PARAPET HOUSE, LENHAM KENT Transport Statement Project No. 13-045 March 2014 PARAPET HOUSE, LENHAM KENT Transport Statement C&A Consulting Engineers Office 17 Wealden Place Bradbourne Vale Road Sevenoaks Kent TN13 3QQ Tel: 01732 448120 Fax: 01732 465026 [email protected] Project No. 13-045 March 2014 PARAPET HOUSE, LENHAM, KENT 13/045-001 Transport Statement March 2014 DOCUMENT CONTROL SHEET REV ISSUE PURPOSE AUTHOR CHECKED REVIEWED APPROVED DATE - Draft JO JBW JO JBW Mar ‘14 - Final Issue JO JBW JO JBW Mar ‘14 JDO/jo/Reports/13-045-001 (i) PARAPET HOUSE, LENHAM, KENT 13/045-001 Transport Statement March 2014 CONTENTS Page 1.0 Introduction 1 2.0 Existing Conditions & Planning History 2 3.0 Policy Considerations 4 4.0 Sustainable Accessibility 6 5.0 Proposed Development & Access 8 6.0 Summary & Conclusions 11 FIGURES Figure 1 – Site Accessibility Plan DRAWINGS 13-045-001 – Site Access APPENDICES Appendix A Crash Data JDO/jo/Reports/13-045-001 (ii) PARAPET HOUSE, LENHAM, KENT 13/045-001 Transport Statement March 2014 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 This report has been prepared by Charles & Associates Consulting Engineers, as instructed by Hume Planning Consultancy Ltd, in support of the proposed residential development of land at Parapet House, Lenham. The location of the site is presented on Figure 1. 1.2 This report has been prepared in accordance with the current guidance on the preparation of Transport Statements provided by the Department for Transport (DfT). 1.3 In accordance with DfT guidance this statement and the proposed development, have given due consideration to prevailing government policy on transport as set out in the National Planning Policy Framework. The site is located in Lenham, Kent and therefore at a regional level, policy contained with the Kent Local Transport Plan has been considered. Similarly at a local level, policy contained within the Maidstone Borough Council Emerging & Adopted Local Plans have informed this report. 1.4 The following section of the report will set out the existing transport conditions at the site and detail the site’s planning history. 1.5 Section 3.0 considers the relevant transport policy pertaining to the proposed development of the site. Following on from this, Section 4.0 presents the sustainable accessibility. 1.6 Section 5.0 describes the development proposals including the access arrangements. Finally Section 6.0 provides summary and conclusions. JDO/jo/Reports/13-045-001 1 PARAPET HOUSE, LENHAM, KENT 13/045-001 Transport Statement March 2014 2.0 EXISTING CONDITIONS & PLANNING HISTORY 2.1 The proposed development site is located to the rear of Parapet house, with a site area of 0.6Ha. 2.2 The site is bordered by sports fields to the west and south, by Parapet House to the north and by existing residential to the east. Local Highway Network 2.3 As shown on Figure 1, the site is located behind Parapet House, set back from the Maidstone Road. 2.4 To the west Maidstone Road leads to A20 Ashford Road, where it forms a ghost island priority junction. The A20 continues through Harrietsham and towards Maidstone. Access to the M20 motorway can be achieved via the A20 and Junction 8 of the M20, for destinations in north Kent and London. 2.5 To the east Maidstone Road leads into the centre of the village of Lenham, just 300m from the site, where various local amenities are located. The square which Maidstone Road leads onto links through the High Street, which itself continues towards the south of the village. To the north, Faversham Road again links with the A20 Ashford Road. This route, in conjunction with route on Old Ashford Road, provide the primary connections to the A20 for traffic in an eastbound direction, including to Ashford. 2.6 Parking restrictions are in place along the Maidstone Road running east from the site towards the village centre. These prevent parking on one side of the road, with double yellow lines providing restrictions at all times. JDO/jo/Reports/13-045-001 2 PARAPET HOUSE, LENHAM, KENT 13/045-001 Transport Statement March 2014 Planning History 2.7 The site has historically been the subject of planning applications. Although it is beyond the scope of this report to summarise the full history, consideration has been given to the most recent application which was subject to a planning appeal. 