Planning – Application Comments

Comment Date: Fri 01 Aug 2025

The proposals seek to provide a hardstand to the front of the above-mentioned property, with access taken from a classified road (Plymstock Road).

As stated within the SPD, where access is taken from a classified road, there should be room within the site to allow a vehicle to turn on-site and access/egress in a forward gear.

The proposed hardstand would not be large enough to provide such turning capability and therefore, a recommendation of refusal would usually be provided by the LHA.

However, it is noted that there are numerous properties along this section of Plymstock Road with hardstands without on-site turning. In addition, as can be seen on Google Street View, the property has been served with a hardstand (albeit with no lawful means of access from the highway) since at least 2009.

Whilst each planning application should be assessed on its own merits, it is not considered that a recommendation of refusal based on the lack of on-site turning would be upheld if challenged at appeal, as the reversing movements required to access a number of hardstands along this route (including at the application site) will have been long established.

In addition, the hardstand meets the standard dimension required for off-street parking provision and sufficient levels of forward and inter-visibility are provided at the site access. The proposed crossing would be situated at least 1m from the adjacent bus stop and therefore, it is not considered that the proposed development would lead to any significant disruption to bus operators/users.

For these reasons, the LHA would not wish to raise any in-principle objections to the proposed development in this instance. However, it should be noted that Network Management would not approve a vehicle crossing to the width detailed on the proposed drawings. The maximum width permissible for a single crossing in this location would be 4.8m.

Recommendations:

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


Planning conditions:
CAR PARKING PROVISION
The building shall not be occupied until the car parking area shown on the approved plans has been drained and surfaced in accordance with the approved details, and that area shall not thereafter be used for any purpose other than the parking of vehicles.

Reason:
To enable vehicles used by occupiers or visitors to be parked off the public highway so as to avoid damage to amenity and interference with the free flow of traffic on the highway in accordance with Policy DEV29 of the Plymouth and South West Devon JLP 2019.

PRESERVATION OF SIGHT LINES
No structure, erection or other obstruction exceeding 900mm in height shall be placed, and no vegetation shall be allowed to grow above that height, within the approved sight lines to the site access at any time.

Reason:
To preserve adequate visibility for drivers of vehicles at the road junction in the interests of public safety in accordance with Policy DEV29 of the Plymouth and South West Devon JLP 2019.

INFORMATIVE: MAXIMUM VEHICLE CROSSING WIDTH
The maximum vehicle crossing width permissible at this location is 4.8 metres and any application for a crossing exceeding 4.8 metres would be refused by Network Management.

INFORMATIVE: KERB LOWERING
Before the access hereby approved are first brought into use it will be necessary to secure dropped kerbs and footway crossings with the consent of the Local Highway Authority. The applicant should contact Plymouth Highways for the necessary approval. Precise details of all works within the public highway must be agreed with the Highway Authority.



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

01/08/2025