Transportation Advisory Note Proposed Conversion of Parc Vean House Into Project: Flats With 3 New Houses, Land West of Parc Vean House, Coach Lane, Redruth, Cornwall. Subject: Access & Highway Appraisal Date: 28 th April 2021 Overview This highway access appraisal report is in respect of the proposed conversion of an existing office building into flats with 3 new houses at Parc Vean House, Coach Lane, Redruth. It provides an overview of the suitability of the existing/proposed access and local road network to serve the proposed residential units. The site is located within the centre of Redruth and accessed off Coach Lane – see Figure 1 below and proposed site layout (Appendix A). Figure 1 - Site Location Transportation Advisory Note Related Planning Application History ▪ PA20/02520 - Pre-application advice for the conversion of the existing Parc Vean House building into flats and the construction of 3 (No.) x 2 (No.) bed houses with 16 (No.) carparking spaces to serve development. Status: Advice Given. The planning officer stated: ‘The Highways Officer has confirmed that it will be necessary to review a Transport Statement before offering any further advice in relation to the trip rate of the existing and proposed development. It has been confirmed that the minimum carriageway width to accommodate an emergency/refuse vehicle is likely 2.75m as an absolute minimum but to confirm, you will need to include the tracking of an emergency/refuse vehicle so as to satisfy the RSA.’. Highway officer stated: ‘"Following an assessment of the submitted plans and information, I have the highway comments below. I have concerns with this application. The emerging visibility from the access onto the U6044 is constrained in both directions, similarly the forward visibility of the access for vehicles travelling south on the U6044 is constrained by virtue of the alignment of the carriageway and railway bridge. The levels of inter-visibility between a vehicle entering the access lane and sighting a vehicle exiting the parking area are constrained with no formal passing places available. The trip generation of the proposals would result in approximately 72 to 96 two-way vehicle movements per day. I appreciate that the site has an existing trip rate and advise the following. A Transport Statement be submitted alongside any future full application outlining the existing trip rate to inform the appropriate quantum of development, including the trip rate from the dwellings already served by the lane. In addition, a passing place where the first parking spaces are shown on the site layout plan to give forward visibility of approaching vehicles down the lane. A widening of the footway on the bridge emerging to the right of the access to create a formal or informal priority working, informed by a Road Safety Audit, leaving the minimum carriageway width to accommodate an emergency/refuse vehicle, informed by a tracking drawing and supported by appropriate signage."’. • PA14/09572 - Proposed erection of two semi-detached 2 bedroom dwellings - Land Adj To Number 1 Parc Vean, Coach Lane. The planning officer stated: ‘Highways Any proposals should ensure that a safe means of access can be provided together with an appropriate provision of parking to meet the aims of paragraph 32 National Planning Policy Framework 2012. It appears that parking will be provided in the form of a single parking space at either side of each property, which is considered to be acceptable in terms of the size of the accommodation proposed and proximity to the town. Paragraph 32 of the National Planning Policy Framework 2012 specifically states that a safe and suitable access to the site can be Transportation Advisory Note achieved for all people; and development should only be prevented or refused on transport grounds where the residual cumulative impacts of development are severe. The Highways Development Control Officer previously objected to the development resulting in one of the reasons for refusal, namely, 'The emerging visibility from the existing access is considered to be sub-standard, and the increase in vehicular movements generated by a new dwelling would be unacceptable in terms of highways safety, contrary to advice within paragraph 32 National Planning Policy Framework 2012. The applicants have addressed this issue by undertaking a Freedom of Information request to Devon and Cornwall Police to seek details on any accidents at this access point. It confirms that there were no formal reported collisions recorded in the requested area. It also confirms that there was one Damage Only incident which occurred in January 2014 (looking at the period of 1st April 2008 to 30th June 2014). The agent highlights that traffic is moving slowly in this area limited to 20 mph and there are speed humps, parked cars and the bridge which also require motorists to take care. The applicants are also offering to install a further sign highlighting the concealed entrance or hump back bridge if it was felt necessary. The main argument is that the addition of two small