PERSIMMON HOMES MIDLANDS PROPOSED RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT ON LAND AT STEPPINGLEY ROAD, FLITWICK, BEDFORDSHIRE TRANSPORT APPRAISAL ADC Infrastructure Limited Sampsons Yard Halifax Place Nottingham NG1 1QN Tel. 07968 021158 www.ADCinfrastructure.com project number: ADC1230 report reference: ADC1230 TA version date author comments 1 27/04/2015 Rebecca Leconte draft issued to Client 2 07/05/2015 Rebecca Leconte Client comments included STEPPINGLEY ROAD, FLITWICK TRANSPORT APPRAISAL ADC1230 TA V2 CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION …………………………………………………………………………. 3 2.0 EXISTING CONDITIONS ………………………………………………………………... 4 Site location and existing use Nearby development Highway network Highway network operation Opportunities for pedestrian travel Opportunities for cycle travel Opportunities for bus travel Opportunities for train travel Summary 3.0 RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT ………………………………………………….....… 14 Development proposals Car parking Access Internal layout and accessibility 4.0 TRIP GENERATION …………………………………………………………..………..… 15 Trip rates and traffic generation Modal split and person trip generation Impact of additional person trips on the local infrastructure 5.0 VEHICLE TRIP DISTRIBUTION AND ASSIGNMENT, AND HIGHWAY IMPACT ... 17 Distribution and assignment Highway impact 6.0 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS ……………………………………………………. 19 DRAWINGS ADC1230/001 Ghost island layouts and swept path analysis ADC1230/002 T-junction layouts and swept path analysis APPENDICES Appendix A Consented development traffic flow diagrams Appendix B TRICS outputs Appendix C Consented 72 dwellings trip rates Appendix D Consented 400 dwellings trip rates 2 STEPPINGLEY ROAD, FLITWICK TRANSPORT APPRAISAL ADC1230 TA V2 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Persimmon Homes Midlands commissioned ADC Infrastructure Ltd to provide transport and highways advice on the potential development of up to 250 residential dwellings on land off Steppingley Road in Flitwick, Bedfordshire. The general and detailed site locations are shown in Figures 1 and 2 respectively. Figure 1: General site location Figure 2: Detailed site location 3 STEPPINGLEY ROAD, FLITWICK TRANSPORT APPRAISAL ADC1230 TA V2 1.2 This Transport Appraisal has therefore been prepared as part of the promotion of the site, and is structured as follows: Section 2 describes the context for the development. This includes a description of the existing conditions in the vicinity of the site, and the conditions once various consented developments close to the site are operational. As part of this, the local highway network is described, and the opportunities for travel to the site by foot, cycle, bus and train are examined. Section 3 outlines the development proposals, and provides advice on the parking provision, the vehicular access, and the sustainable travel infrastructure that would need to be provided to encourage use of sustainable modes. Section 4 summarises the potential trip generation of the residential development using trip rates from the TRICS 7.1.2 database and the modal split from the 2011 Census. Section 5 presents the likely distribution pattern and assignment of development traffic on the local highway network, and examines the likely highway impact and where mitigation measures may be required. Section 6 presents the summary and conclusions. 1.3 This Transport Appraisal has been produced in accordance with Guidance on Transport Assessment1, and Travel plans, transport assessments and statements in decision-taking2. 1.4 It also examines the transport implications of any development at the site taking into account the following objectives from paragraph 32 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF): “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.” 1.5 Persimmon Homes Midlands are seeking to have the site allocated in the Local Plan. This report has been produced to support that aim. If the proposals are progressed and a planning application is subsequently submitted, a detailed Transport Assessment and Travel Plan will need to be prepared. This Transport Appraisal can be used as a base for both reports, and to start discussions with Central Bedfordshire Council (CBC) as the local highway authority. 