Planning – Application Comments

Comment Date: Mon 16 Jan 2023

This application relates to retrospective works at the above-mentioned property to provide an outbuilding, retaining walls and raised parking area. The Highway Authority are unable to support the development.

The parking area is located to the front of the property, parallel to the adjacent public highway, and is set at approx. 2x metres above ground level at its highest point. Vehicular access is proposed from Thetford Gardens and the driveway up to the levelled parking area is sloped, therefore retaining walls have been constructed to support the development.

In accordance with current policy, any driveway gradient should not exceed 1:10 for at least the first 6 metres from the edge of the carriageway. When assessing the submitted plans, the gradient of the driveway is calculated at approx. 1:4 which is impractical and likely to result in vehicles grounding at the site access.

Furthermore, there are insufficient levels of inter-visibility between emerging vehicles and pedestrians due to the alignment of the driveway and height of the adjacent retaining wall to the south east of the site access. The lack of sufficient visibility would result in the potential for conflict between motorists and pedestrians and therefore gives rise to concerns of highway safety.

In addition, the ground levels have been built up and a retaining wall constructed adjacent to the public highway yet no details have been provided to evidence that the wall can support the built-up ground and the additional loading from vehicles. Therefore the structural integrity of the retaining wall is unknown and if it were to fail, would pose a serious risk to all road users along Thetford Gardens. The weep holes within the retaining wall also protrude over and would discharge onto the adjacent public footway which is unacceptable to the LHA.

As stated previously, the levelled parking area sits approx. 2 metres above ground level and is aligned as parallel to the adjacent public highway. The application has failed to consider the potential highway safety impacts of this parking arrangement as nothing has been shown to retain the vehicles to prevent any potential vehicular override of the wall. There are also concerns with regard to both pedestrian safety and safe access for residents due to the un-retained parking area and sudden drop created by the height of the retaining wall.

In conclusion, the Highway Authority are unable to support the proposed development due to the gradient of the access, the lack of inter-visibility at the site access, the unknown structural integrity of the retaining wall adjacent to the public highway and the unsafe parking arrangement proposed. For these reasons it is recommended that the application be refused.

Recommendations:

Support
No objection
No objection subject to appropriate mitigation (as identified below)
Object to application X

If 'object' on what grounds?

Reasons for refusal:
Sub Standard access:
It is considered that the proposed access arrangement is unsuitable for its intended use and is therefore likely to give rise to issues of personal and highway safety. Vehicular movements arising from the development would give rise to conditions likely to cause:-

(a) Prejudice to public safety and convenience;
(b) Interference with the free flow of traffic on the highway;
(c) Unwarranted hazard to vehicular traffic.

The proposal(s) are therefore contrary to Policy DEV29 of the adopted Plymouth and South West Devon Joint Local Plan adopted March 2019.

Lack of information: Retaining Wall
The application fails to provide sufficient information with regard to the structural integrity of the retaining wall which has been constructed adjacent to the public highway on Thetford Gardens. In addition, private surface water is proposed to be discharged through the weep holes within the retaining wall which protrude over the adjacent public footway. The lack of structural information and the inadequate drainage proposed gives rise to concerns of personal and highway safety.

The proposal(s) are therefore contrary to Policy DEV29 of the adopted Plymouth and South West Devon Joint Local Plan adopted March 2019.





The proposed development has been considered in accordance with the Councils current Development Plan Policies and having regard for the National Planning Policy Framework.



Abbie Perry

Transport Planning Officer
Officer authorised to sign on behalf of the
Director for Strategic Planning & Infrastructure