ECS Report Template

Proposed Demolition of Existing Buildings and Erection of Class 1 Retail Store at 10-14 Cardwell Road, Gourock, Inverclyde

Transport Statement

March 2021

ECS Transport Planning Limited Centrum Offices, 38 Queen Street, Glasgow, G1 3DX www.ECSTransportPlanning.com

Client Name: Dickie & Moore Ltd Document Reference: 01 Project Number: 20080

Issue Date Prepared by Checked by Approved by 01 22.03.21 Steven Scott Michael Summers Michael Summers

Comments

Content 1. Introduction ...... 1 2. Development Proposals ...... 2 Existing Site & Surrounding Area ...... 2 Proposed Development ...... 3 Development & Access Overview ...... 3 Development Parking Provision ...... 5 Servicing Arrangements ...... 5 3. Local & National Planning Policy...... 6 National / Central Government Transport Planning Policy ...... 6 The Government’s White Paper ...... 6 Scottish White Paper ...... 6 Scottish Planning Policy ...... 7 Planning Advice Note 75: Planning for Transport ...... 7 Designing Streets...... 8 Scottish Executive Development Department: Transport Assessment Guidance (TAG) ...... 8 Let’s Get Scotland Walking – The National Walking Strategy ...... 9 Cycling Action Plan for Scotland ...... 9 Summary ...... 9 4. Sustainable Accessibility ...... 11 Local & National Transport Planning Policy ...... 11 Accessibility Criteria ...... 11 Multi-Modal / People Trip Generation ...... 12 Sustainable Travel Opportunities ...... 12 Walking (Pedestrian)...... 12 Cycle (Bicycle) ...... 14 Public Transport ...... 16 Summary ...... 19 5. Existing & Future Traffic Conditions ...... 20 Surrounding Road Network ...... 20 Development Traffic & Access ...... 20 Summary ...... 21 6. Summary & Conclusions ...... 22 Summary ...... 22 Conclusions ...... 23

Proposed Demolition of Existing Buildings and Erection of Class 1 Retail Store at 10-14 Cardwell Road, Gourock, Inverclyde Project Number: 20080 Document Reference: 01 C:\Users\MichaelSummers\Dropbox\ECS\Projects\20080 Gourock\Reports\20080 Co-Op Gourock.docx

Figures Figure 1: Site Location ...... 2 Figure 2:View of Existing Site ...... 3 Figure 3:Cardwell Road Frontage ...... 3 Figure 4:Cardwell Road Footways ...... 13 Figure 5:Cardwell Road Crossing Facility ...... 13 Figure 6: Pedestrain Walking Isochrone ...... 14 Figure 7: Existing Cycle Routes ...... 15 Figure 8: Existing Public Transport Provision ...... 17

Tables Table 1: Existing Bus Services - Cardwell Road ...... 16

Appendices A. Scope B. Scheme Drawings

1. Introduction 1.1. ECS Transport Planning Limited has been commissioned by Dickie & Moore Ltd to produce a Transport Statement (TS) in support of a planning application for a food retail development with associated servicing facilities and parking adjacent to Cardwell Road, Gourock. 1.2. The unit is intended to be a replacement for the existing Co-Op convenience stores on Shore Street and 40 Cardwell Road which are already trading within the town centre. The existing stores will be put on the market once the proposed store is operational and it is unlikely that these would continue to trade as food retail units. 1.3. The findings of this study, which support the proposals, are based on discussions with Inverclyde Council Transport Planning Team (IC), a review of the existing site and surrounding travel opportunities, while also taking cognisance of Transport Scotland’s “Transport Assessment Guidance”. Consideration has also been given to the requirements of local and national government planning policies, including the Scottish Government document ‘Scottish Planning Policy’ (SPP). 1.4. Scoping correspondence was submitted to IC detailing the approach for undertaking this supporting document which is included within Appendix A. Thanks are expressed to IC for their assistance during the preparation of this document. 1.5. The subsequent chapters of this report are structured as follows:-  Development Proposals;  Local & National Transport Policy;  Sustainable Accessibility;  Existing & Future Traffic Conditions; and,  Summary & Conclusions.

1 Proposed Demolition of Existing Buildings and Erection of Class 1 Retail Store at 10-14 Cardwell Road, Gourock, Inverclyde Project Number: 20080 Document Reference: 01 C:\Users\MichaelSummers\Dropbox\ECS\Projects\20080 Gourock\Reports\20080 Co-Op Gourock.docx

2. Development Proposals

Existing Site & Surrounding Area 2.1. Gourock is a town falling within the Inverclyde council area and formerly forming a burgh of the county of Renfrew in the West of Scotland. It has in the past functioned as a seaside resort on the East shore of the upper Firth of Clyde. Its principal function today, however, is as a popular residential area, extending contiguously from Greenock, with a railway terminus and ferry services across the Clyde. 2.2. The application site is located at 10-14 Cardwell Street, Gourock and currently accommodates a vehicle repair garage and MOT station, operating as Fisher Trucks. It is understood that the Fisher Trucks operations also incorporate a vehicle hire business. This existing building incorporates two vehicles accesses direct onto Cardwell Road. 2.3. The site is triangular shaped, and the existing Fisher Trucks building sits at the eastern end of the site and adjacent to existing three storey residential flats. The western end of the site is open and is used for vehicle storage associated with the hire business, and this area benefits from a third established and direct vehicle access onto Cardwell Road. The site abuts a railway line to the rear, which sits in a cutting below the site level. The location of the site, in a local context, is highlighted in red within Figure 1 below: Figure 1: Site Location

