Archived decisions

Contact: Nick Richardson, ext 5429 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 Significant development is proposed at North Popley to provide additional housing and to regenerate the established Popley area. The proposals, for which planning applications are currently being considered, offer major opportunities to improve transport facilities in and beyond the development area and are seen in the context of the North Basingstoke Action Plan.

1.2 To achieve sustainable transport objectives, the proposed development would focus on high quality bus services, walking and cycling, rather than being designed for easy car access as a priority. Some highway improvements will be required however, including alterations to junctions on the A33 Reading Road and A340 Aldermaston Road. The introduction of high quality bus services with priority measures, together with cycle and walking routes, would improve transport opportunities not only for the development area and Popley but for the wider area of urban Basingstoke.

2. Background

2.1 In August 2003 an outline planning application was made by the County Council as developer to the Borough Council for the proposed North Popley Urban Extension. The application was the culmination of extensive discussions between the two authorities and adjacent developer interests in the Popley area and their various consultants. Given the scale of the proposed development, supporting information was provided for the North Basingstoke Action Plan area, including not only the North Popley Urban Extension but also other proposed large residential and commercial developments. The Action Plan, adopted as Supplementary Planning Guidance by the Borough Council in July 2003, is fully consistent with anticipated changes in the planning system and the approach is endorsed by the Government Office for the South East.

2.2 The scale of the proposed developments in combination has significant implications for transport, not only within and to the developments, but throughout the wider urban area of Basingstoke. The size of dwellings is dependent on demographics but the number is as a result of the Local Plan allocations to meet the Structure Plan's housing requirements. The North Basingstoke Action Plan recognises that car traffic will be generated or reassigned from other areas, with impact on the local road network. However, there is also scope for major improvements for non-car modes, particularly buses.

2.3 The Action Plan area includes the following (see Figure 1):

(i) Park Village (Park Prewitt) and former Park Prewitt golf club;

(ii) Aldermaston Road Triangle (between Priestley Road and A340 Aldermaston Road);

(iii) North Popley (North of Popley Way);

(iv) Popley Fields (east of Chineham Lane);

(v) John Hunt of Everest School (Popley Way);

(vi) Priestly Road (south); and

(vii) Trumpet junction (adjacent to A339 Ringway North/Ringway West junction).

3. Proposed Development at North Popley

3.1 The opportunity for an urban extension to the north of Basingstoke at Popley was recognised in the Basingstoke and Deane Local Plan adopted in 1998. Subsequently, a Development and Design Brief covering the land in the County Council's ownership and adjacent land, Popley Fields, in private ownership, was adopted as Supplementary Planning Guidance in May 2001.

3.2 While the Design and Development Brief was being prepared, the opportunity to relocate the John Hunt of Everest School from its current site in Popley Way to the North Popley development area was considered. The relocation will enable the regeneration of the school and provide modern community facilities for new and established local residents. The sale of the existing school site would be required to fund the construction of the replacement school.

3.3 An outline planning application submitted in August 1999 for the Popley Fields site (adjacent to the North Popley site) is currently being considered by the Borough Council.

3.4 The vision for North Popley is to create a high quality, sustainable urban extension to the north of Basingstoke that is both a pleasant place to live and brings regeneration benefits to the existing Popley neighbourhoods and residents. The urban extension provides the opportunity to create a flagship example of how urban communities can be developed in the future at the edge of towns and cities. It can be demonstrated that greenfield urban extensions, if well planned and on a sufficient scale, can benefit from good access to local facilities, be sustainable and have excellent public transport opportunities - all that could be expected from more centrally located sites. The consideration of the application has been delayed while an Environmental Assessment is undertaken.

3.5 The Action Plan locates this development in the wider context of North Basingstoke and allocates a number of development sites. The key objectives of the Action Plan are to provide new housing development, bring regeneration benefits to existing Popley and to create strong links between existing and new development. The opportunity for a strong link over the A340 between the Park Prewitt/North Hampshire Hospital areas and Popley/North Popley forms one element of this strategy.

4. Transport Issues

4.1 The development framework and arrangement of the North Popley development are designed to maximise accessibility by a range of non-car modes. Together with wider improvements as part of the Action Plan, this will create an urban extension accessible to a wide range of facilities in accordance with the principles of Planning Policy Guidance 13 (Transport).

4.2 Encouraging people to adopt more sustainable patterns of travel can produce significant environmental benefits, through reduction in the number of car journeys. Short trips offer the greatest opportunity for change. They make up the highest number of journeys and use fuel in the least efficient way, causing the highest levels of pollution.

