Get pre-application advice for a highway development proposal

We provide an efficient and flexible service to the public, developers and the council's Planning Team in advising on highway and transport issues in Development Management.

As a responsible Highway Authority we must ensure that any new development has:

• the minimum adverse impact on highway safety
• traffic capacity
• environmental capacity
• convenience to transport users as a whole

The Planning Team consult with Highways DM on the highway and transportation issues relating to development proposals.

Highways DM decides whether or not there may be transportation concerns arising from development proposals. After careful consideration, usually involving site visits and technical work, we provide a formal recommendation. This advice is then taken into account when the Planning Team determines the application. We undertake to make a formal response within 21 days, enabling planners to deal with applications within their own published target time-scales. Some applications need a significant amount of technical work and may also need further information from the applicant before such work can be completed. In these cases an extension of the time limit for a formal response may be required.

Highways DM check planning proposals against the following criteria:

• compliance with national, county and local transport policy
• its compatibility with road transport infrastructure
• limiting of unacceptable road transport impacts
• need for any developer led improvements
• adequacy of parking arrangements
• promoting sustainable travel
• highway safety
• any likely highway encroachment
• if any road improvement lines are affected

As a result of the coronavirus pandemic traffic surveys and speed surveys will be considered on a case by case basis.

It is strongly advised that the Highways Development Management team are consulted prior to surveys being conducted in order to minimise abortive work.