The Leicestershire Highway Design Guide (LHDG) covers:
• all road proposals in Leicestershire, except for those managed by National Highways - mostly, motorways and large A-roads
• the overall development concept in terms of site access and highways and transportation impacts
• all areas associated with roads that are to be adopted as publicly maintained highway, including verges, cycleways and footways
• the safety, ease of access to, and future maintenance responsibilities of areas not for adoption
• impacts of new developments on existing highways, rights of way and transportation infrastructure.
Local plan development
Involvement in the local plan development process is key in understanding important emerging issues that impact communities in Leicestershire. The council will continue to work with local planning authority colleagues to ensure involvement in the development of plans at the earliest stages.
Referenced in Leicestershire local plan documents and related guidance, the LHDG is a material consideration in the determination of planning applications that include proposals for new highway and transport facilities.
In this respect, the LHDG adds substantial weight to the council’s highway observations as statutory consultee to the planning process. Importantly, the LHDG is not solely a guidance document but also defines the council’s policy position in relation to delivery of new highway.
Local Transport Plan 4
The LHDG also aligns with the themes and policies of the Local Transport Plan 4 currently under development.
Key references
The LHDG references key national and local policy, legislation, guidance and standards, including:
- The National Planning Policy Framework
- The National Bus Strategy
- Local Transport Note 1/20, ‘Cycle infrastructure design’ and ‘Gear change: a bold vision for cycling and walking’
- The Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006
- The National Design Guide, ‘Planning practice guidance for beautiful, enduring and successful places’
- The Guidance on Transport Assessments published by the Department for Communities and Local Government
- DFT Circular 01/2022, ‘National Highways and the strategic road network’
- Design Manual for Roads and Bridges and other technical standards
- Leicestershire Cycling and Walking Strategy
- Leicestershire Road Safety Strategy
- Leicestershire Rights of Way Improvement Plan
Contents
The LHDG is structured to represent the chronological order of the development process, from pre-planning application design through to construction and developer maintenance responsibilities.