4.3 The most obvious way to reduce the number of shorter trips by car is to make other modes of transport more attractive, convenient and to locate facilities in good proximity to residential areas. The North Popley development will contribute through a number of measures, including:

(i) all new housing and employment will be located within 300 metres (4 minutes walk) of a bus stop;

(ii) improved bus routeing and timing through the development, connecting to key destinations such as Basingstoke town centre, Chineham District Centre and North Hampshire Hospital;

(iii) bus priority measures that give public transport priority over the car at key points and particularly around the Neighbourhood Centre;

(iv) a carefully located Neighbourhood Centre that is in easy reach of both new and existing Popley residents;

(v) an efficient pedestrian movement network that is easy and safe to use and connects key destinations more efficiently than by car;

(vi) efficient and safe cycle routes (both dedicated and on-road) through the development and connecting key destinations and facilities;

(vii) the provision of sufficient, well located and secure cycle storage, both within homes and for destinations such as the Neighbourhood Centre, the replacement school and the employment/commercial area;

(viii) encouraging working from home through the design of appropriate spaces and the provision of suitable IT facilities within dwellings;

(ix) provision of a school travel plan for the replacement school that discourages car drop-off and identifies safe routes to school; and

(x) provision of green travel plans for all non-residential elements of the development.

4.4 As sustainable development is the main focus of the wider strategy, the needs of public transport, pedestrians and cyclists come first and car access will be made to fit, rather than designing the development with car access at the top of the hierarchy. In support of this principle, it is not intended to increase road capacity, unless this is essential to support the Action Plan or wider corridor objectives. Changes to the road network will be considered in terms of potential improvements to the quality of the environment for local residents, shoppers, pedestrians, cyclists and to facilitate public transport operation. In the existing urban area, road capacity for ordinary traffic may be reduced, with the reallocation of space in favour of sustainable modes. Measures are proposed for Popley Way to reduce traffic speeds and make the route unattractive for through journeys.

4.5 The scope to introduce new forms of bus service is considerable. A development of the type and scale proposed will require high quality bus services if it is to function in a sustainable way. New bus services could be introduced with full accessibility but crucially operating with priority measures (including bus only or guided bus sections) within the development linking key destinations. A new service could focus on key corridors and link the town centre, major health facilities, education, employment and retail facilities with the development area. Major improvements in key corridors will have an impact on the bus network throughout Basingstoke and strongly support the Quality Partnership concept. Core services could operate from the town centre and railway station via the A340 Aldermaston Road to North Hampshire Hospital/Park Prewitt and via A33 Reading Road/Chineham District Centre with a link through Popley around which the development areas would be focused.

4.6 With the A340 Aldermaston Road and A33 Reading Road forming key corridors from which access to the Action Plan area is facilitated, a number of schemes are being investigated. Traffic signal installations on the A33 at Reading Road roundabout, Popley Way and at the Crockford Lane junction are planned. These will facilitate turning movements for general traffic but also include measures to help cyclists (with a route from Norn Hill alongside the A33 dual carriageway) and buses where possible.

4.7 An issue to be determined is that of the closure of Chineham Lane or Sherborne Road, with a lack of continuity between the development brief and the planning application. This will be resolved through the planning process and will influence access to Sherborne St. John. The requirement for the new school's playing fields and their location on the west side of Sherborne Road (the school building being to the east) may influence this; alternatively closure of Chineham Lane may be less desirable for local residents.

4.8 Comprehensive cycle and walking routes would be provided, linking with the network of routes to the south of the A339 Ringway North. There are a number of existing crossing points over Ringway North, in the form of tunnels and bridges, and some improvements to these would be required for added personal security and to provide desirable routes.

4.9 Major changes to the A340 Aldermaston Road are being considered, given the need to reconstruct a significant length of the road for structural reasons. It is proposed that traffic signals be introduced at the A340/A339 Aldermaston Road roundabout, and feasibility work has also been undertaken regarding the junction of the A340 and Priestly Road (north) at The Lodge. It may be possible to install traffic signals at this junction if required, although a number of additional measures would be required. The location of the North Popley development to the eastern edge of the A340 offers the opportunity to reshape the junction of Aldermaston Road and Priestly Road, the main access to the hospital and adjacent sites. While it is possible that the existing traffic signal junction could be adapted to provide a staggered junction with access into the development, a larger scheme to provide a new crossroads is also possible. This would provide a strong link between Popley and the hospital, thus uniting the area and greatly improving access. However, this has land and cost implications which would need to be resolved. There is also scope for a southbound priority lane on the A340 Aldermaston Road for buses and other vehicles.

4.10 The local and wider changes proposed to the highway network in association with the development will provide much improved access to the Action Plan area and significantly improve links to other facilities, particularly the North Hampshire Hospital. The implementation of the proposed large developments would provide a catalyst for major improvements to local bus services and a significant opportunity to reduce car dependency.

5. Conclusion

5.1 Significant development is expected to take place in Basingstoke and is considered within the North Basingstoke Action Plan. Planning applications have been made for two major sites in the area, based around the principles of sustainable transport with the potential for promoting major improvements in transport infrastructure and services.

Recommendation

That the Panel notes the position regarding the proposed developments at the North Popley Urban Extension and John Hunt of Everest School sites and endorses the proposed transport improvements associated with the development.

8216/NR