LITTLEPORT COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL

PROJECT

We were instructed by Jeakins Weir to produce a Transport Statement in support of the proposed extension at Littleport Community Primary School, both for a pre-application and full planning application.

The proposed school extension will provide seven new classrooms, which will allow the intake of the school to increase from two form entry to three form entry. This will equate to an extra 210 pupils and 14 staff attending the school, bringing the total number of pupils to 630 along with 74 staff.

APPROACH

We were initially instructed to produce a Transport Statement that would be sent for a pre-application response. Whilst undertaking a site visit, we conducted an audit of the school and the surrounding area to highlight the suitability of the existing pedestrian and cycle infrastructure in Littleport, alongside the key characteristics of pick-up and drop-off routines. Once any potential issues were identified and summarised in our report, the Highway Authority outlined their concerns which we were able to fully address in our subsequent Transport Statement for the full planning application. This included:

Outlining potential walking and cycling routes, including from yet-to-be-built residential areas that the school would serve, in order to establish if mitigation or improvements were required;

Instructing and analysing parking surveys to determine that there is sufficient parking availability on the surrounding roads to accommodate for both the existing and proposed school traffic.

Conducting an impact analysis of the proposed extension on the local highway network using trip rates approved by the Highway Authority.

OUTCOME

We were able to conclude the negligible impact of the school’s extension on the surrounding road network; overcoming all concerns about parking availability and traffic impact. The application has been granted planning permission, subject to conditions, with no objections raised on highways grounds. We look forward to following the progress of the school in the months and years ahead.