Planning – Application Comments

Comment Date: Fri 28 Nov 2025

PLYMOUTH CITY COUNCIL CONSULTEE COMMENTS FOR A PLANNING APPLICATION.

APPLICATION SUMMARY
PLANNING APPLICATION: 25/01375/MOR
ADDRESS: 32, Lockington Avenue, Plymouth PL3 5QG
DESCRIPTION: Pre-application for the erection of 6 dwellings

CASE OFFICER: Emily Godwin (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: 28th November 2025

COMMENTS:
Local Highway Authority (LHA) comments for a pre-application proposal for the erection of six new dwellings on the donor garden plot at number 32, Lockington Avenue. To be located to the south of the single existing dwelling to be retained.

The donor dwelling is served by a private driveway with forward visibility splays in Lockington Avenue, which would be utilised as a shared access to serve the existing and the new dwellings.

The application details have considered the location and local conditions including, access/egress, visibility splays, local traffic flows and speeds, the internal road layout, and car parking.

It is considered the existing surrounding local street layout, traffic flows, and speeds, would be able to satisfactorily accommodate the small increase in traffic movements from the additional six dwellings proposed at the donor site.

The proposed new access road to serve the new development would be formed by widening and continuing the existing driveway, for about 85 meters uphill from the entrance along the west side of the garden plot, with the gradient expected to vary from 1:17 at the entrance, to up to 1:10 over a short distance. The proposed turning head at the end of the street is currently undersize to properly accommodate service vehicles. Due to the constraints of the long narrow site and the topography, the proposed new access road is intended to be a shared-surface (reduced width) street with only 5.5 metres of usable width, with a 0.5-metre-wide clearance margin along the west boundary (6.0-metres-wide overall).

When compared to best practice standards for a street with dwellings along one side only, the useable width of the proposed shared space street at 5.5 metres wide is undersized by 1.3 metres. Whilst considered adequate width for a private driveway to serve the proposed development of seven dwellings including the donor dwelling, it would be considered inadequate for a public street.

By comparison, a standard shared surface street needs to have a distinctly different surface that is generally block paving, and should delineate between adequate defensible pedestrian space, and vehicle space. A 2.0m wide corridor is generally provided below the pedestrian space to accommodate underground services. With space for vehicles of 4.8-metres-wide, below which the foul and surface water drainage would run. Provision for Street lighting is provided within the envelope of the street.

Car parking provision, although constrained, is proposed in accordance with the Councils planning standards.

The City Council refuse collection only picks up refuse from the kerbside, although occupiers should not be required to transport their refuse for more than 30 metres. But, as discussed, this would only be achieved if the new access road was of a sufficient standard to be adopted as public highway.

In conclusion
Whilst the LHA would not wish to raise any objections in principle to the proposed development of the garden plot with six new dwellings, it considers the site and the proposed access road very constrained. Although the access arrangement would provide an adequate single surface private driveway or road to serve the development, overall there would be insufficient space and utility to meet the standards of a public street (although this is not a material planning consideration). As a private street, if a management company were to be set up prior to any work starting, then it would qualify to be exempted from the usual Advance Payment Code requirement.


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