Planning – Application Comments

Consultation Date: Thu 02 Oct 2025

Comment Date: Fri 24 Oct 2025

2501251MOR Land To The Rear Of 123 Fort Austin Avenue.pdf

Comment Date: Thu 23 Oct 2025

Fort Austin Avenue EDG25.001.FRSR-039.pdf

Comment Date: Fri 10 Oct 2025

APPLICATION SUMMARY
PLANNING APPLICATION: 25/01251/MOR
ADDRESS: Land To The Rear Of 123 Fort Austin Avenue Plymouth PL6 5NR
DESCRIPTION: Pre-application for the erection of 3no detached houses with garages

CASE OFFICER: Jon Fox (Planning Officer)
Development Management, PCC Strategic Planning & Infrastructure, Floor 2 Ballard House PL1 3BJ

CONSULTEE: Gary Lester (Transport Officer)
PCC Strategic Planning & Infrastructure, Transport Planning Team, Floor 2 Ballard House PL1 3BJ

Date: 10th October

PRE-APPLICATION COMMENTS:
The Local Highway Authority (LHA) would not wish to raise any objections in principle to a form of residential development at the application site, with access from the Classified Fort Austin Avenue. Served by a new vehicle footway crossing and shared driveway situated alongside the existing driveway entrance to the neighbouring property number 123.

This preliminary (pre-app) proposal details and shows on the Site Survey drawing, three in number detached houses comprising of 2 x four-bedroom houses on plots 1 & 2 situated along the frontage of the site. Plus 1 x six-bedroom house on plot 3 situated further into the site. With the details informing that all three dwellings would have double garages, with further parking in front of them. The development on the adjacent site indicated on the Site Survey drawing is incidentally noted.

There is a length of private shared driveway (shown shaded red on the Site Survey drawing) across the front of Plot 1 that also serves and leads to Plot 2. The shared driveway it is approximately 4.8 wide and runs along the front of the site parallel to Fort Austin Avenue. The gated private driveway leading to Plot 3 is shown approximately 3.5 metres wide, with the gates positioned at the corner of plot 1 approximately 7.5 metres in from the back of the fronting public footway.

Although the application informs that all three houses would have double-garages, the garages at plots 1 & 2 are undersize when compared the Councils Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) standards; that for comparison, gives the internal size of a single domestic garage as being 6.5m long x 3.5m wide (excluding the thickness of the walls).

Referring to the Councils planning standards the dwellings would need three in number car parking spaces each. This could only be achieved at plot 2 if the garage was used for car parking; which as noted in the Councils Supplementary Planning Document (SPD - Section 8) cannot be relied upon. Furthermore there would be insufficient space at the front of the garage at plot 2 (where the useable space is approximately 6m x 6m) to accommodate car parking as well as the necessary additional space needed to turn a car so it can enter and leave the site in forward gear, as required with access from a Classified Road.

It is noted there is no proposal to set-back the front boundary treatment along Fort Austin Avenue, therefore any front boundary treatment would need to be low at no higher than 900mm above the footway. To preserve highway safety by providing the necessary intervisibility between an emerging vehicle, and a pedestrian walking along the footway.

SUMMARY:
The LHA is unable to support the proposed development in its current form that would not meet the Councils planning standards. With the two double garages at plots 1 & 2 both shown undersize. Moreover, there is particular concern that the proposed combined parking and turning arrangement at plot 2 is overly constrained and inadequate. By any standard plot 2 would lack the essential provision and space to be able to turn a car, that without adequate turning provision cannot be supported.


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