGORY TREES - LOW QUALITY PLOT 8
PLOT 4 PLOT 11 PLOT 10
0 2 4 6 8 10m 1: 200
PLOT 9 T1 D PUBLIC CAR PARKING SPACES & VISIBILITY SPLAY 25-07-17 JB DIMENSIONS ADDED C UPDATED DWELLINGS, VEHICLE VISIBILITY SPLAYS 25-07-17 JB
T5 B 4NO. G1 TREES REMOVED, REPLACEMENT YEW TREE 29-06-17 JB 1 HEDGE ANNOTATION ADDED A SITE OWNERSHIP BOUNDARY ADDED, PLOT 27-06-17 JB T7 GARAGE/PARKING RE-POSITIONED, VEHICULAR ACCESS TO PLOTS 5, 6 & 7 RE-CONFIGURED, TREE REMOVAL AMENDED (G1) & ADJOINING SITE BUILDINGS ADDED Rev Description Date Drawn
EXISTING T4 FOOTPATH RETAINED T2 T3 VIEWS THROUGH PUBLIC OPEN TO THE ABBEY SPACE JJB CHARTERED T6 6 ARCHITECTS LTD
Bishop Crewe House, North Street, Daventry, Northamptonshire, NN11 4GH
5 Telephone No: 01327 301123 Facsimile No: 01327 301986 E-mail: [email protected]
Client The Trustees of the Francis Nethersol Foundation c/o Howkins & Harrison EXISTING FOOTPATH G2 RETAINED FOR PUBLIC USE T10 Job Title Residential Development at The Old School Site, High Street, T11 Polesworth,Tamworth, Warwickshire. B78 1DU
Drawing Title
Proposed Site/Block Layout Plan
Original Drawing Size Drawn By Checked Date A1 JB 16-06-17
Scale Drawing Issue Job/Drawing No
1: 200 Planning 1712-01 D
Appendix (iii) Local Plan Allocation
Appendix (iv) Highway Authority comments
Appendix (v) Bus Timetable Route 65
Appendix (vi) Site Photographs
VIEW EAST FROM SITE ACCESS AT 2.4 M SETBACK
VIEW WEST FROM SITE ACCESS AT 2.4 M SETBACK
VIEW TOWARDS SITE ACCESS FROM EAST AT 88 M
VIEW TOWARDS SITE ACCESS FROM WEST AT 56 M
VIEW TOWARDS SITE ACCESS FROM WEST AT 170 M ON SIDE OF ONCOMING VEHICLES
VIEW OF EXISTING AND PROPOSED ACCESS LOCATION
VIEWS ACROSS SITE TOWARDS ABBEY
VIEW OF SCHOOL BUILDING TO BE CONVERTED INTO 3 DWELLINGS
BUS STOP ADJACENT TO THE SITE
CONVENIENCE STORE OPPOSITE THE SITE