DRAKE AVENUE/NORTH OF ELM LANE

PROJECT

Outline planning permission was granted on appeal on 18 January 2024 under planning application 21/503124/OUT for the development of up to 44 dwellings, with vehicular and pedestrian access from Drake Avenue. TPA has subsequently been appointed to provide transport and highways consultancy services in support of the Reserved Matters application for the consented development, known as Elm Lane Central, as well as a separate outline planning application for Elm Lane West, comprising an extension to the consented site to provide a further 20 dwellings.

APPROACH

Our approach was to treat the Reserved Matters application for Elm Lane Central and the outline application for Elm Lane West as part of a coordinated transport strategy, building upon the access and transport principles already established through the outline permission for 44 dwellings. For the Reserved Matters submission, we focused on demonstrating that the detailed internal road layout, parking, cycle and EV provision, visibility, servicing and emergency access arrangements complied with the relevant planning conditions and local highway design standards, while retaining the previously approved vehicular access from Drake Avenue.

For the 20-dwelling Elm Lane West extension, we assessed the site’s accessibility by walking, cycling and public transport and demonstrated that the additional development could be accommodated through an extension of the internal road network, utilising the approved Drake Avenue access. The previously approved TRICS trip rates were then applied to the additional dwellings, demonstrating that the extension would generate only a modest increase in peak-hour traffic and would therefore have a negligible impact on the operation and safety of the surrounding highway network..

OUTCOME

Both the Reserved Matters application and the separate outline planning application have now been submitted. The outstanding highway matters raised in relation to the Reserved Matters application have also been addressed, and both applications are now progressing through the determination process.