Based upon the Ordnance Survey's (1:1250) Map of 2021 with permission of the controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office, Crown copyright reserved. ECS Transport Planning Ltd Centrum Offices, 38 Queen Street, Glasgow, G1 3DX. License No: 100055056

2 Proposed Demolition of Existing Buildings and Erection of Class 1 Retail Store at 10-14 Cardwell Road, Gourock, Inverclyde Project Number: 20080 Document Reference: 01 C:\Users\MichaelSummers\Dropbox\ECS\Projects\20080 Gourock\Reports\20080 Co-Op Gourock.docx

2.4. Figures 2 & 3, below, present the site in its current form. Figure 2 displays a view of the site looking south from Cardwell Road, with Figure 3 illustrating the Cardwell Road frontage adjacent to the site boundary looking east.

Figure 2: View of Existing Site Figure 3: Cardwell Road Frontage

2.5. The site is within an area of mixed character with residential uses and commercial uses bounding the A770 which, along with Tarbet Street, is the primary access to the ferry terminal and railway station.

Proposed Development

Development & Access Overview 2.6. The Co-Op have two existing convenience stores in Gourock, one at 97 Shore Street and another at 40 Cardwell Road, approximately 1km apart. The Co-Op also have a convenience store at 21 Eldon Street, Greenock, located approximately 2km to the east of their existing Cardwell Road store. 2.7. The Co-Op store at Shore Street extends to approximately 130 sqm GFA with the sales area and back of house storage area both provided at ground floor level. The existing sales area extends to 74 sqm while the current storage space extends to 56 sqm. The Co-op store at 40 Cardwell Road is slightly larger, extending to approximately 175 sqm GFA, comprising a retail sales area of 120 sqm and 55 sqm of storage space. Both stores provide a modest range of convenience items, performing ‘day to day’ or ‘top up’ shopping functions, mostly serving those living within walking distance of these stores. 2.8. The scale, nature and characteristics of these existing Co-Op stores are such that they no longer best serve the Co-Op’s customers and they suffer from a variety of constraints, compromising the satisfaction of customers and impacting on the efficient operation of the stores. These include the following:  Aisles are too narrow resulting in congestion within the store.  General congestion around the checkouts and aisles resulting in conflict between customers waiting to be served and those manoeuvring through these areas.  Congestion within the store makes it difficult to manoeuvre stock trolleys and cages through the aisles and shelves to replenish stock. As a result, shelves are stacked at higher levels than normally found in other Co-op stores.

3 Proposed Demolition of Existing Buildings and Erection of Class 1 Retail Store at 10-14 Cardwell Road, Gourock, Inverclyde Project Number: 20080 Document Reference: 01 C:\Users\MichaelSummers\Dropbox\ECS\Projects\20080 Gourock\Reports\20080 Co-Op Gourock.docx

 The need for stock replenishment during busy times is, in itself, inconvenient for customers as cages take up valuable circulation space.  There is insufficient floorspace to display a sufficient quantity of some goods and insufficient floorspace to offer customers the desired range of goods.  The size and configuration of the storage area is currently inadequate, creating a compromised working environment for staff.  Lack of storage results in an increased need for more frequent deliveries which is both environmentally damaging and inefficient from an operational perspective.  Deliveries take place directly from the road outside the stores and with consequent inconvenience, delay and potential obstruction. 2.9. These deficiencies cannot be resolved through the reorganisation of either store's internal layout and the Co-operative Group are committed to making a significant investment to provide a new larger foodstore in Gourock, improving upon the quality of their existing stores and improving the convenience retail offer in the town. Customers expect supermarkets to provide an attractive shopping environment with suitable space, allowing them to undertake shopping trips efficiently and in relative comfort. The existing Co-Op stores at Gourock do not allow for this and the Cooperative Group is therefore keen to meet customer expectations and demands in Gourock by providing a single better store with improved environment, retail offer and facilities. 2.10. The proposed development involves the demolition of the existing Fishers Trucks building and the subsequent erection a new Co-Op convenience store with a ground floor sales area of 460 sqm supported by a 270 sqm storage area at first floor level. The proposals will also provide for on-site customer parking on the eastern area of the site and a dedicated delivery lay-by on Cardwell Road toward the western extent of the developable area which are shown on ECS drawing 20080-002 contained within Appendix B. 2.11. Pedestrian access will be direct from the Cardwell Road footway which will be widened as part of the proposals. In addition, cycle parking will be located on the store frontage adjacent to the store entrance and Cardwell Road. 2.12. The proposed new store will be of sufficient size to stock a wider range of convenience items than either of the existing stores, including improved range and choice of fresh fruit and vegetables, together with fresh grocery items, frozen and convenience foods, tinned and dry goods, and beers wines and spirits. 2.13. The replacement Co-Op store that is proposed will serve broadly the same local catchment area as the two existing Co-Op stores and will therefore provide those living in the locale with a greater choice of convenience goods to meet their day-to-day shopping requirements. Indeed, the proposed Co-op store will remain within walking distance and be highly accessible on foot from