dwellings will not increase traffic significantly at this junction. Whilst it is considered to be sub-standard, it is used by the existing four dwellings and Park Vean House which is an office for Cornwall Consultants (which has numerous employees). The building was at one point a hotel and now is an office, which could fluctuate its level of employees. The Managing Director of Cornwall Consultants has confirmed that since using this site none of his staff or customers have had any incident/ collision using the access in the last 13 years. The Local Member Cllr Thomas has provided his support for the scheme (and specifically this aspect). The Highways Development Control Officer has completed a further site visit and also checked the safety record of the access onto Coach Lane which has no recorded injury accidents. Given the existing use by Cornwall Consultants he has no highways objection. In conclusion on this single issue, having balanced the issue of the poor emerging visibility from the existing access, with the small increase in vehicular movements generated by two new dwellings, the existing (and potentially fluctuating) vehicular movements that use the lane already, and the highways accident information, the proposal is considered to comply within advice within paragraph 32 National Planning Policy Framework 2012 and policy 27 Transport and Accessibility Cornwall Local Plan Strategic Policies 2013 (Submission Document March 2014).’. The Highway officer recommended: ’I have completed a further site visit and also checked the safety record of the access onto Coach Lane which has no recorded injury accidents. Given the existing use by Cornwall Consultants I have no highways objection.’. This TAN addresses the Highway Officers concerns and comments above. Existing Site Use The site is currently in use as office space and previously a hotel and restaurant. Transportation Advisory Note Access & Highway Appraisal The existing access lane is private running east from its junction with Coach Lane (U6044) for approximately 60m. It currently serves seven existing residential properties, together with Parc Vean House, over its length and is devoid of streetlighting and footways. Past the proposed access point Coach Lane is approximately 5m wide with a 1.2m footway. The existing/proposed access point (see Plate 1 below) is an historic junction used for many decades for vehicular access to Coach Lane. The previous use as a hotel and restaurant, prior to office use, generated far greater vehicular and pedestrian movements over the years. Whilst the access lane is single vehicle width only over much of its length there is intervisibility between the site and an informal passing place – see Plate 1 below: Plate 1 – Existing Site Access With Site & Informal Vehicular Passing Place. The highway officer has correctly highlighted his concerns regarding the Coach Lane access/junction whereby the ‘…emerging visibility from the access onto the U6044 is constrained in both directions, similarly the forward visibility of the access for vehicles travelling south on the Transportation Advisory Note U6044 is constrained by virtue of the alignment of the carriageway and railway bridge…’. Plates 2 & 3 below show the existing available emerging visibility onto Coach Lane from the access. Plate 2 – Emerging Visibility South Onto Coach Lane From Access Plate 3 – Emerging Visibility North Onto Coach Lane From Access Transportation Advisory Note It is accepted that there can be no improvement to the emerging visibility from the historic access, nor can it be widened from its current width but, as stated above, there is an existing informal passing place and intervisibility between it and the site (Plate 1). The emerging visibility and width of the lane are historic and have been utilised for many decades by vehicles and consultation of online collision data shows that, for the last 22 years of recorded data there have been no collisions at the junction of the private access and Coach Lane. The safety of the junction was carefully considered during the application for two new dwellings off the lane in 2014 (see Relevant Planning History above) where the highway officer overruled a previous recommendation for refusal and stated that when he ‘…balanced the issue of the poor emerging visibility from the existing access, with the small increase in vehicular movements generated by two new dwellings, the existing (and potentially fluctuating) vehicular movements that use the lane already, and the highways accident information, the proposal is considered to comply within advice within paragraph 32 National Planning Policy Framework 2012 and policy 27 Transport and Accessibility Cornwall Local Plan Strategic Policies 2013 (Submission Document March 2014).’. The lack of clear emerging visibility does not create a safety issue (see above), and this will most likely be due to the fact that drivers emerge with due care and diligence whilst drivers approaching the junction from both directions on Coach Lane have sufficient sight stopping distance (SSD).