2.0 EXISTING CONDITIONS Site location and existing use 2.1 As shown in Figure 1, the development site is located on the western edge of Flitwick. It is bordered by Steppingley Road to the north-east, and a public bridleway to the south-east. It is bordered by a public footpath to the south-west, and fields north-west. 2.2 As shown in Figure 2, there is a residential estate to the south of the public bridleway bordering the site, with pedestrian access to it via Keats Close and Chaucer Road. The existing Flitwick Leisure Centre is opposite the site on the northern side of Steppingley Road, and The Rufus Centre (a conference and wedding venue) is located to the north-west. 2.3 As shown in Figure 2, the site is an agricultural field and, for the purposes of this assessment, has no existing use. 1 Guidance on Transport Assessment, Department for Transport, March 2007 2 Travel plans, transport assessments and statements in decision-taking, National Planning Practice Guidance, March 2014 4 STEPPINGLEY ROAD, FLITWICK TRANSPORT APPRAISAL ADC1230 TA V2 Nearby development 2.4 As shown in Figure 3, there are a number of sites with planning consent in the vicinity of the Persimmon Homes site. Figure 3: Nearby consented development 2.5 This includes the existing Flitwick Leisure Centre opposite the site, which is being replaced with a new leisure centre on land directly to the west (planning application reference CB/14/01967/REG3 – approved July 2014). At the time of writing, the new leisure centre is still being constructed, but the access has been constructed and is a new simple T-junction on Steppingley Road. 2.6 Once the new leisure centre is open, the existing leisure centre site will be redeveloped for 72 residential dwellings (planning application reference CB/14/02174/REG3 – approved September 2014). It is understood that access will be taken via the existing simple T-junction on Steppingley Road, but the Transport Statement prepared in support of the scheme does not include any designs. 2.7 In addition, planning consent has been granted for a large mixed use development on land to the north-west of the Persimmon Homes site. The consented development includes up to 400 new residential dwellings and 4,400sqm of B1 and B2 employment use (application reference CB/13/00728/OUT – approved July 2013). Access will be taken via a simple T-junction on Steppingley Road and two mini-roundabouts on Froghall Road. 2.8 These developments will increase the traffic flows and the turning movements on and off Steppingley Road. The traffic flow diagrams for the mixed use development are contained in Appendix A. 5 STEPPINGLEY ROAD, FLITWICK TRANSPORT APPRAISAL ADC1230 TA V2 2.9 However, each consented development will provide appropriate highway works and mitigation measures to accommodate the traffic that is forecast to be generated. The highway works and changes to the sustainable travel infrastructure that will be provided as part of these developments is detailed in the following sections. Highway network 2.10 The local highway network is annotated in Figure 4. Figure 4: Local highway network 2.11 Steppingley Road is a single carriageway road running from the Steppingley Road/Froghall Road/Flitwick Road roundabout to the north (recently upgraded from a staggered crossroads junction), into the centre of Flitwick to the south. It is subject to a 30mph speed limit but there are no parking restrictions. 2.12 There is an existing gateway feature west of the access into the existing leisure centre, and thus along the site frontage. It includes ‘SLOW’ markings, dragons teeth, red surfacing and white lining, and gates on either side of the road. However, the surface treatments are worn, as shown in Photograph One below. 6 STEPPINGLEY ROAD, FLITWICK TRANSPORT APPRAISAL ADC1230 TA V2 Photograph One: Existing gateway feature 2.13 A new simple T-junction has been constructed as part of the new leisure centre. It is understood that the consented residential development on the existing leisure centre site will use the existing access junction. Vehicular access into the Persimmon Homes site will therefore need to take into account these accesses. In addition, a new simple T-junction will be provided on Steppingley Road as part of the large mixed-use development further north. This will be located between the existing cottages and The Rufus Centre, as shown by the yellow arrows in Figure 3. These developments and their accesses will increase the turning movements on and off Steppingley Road as noted previously. 2.14 To the north of the Steppingley Road/Froghall Road roundabout, Steppingley Road becomes Fordfield Road and runs up to the junction with the A507 (Millbrook Roundabout). From there, the A507 runs west to the M1 Junction 13. 2.15 Froghall Road is a single carriageway road running between Steppingley Road and the A507. It is currently rural in nature and subject to the national speed limit. However, extensive highway works will be undertaken as part of the consented mixed-use development, including the installation of a 30mph speed limit, one-way shuttle working at the railway bridge, the two new mini-roundabout site access junctions and traffic calming features. 2.16 To the north-east, Froghall Road joins the A507 at a four arm roundabout (known as the Doolittle roundabout). From here, the A507 runs east through the four arm A507/Flitwick Road/Ampthill Road roundabout (known as the One-O-One roundabout), and onwards to the A6 and onto the A1(M) Junction 10.