2.8 In the context of this transport statement, the most relevant aspect of the planning history would be the Highway Authority and Inspectors position on the suitability of the access. This is discussed later. JDO/jo/Reports/13-045-001 3 PARAPET HOUSE, LENHAM, KENT 13/045-001 Transport Statement March 2014 3.0 POLICY CONSIDERATIONS 3.1 The proposed development would be subject to the policies set out in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). This presents the overreaching policy to be applied when assessing development proposals. In regard to transport the framework focuses on sustainability and encouraging non-car travel for new developments. 3.2 Paragraph 32 of the NPPF gives reference to Transport Statements and the plans and decisions to be taken from them. “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 take 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 the 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 where the residual cumulative impacts of development are severe.” 3.3 Manual for Streets (MfS) produced by the Department for Transport is a document to be used for the design, construction, adoption and maintenance of new residential streets. 3.4 Within MfS Chapter 7, it details the visibility requirements for junctions. In addition to this, MfS section 6.6 discusses how highway design should cater for emergency and service vehicles. JDO/jo/Reports/13-045-001 4 PARAPET HOUSE, LENHAM, KENT 13/045-001 Transport Statement March 2014 Regional Policy 3.5 The regional policy that is applicable to the site is provided by Kent County Council in the form of the Kent Local Transport Plan (LTP) 2011-2016. 3.4 The LTP details the aims and objectives of the transport strategy within the County. The document describes the desired shift towards sustainable transport and gives a platform to local Councils to implement this strategy via the formation of policy. Local Policy 3.6 Local Policy for the site is presented in the form of the Maidstone Borough Council Local Plan (LP) 2000. This is the currently adopted framework for the area and details the policy and context for new developments. 3.7 Consideration has also been given to the emerging local plan for Maidstone, due to be published in 2014. The emerging policies encourage use of sustainable modes of transport and detail the strategy for the local area. JDO/jo/Reports/13-045-001 5 PARAPET HOUSE, LENHAM, KENT 13/045-001 Transport Statement March 2014 4.0 SUSTAINABLE ACCESSIBILITY 4.1 The proposed development site is appropriately located to take advantage of sustainable modes of travel. This is shown graphically on Figure 1 and this section of the report discusses the accessibility of the site by these sustainable means of travel. Local Accessibility 4.2 The site is well situated in relation to key local facilities. Within 400m walk of the site are various local amenities such as Lenham Primary School, Swadelands School & Sixth Form, a Doctors and a Dental surgery. 4.3 The centre of the village of Lenham provides access to a Post Office, Local Store, Bank and Pharmacy and various public houses and other retail outlets. 4.11 Footways run along both sides of the majority of Maidstone Road leading into Lenham village. The width of the footways vary but they are generally wide, narrowing on approach to the village. Around the village centre there is a good pedestrian environment, with wide, well lit footways. 4.12 To the west of the site footways run along one side of Maidstone Road and there are footways on both sides in parts up to the junction with the A20, where the road makes the transition from village to countryside. 4.4 It is apparent that the site is ideally located for immediate local, sustainable access to key services, often without the need to travel beyond the village. Nonetheless, there are remain numerous options for sustainable travel to the wider area, where this is necessary, as detailed below. JDO/jo/Reports/13-045-001 6 PARAPET HOUSE, LENHAM, KENT 13/045-001 Transport Statement March 2014 Bus Services 4.5 Two bus stops are located in the village square within Lenham village centre, under 400m from the site. This is shown graphically on Figure 1. Services from the stops provide direct access from the site to Ashford and Maidstone town centres. 4.6 The 10X Service is the main service that operates locally, between Maidstone and Ashford town centres stopping at the settlements of Harrietsham, Hollingborne and Beartsted along the way. This service runs at a frequency of one bus per hour. Rail Services 4.7 Lenham railway station is a 1.1km or an 11 minute walk from the site, as shown graphically on Figure 1. 4.8 Rail services operate from Lenham station to London Victoria heading north-westerly and to Ashford International to the southeast.