Planning application requirements

Once agreed in principle the LHDG should be referred to throughout all stages of the proposal, particularly where the developer intends the new highway to be adopted by the council.

For some scales and types of development, additional supporting details such as a Transport Assessment or Transport Statement and a Travel Plan may be required.  Table 1 indicates which types of development the council requires this for. 

It should also be noted that for some applications, additional documents and information will be needed, which could include:  

Table 1: Normal Minimum Additional Details Required to Support Development Proposals
  Gross Floor Area (GFA), m2
Land Use Class Use and Description of Development No Assessment Transport Statement (TS) and Travel Plan (TP) Transport Assessment (TA) and Travel Plan (TP)
Class B2 -Industrial General industry (not included in Class E(g)). GFA up to 2,500 m2 GFA between 2,500 – 4,000 m2 GFA over 4,000 m2
Class C1 -  
Hotels, Boarding and Guest Houses

includes:

Hotels

Boarding houses

Guest houses

If 'no significant element of care is provided', hostels are excluded.

Up to 75 bedrooms Between 75 – 100 bedrooms Over 100 bedrooms
Class C2 -Residential Institutions    Residential care homes, hospitals, nursing homes, boarding schools, residential colleges and training centres Up to 30 beds   Between 30 – 50 beds   Over 50 beds  
Class C2A - 
Secure Residential Institutions  
Includes prison, young offenders’ institution, detention centre, secure training centre, custody centre, short-term holding centre, secure hospital, secure local authority accommodation, use as a military barracks Up to 250 residents   Between 250 – 400 residents   Over 400 residents  
Class C3 - 
Dwelling houses  
Dwellings included in Use Class C3(a), C3(b) and C3(a).      Up to 50 dwellings   Between 50 – 80 dwellings   Over 80 dwellings  
Class C4 - 
Houses in multiple occupation (HMO)
Small, shared houses occupied by up to six unrelated individuals, as their only or main residence, who share basic amenities such as a kitchen or bathroom. To be agreed with the council

Class E – Commercial, Business and Service

 

E(a) Display or retail sale of goods, other than hot food GFA up to 800m2  GFA between 800 – 1,500 m2   GFA over 1,500 m2 
E(b) Sale of food and drink for consumption (mostly) on the premises GFA up to 300 m2  GFA between 300 – 2,500 m2   GFA over 2,500 m2  

E(c) Provision of: (c)(i) Financial services(c),

E(c)(ii) Professional services (other than health or medical services (c), or

E(c)(iii) Other appropriate services in a commercial, business or service locality

GFA up to 1,000 m2 GFA between 
1,000-2,500 m2
GFA over 2,500 m2
E(d) Indoor sport, recreation or fitness (not involving motorised vehicles or firearms or use as a swimming pool or skating rink) GFA up to 500 m2  GFA between 500 – 1,500 m2   GFA over 1,500 m2 
E(e) Provision of medical or health services (except the use of premises attached to the residence of the consultant or practitioner) GFA up to 500 m2 GFA between 500 – 1,000 m2   GFA over 1,000 m2 
E(f) Creche, day nursery or day centre (not including a residential use) GFA up to 500 m2 GFA between 500 – 1,000 m2   GFA over 1,000 m2 

E(g) Uses which can be carried out in a residential area without detriment to its amenity: 

E(g)(i) Offices to carry out any operational or administrative function,

E(g)(ii) Research and development of products or processes,

E(g)(iii) Industrial processes

GFA up to 1,500 m2   GFA between 1,500 – 2,500 m2   GFA over 2,500 m2  
Class F.1 -Learning and Non-Residential Institutions    Provision of education, Display of works of art (otherwise than for sale or hire), Museums, Public libraries or public reading rooms, public halls or exhibition halls, public worship or religious instruction (or in connection with such use), Law courts GFA up to 500 m2 GFA between 500 – 1,000 m2   GFA over 1,000 m2 
Class F2 local Community F2(a) Shops (mostly) selling essential goods, including food, where the shop’s premises do not exceed 280 square metres and there is no other such facility within 1000 metres GFA up to 250 m2  GFA between 250 - 800 m2   GFA over 800 m2  

F2 (b) Halls or meeting places for the principal use of the local community

F2 (c) Areas or places for outdoor sport or recreation (not involving motorised vehicles or firearms)

F2 (d) Indoor or outdoor swimming pools or skating rinks

GFA up to 500 m2  GFA between 500 – 1,500 m2 GFA over 1,500 m2 
Table 2: Normal Minimum Additional Details Required to Support Development Proposals – (Sui generis)
  Gross Floor Area (GFA), m2
Land Use Class Use and Description of Development No Assessment Transport Statement (TS) and Travel Plan (TP) Transport Assessment (TA) and Travel Plan (TP)
Sui Generis Public houses, wine bars, or drinking establishments GFA up to 300 m2  GFA between 300 - 600 m2 GFA over 600 sq. m 
As above but with expanded food provision GFA up to 300 m2  GFA between 300 - 600 m2 GFA over 600 sq. m 
Hot food takeaways (for the sale of hot food where consumption of that food is mostly undertaken off the premises), also drive-through restaurants and coffee shops GFA up to 250 m2 GFA between 250 - 500 m2 GFA over 500 m2

Theatres

Amusement arcades/centres or funfairs

Launderettes

Fuel stations

Hiring, selling and/or Displaying motor vehicles

Taxi businesses

Scrap yards, or a yard for the Storage/distribution of Minerals and/or the breaking of motor vehicles

‘Alkali work’ (any work registerable under the Alkali, etc. Works Regulation Act 1906 (as amended))

Hostels (providing no significant element of care)

Waste disposal installations for the incineration, chemical treatment or landfill of hazardous waste

Retail warehouse clubs

Nightclubs

Casinos

Betting offices/shops

Pay day loan shops.

Venues for live music performance

Cinemas, concert halls, bingo halls and dance halls

To be agreed with the council

Advising the Council of Site-Specific Matters

Despite the thresholds indicated above, the Local Highway Authority may advise the applicant on different levels of assessment appropriate in certain circumstances, for example: 

  • The nature of the Vision in the context of the vision-led approach required by NPPF and in accordance with Local Transport Plan 4.
  • Where there are areas of poor accessibility to public transport or where the local transport infrastructure is inadequate, for example, the roads are substandard the pedestrian and cyclist facilities are poor; 
  • Where there are areas of existing traffic congestion;
  • Where there are areas of existing on-street parking problems;
  • Any development that is likely to increase personal injury collisions or conflicts among drivers and non-drivers, particularly vulnerable road users such as children, people with disabilities and elderly people;
  • Any development that generates HGVs which impact on 'sensitive' areas, such as residential areas or an area subject to a weight restriction;
  • Any development generating significant abnormal loads per year;
  • Any development located within or adjacent to Air Quality Management Areas
  • Any development in other ‘sensitive’ areas, such as where development traffic may affect a school or where there are significant numbers of vulnerable people.
  • Any development that does not conform with the adopted development plan;  
  • Any development which proposes 100 or more parking spaces;
  • In the case of schools and further and higher education establishments, the council may need a transport assessment if pupil or student numbers would be increased by 10% or more;
  • The council will consider facilities such as a new sports hall or a community facility in the case of schools and further and higher education establishments on a site-by-site basis.

Please contact the Council if you are unsure of the requirements.

Need further information?
Contact
Highway Development Management