Sustainable Access and Transport Matters

The proposed development site is well located to provide much-needed housing, being located adjacent to established residential development, accessed from Uttoxeter Road and within appropriate walking and cycling distances to a range of local facilities.

Walking and Cycling Connectivity

The development proposals will be able to connect into the existing pedestrian footway network on Uttoxeter Road, as well as the Public Footpath, which forms part of the Public Right of Way network along Blackies Lane, which bisects the site. By connecting into these pedestrian routes residents will be able to route along Uttoxeter Road to cross the nearby rail level crossing or walk northwards along Mercer Avenue to connect with the established pedestrian route which runs parallel to the railway line, linked by Kingsland Court and Cranmore Grove, to connect with Pingle Lane. This route then bridges the railway line, providing an attractive route to and from Stone town centre.

Whilst there are no dedicated cycle routes in the vicinity of the site, the surrounding residential streets are suitable for cyclists to use. As part of the emerging sustainable access strategy for the site, the Design Team is looking at ways that the proposed cycle route that is proposed through the site can connect to new cycle facilities on the Uttoxeter Road corridor. We would welcome your thoughts as to whether the development could assist in upgrading existing pedestrian routes along the Lichfield Road corridor to provide shared pedestrian/cycle facilities, or even upgrading the Pingle Lane pedestrian route to a shared facility.

Bus and Rail Access

The nearest bus stop to the site is on Saddler Avenue, and is known as the “Farrier Close Aston Lodge Park” stop. This will be accessible via Blackies Lane from the site, and is a c.400m walk distance from the centre of the site. This service runs on an hourly frequency during the day, and there are opportunities for the development, through discussions with the Council and Bus Operator to extend the timings of the service during the week and also at weekends. A new bus stop could also be provided on Ashton Lodge Parkway, easily accessible from the development via Uttoxeter Road and Blackies Lane, and funded by the development.

Stone rail station is a c.3km walk and cycle from the site, a c.40 minute walk or c.10 minute cycle ride. With each residential property having secure, covered cycle parking facilities residents will have facilities to store their bicycle at their home, making it easy for them to make shorter trips by cycle to the town centre, rail station and other local destinations.

Development Access Arrangements

The development proposals will have a new vehicular access onto Uttoxeter Road, in a similar design to the junction that serves Oakleigh Court and Mount Pleasant Close. The final access design will accommodate all vehicular traffic generated by the site, as well as refuse and emergency vehicle access. The design will also provide appropriate visibility splays that relate to recorded vehicle speeds on Uttoxeter Road.

The Design Team are aware through recent speed surveys on this route that a proportion of traffic is travelling at speeds higher than the 30mph speed limit. As part of the development access design measures to slow traffic to accord with the existing speed limit will be incorporated, to benefit all highway users.

An assessment of the additional traffic associated with the c.130 residential scheme is predicted to generate an additional c.70 vehicle movements onto Uttoxeter Road in the AM and PM peak periods. This traffic will distribute across the local highway network, and as part of the future planning application a full Transport Assessment will be prepared, assessing the impact (in traffic and transport terms) of the development on the surrounding area. This will include assessing the impact of additional traffic movements at the nearby level crossing on Uttoxeter Road. Our final technical scope of work will be discussed and agreed with Staffordshire Council’s Highways Officers before any planning submission.

Detailed Design Aspects

The scheme design will provide cycle and vehicular parking across the site that meets the Council’s adopted parking standards. Cycle parking will be provided either through oversized garages or through secure, covered storage facilities on the curtilage of each property. Each property will have an Electric Vehicle (EV) charging point on their driveway or allocated parking space. To encourage sustainable travel to and from the site a site-wide Travel Plan will be prepared and implemented at the time that the site is first occupied.