Transport Assessment
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MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT LAND AT STAMFORD WEST EMPINGHAM ROAD STAMFORD TRANSPORT ASSESSMENT Bryan G Hall Consulting Civil & Transportation Planning Engineers Suite E8 Joseph’s Well Hanover Walk Leeds LS3 1AB March 2012 Ref: 09-234-001.5 V4 Transport Assessment prepared by ……………………………… David Bell Transport Assessment checked by ……………………………… Andrew Cooper March 2012 Ref: 09-234-001.5 CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION .................................. 1 2.0 PLANNING AND TRANSPORT POLICY CONTEXT ........................................ 4 3.0 EXISTING SITE AND SURROUNDING TRANSPORT NETWORK ................ 21 4.0 THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT ............................................................... 35 5.0 SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT ISSUES AND TRAVEL PLAN MEASURES .... 37 6.0 DEVELOPMENT TRIP GENERATION ........................................................... 43 7.0 ASSESSMENT OF TRANSPORT IMPACT .................................................... 50 8.0 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS .................................................................. 61 Empingham Road, Stamford Transport Assessment 1.0 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION 1.1 This Transport Assessment forms part of an outline planning application by Commercial Estates Group who are seeking planning permission for a mixed use development comprising residential, employment and ancillary facilities on land to the south of Empingham Road, some 1.5 kilometres to the west of Stamford town centre. 1.2 The application site is bounded by A606 Empingham Road to the north, existing residential areas to the east, A6121 Tinwell Road to the south and the A1(T) to the west. The A1(T) is the responsibility of the Highways Agency. All other roads in the area are the responsibility of Lincolnshire County Council as Local Highway Authority. 1.3 The site is being promoted for mixed use residential/employment development through the South Kesteven District Council Local Development Framework. As part of this promotional work, representations have been submitted by Bryan G Hall on transport matters, including attendance at the Core Strategy Examination in Public in January and March 2010. 1.4 South Kesteven District Council’s, Site Allocation and Policies DPD: Submission October 2011 proposes to allocate land between Empingham Road and Tinwell Road (ie the application site) for 400 houses and up to 14 hectares of employment, including a local centre under policies STM1e, STM2c and STM3. 1.5 In November 2010 Bryan G Hall submitted a Framework Travel Plan for the site to South Kesteven Council, Lincolnshire County Council and Highways Agency as part of the LDF representations. Lincolnshire County Council and the Highways Agency provided feedback on the Framework Travel Plan and the Travel Plan has been updated to reflect this feedback and accompanies this planning application. This Transport Assessment should be read in conjunction with the submitted Travel Plan. ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Bryan G Hall consulting civil & transportation planning engineers 09-234-001.5 1 Empingham Road, Stamford Transport Assessment 1.6 Prior to preparing and submitting this Transport Assessment, pre-application discussions have taken place with officers of Lincolnshire County Council and the Highways Agency. The scope and methodology used in the Transport Assessment has been agreed with both Lincolnshire County Council and the Highways Agency through these pre-application discussions. 1.7 This report will consider the accessibility of the proposed development for non- car users against the objectives of Planning Policy Guidance Note 13, transport, and how it satisfies the Government’s objectives to:- promote more sustainable transport uses; promote accessibility by public transport, walking and cycling; and reduce the need to travel, especially by car. 1.8 It also considers the residual traffic impact of the proposed redevelopment upon the operation of the highway network in the vicinity of the application site together with an assessment of its adequacy. 1.9 This report is split into the following further sections:- Section 2.0 Planning and Transport Policy Context This section sets out the local and national policy relevant to the application site. Section 3.0 Existing Site and Surrounding Transport Network This section describes the existing transport network and its operational characteristics. Section 4.0 The Proposed Development The proposed development and access strategy. Section 5.0 Sustainable Transport Issues and Travel Plan Measures This section identifies and proposes sustainable transport measures aimed at reducing the reliance on private car travel. Section 6.0 Trip Generation and Modal Split Based upon the sustainable transport measures proposed in Section 5.0, this section presents appropriate trip generation rates and modal split for the residential and employment ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Bryan G Hall consulting civil & transportation planning engineers 09-234-001.5 2 Empingham Road, Stamford Transport Assessment elements of the development. Section 7.0 Impact of Vehicular Generated Traffic Using the trip generation rates and modal splits calculated in Section 6.0, the impact of the traffic generated by the development upon the surrounding transport network is presented. Section 8.0 Summary and Conclusions ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Bryan G Hall consulting civil & transportation planning engineers 09-234-001.5 3 Empingham Road, Stamford Transport Assessment 2.0 PLANNING AND TRANSPORT POLICY CONTEXT 2.1 National Policy National Planning Policy Framework – March 2012 2.1.1 On 27 March 2012 the Government published the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) which sets out the Government’s planning policies for England and how these are expected to be applied. The NPPF revokes and replaces a number of documents, including Planning Policy Guidance Note 13: Transport (3 January 2011). 2.1.2 At paragraph 1.4 it is noted that: “At the heart of the National Planning Policy Framework is a presumption in favour of sustainable development, which should be seen as a golden thread through both plan-making and decision-taking.” 2.1.3 Section 4 of NPPF outlines the Government’s planning policies for promoting sustainable transport. Paragraphs 29 to 30 note: “Transport policies have an important role to plan in facilitating sustainable development but also in contribution to wider sustainability and health objectives. Smarter use of technologies can reduce the need to travel. The transport system needs to be balanced in favour of sustainable transport modes, giving people a real choice about how they travel. However, the Government recognises that different policies and measures will be required in different communities and opportunities to maximise sustainable transport solutions will vary from urban to rural areas.” ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Bryan G Hall consulting civil & transportation planning engineers 09-234-001.5 4 Empingham Road, Stamford Transport Assessment “Encouragement should be given to solutions which support reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and reduce congestion. In preparing Local Plans, Local Planning Authorities should therefore support a pattern of development which, where reasonable to do so, facilitates the use of sustainable modes of transport.” 2.1.4 At paragraph 32 it is noted: “All developments that generate significant amounts of movement should be supported by a Transport Statement or 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 limit 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.” 2.1.5 At paragraphs 34 to 36 it is noted: “Plans and decisions 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. However this needs to take account of policies set out elsewhere in this Framework, particularly in rural areas.” ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Bryan G Hall consulting civil & transportation planning engineers 09-234-001.5 5 Empingham Road, Stamford Transport Assessment "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 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