Agenda Item No. 9 North Horsham County Local Committee Ref: N/A Monday 6 July 2015 Key Decision: N/A Proposed Development - Land North of Horsham Part I Information Report by Executive Director of Electoral Residents Services and Director of Strategic Divisions: Planning and Place Roffey and Holbrook Executive Summary This report outlines the nature and highway proposals associated with the development known as the Land North of Horsham. The development will be the subject of a planning application expected to be submitted during the summer 2015. Recommendations (1) That the Committee should note that any decision on the planning application is a matter for Horsham District Council. (2) That the Committee’s views are invited in respects of the potential highway works and traffic management proposals that may be expected as part of the development proposal. 1. Background to the Proposals 1.1. The development known as the Land North of Horsham has been identified within the draft Horsham District Council Local Plan, that is, the ‘Horsham District Planning Framework’. This will provide a planning framework that will contain the planning policies for the Horsham District and will be used to help decide what development can take place and where. This includes identifying key sites to enable Horsham District Council to provide further housing to accommodate the forecast growth in population. One such site is that on Land north of Horsham. 1.2. The Local Plan seeks to allocate the area that comprises north of the A264 between Langhurstwood Road and Wimlands Road for a development of, • around 2,500 dwellings, • 46,450 square metres of commercial/business park, • a local centre (that includes retail, healthcare and community facilities), • open space and sports and recreation facilities, • education facilities (early years provision, two primary schools, land and financial contributions towards a secondary school and additional 2ha land for playing pitches, financial contribution towards post 16 education and a special education needs school accommodating 60 children from 2-19 years old), • the safeguarding of land for a parkway railway station and associated uses, • and associated infrastructure including a legible layout that facilities all mode of sustainable travel. 1.3. A plan is included in appendix A showing the extent of the proposed development. 1.4. The Local Plan has been the subject of public consultation and examination in public. The examination hearings are due to conclude in early July 2015. Thereafter it is for the Planning Inspectorate to determine whether the plan is sound, and if so for HDC to adopt the plan as planning policy. 1.5. Notwithstanding the outcome of the Local Plan process, the developer for the Land North of Horsham site (Liberty Property Trust) has publicised their intentions to submit a planning application during the summer of 2015. The exact details of the planning application will not be known until the application is submitted however some early discussions with the developer have taken place and indicative plans provided. For the purpose of this report it is presumed that the development will accord with the policies for the Land North of Horsham set out in the Local Plan. 2. Highways and Transport Implications 1.6. Policy SD9 of the Local Plan sets out the transport infrastructure requirements for the proposed development. In terms of changes to the highway network, the policy requires, • The closure of Langhurstwood Road left in/left out junction onto A264 and re-alignment of Langhurstwood Road to the east with a new roundabout junction on the A264, • Improvements to the Rusper Road roundabout, • A new secondary junction into the development east of Rusper Road, • Improvements to the Great Daux roundabout, • Improvements to the Moorhead roundabout, • Other measures, to be funded by the developer, that address the impact of the development so as to ensure the continued safe and efficient operation of the strategic and local road networks including outside the District boundary. 1.7. The exact nature and justification for the potential junction improvements (in addition to those listed above) will be set out within the Transport Assessment submitted with the planning application. Indicative plans submitted show the potential requirement to enlarge and signalise a number of existing roundabouts along the A264 corridor in order to accommodate traffic growth associated with the Land North of Horsham, as well as to provide access to the development itself. 1.8. Arrangements for access by sustainable modes will be a key consideration in light of the nature of the A264 and the potential safety and severance issues that may result should appropriate infrastructure not be included. Policy SD9 includes specific reference for pedestrian and cyclist access, requiring, • New and, where the opportunity arises, safer pedestrian and cycle crossing points of the A264 to provide connections from existing residential areas to potential facilities and to give access to the development to / from Horsham and provide the existing communities in North Horsham access to the site and the • Public Rights of Way network and the countryside to the north; • A safe crossing for cyclists completing the Horsham to Crawley cycle route. 1.9. Indicative plans provided by the developer show the provision of at grade (surface level) controlled crossing points incorporated into the signalisation of the western and central vehicular access points. The potential locations for grade separated provision (foot and cycle bridges) are also being investigated by the developer. 1.10. Copies of the indicative drawings for the A264 western access (which enables the closure of the existing Langhurstwood Road junction) and central access points (the enlarging of the existing Rusper Road roundabout) are included in appendix B. 1.11. Whilst not stated in policy SD9, the supporting text does set out that the layout and design of internal roads will discourage through traffic along the rural roads between Horsham and Crawley and Langhurstwood Road and retain Old Holbrook as a country lane to maintain its existing character and the setting of Old Holbrook to serve the existing properties. The need for such measures will be considered through the TA and secured via legal agreement. 2. WSCC Role in Planning Process 2.1. Horsham District Council is the planning authority and will be determining this planning application. West Sussex County Council is the Local Highway Authority (LHA) for West Sussex and will be a statutory consultee when the planning application is received. 2.2. In this role the LHA’s responsibilities are well defined. The LHA is required to provide technical advice on the acceptability of a proposed development on the highway. This advice will take into account relevant local and national guidance, design standards, and policies to ensure that the proposed development will not severely impact upon highway safety and/or capacity. The LHA have no power of direction over the outcome of a planning application; whether a planning application is permitted or refused is a matter for the District Council. 2.3. Certain aspects of the proposal may require the developer to undertake further statutory consultation (for example, the introduction of or amendments to existing Traffic Regulation Orders or the Stopping Up of Highway). The developer would be required to fund any TRO or other respective process. The granting of planning permission does not remove the need for these consultations. These processes may need to involve the CLC to make decisions on these matters. 3. County Local Committee (CLC) Engagement 3.1. At the current time, no planning application has been submitted for the Land North of Horsham. The exact content of the Transport Assessment and highway mitigation are not known. Members of the CLC will be kept informed as to the progress of the planning application when this is received. Even so, the measures within the Local Plan policy provide an indication as to what will be required to support the proposed development. 3.2. Given the potential implications upon the highway network, the views of the CLC are therefore invited in respects of the emerging proposals, namely the traffic management proposed for the A264, sustainable access, and the traffic impact upon the rural road network. 3.3. The CLC should however note the LHA’s involvement in the planning process will be to provide technical highways advice on the proposals as submitted. Any decision relating to the approval of the planning application is a matter for the District Council. Cathryn James Colin James Executive Director Residents Services Director of Strategic Planning and Place Contact: (Ian Gledhill, 0330 222 5717) Appendix A – Land North of Horsham Concept Masterplan Appendix B – Indicative western and central A264 access arrangements Background Papers None .