Planning – Application Comments

Consultation Date: Fri 31 Oct 2025

Consultation Date: Fri 31 Oct 2025

Comment Date: Mon 24 Nov 2025

PLYMOUTH CITY COUNCIL CONSULTEE COMMENTS FOR A PLANNING APPLICATION.

APPLICATION SUMMARY
PLANNING APPLICATION: 25/01401/MOR
ADDRESS: 106 Fort Austin Avenue Plymouth PL6 5NP
DESCRIPTION: Pre-application for development comprising 9no. dwellinghouses

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: 21st November 2025

COMMENTS:
The Local Highway Authority (LHA) would not wish to raise any in principle objections regarding this pre-application enquiry for the development of the green-filed application site with dwellings. With a new access created to serve the site from the Classified Fort Austin Avenue.

This pre-application proposes the development of the green-field site with nine in number dwelling houses. Comprise of eight in number 3-bedroom semi-detached dwellings, plus one in number 5-bedroom dwelling at the end of the street. As shown on the accompanying 'Proposed Layout Plan -L0040-003'.

This pre-application describes the site and its setting and seeks council comments on the proposal and the indicative site plan, including for the purpose of identifying key planning issues. With an intention of submitting a future outline application with all matters reserved.

Any planning application would need to demonstrate satisfactory access/egress for all users, including adequate forward visibility along Fort Austin Avenue (as mentioned in the application details), where to preserve forward visibility on-street parking restrictions may need to be considered. Intervisibility along the front boundary between pedestrians walking along Fort Austin Avenue, and an emerging vehicle, would also need to be considered and demonstrated.

The indicative cul-de-sac access road shown is considered incomplete and improperly formed, with about the first three quarters of the length of the formal access road stopping at the sixth dwelling. Thereafter, the access road and the turning head is unacceptably shown as an informal layout arrangement that lacks the necessary clearance margins, and with the 'Y' shaped turning head apparently slightly undersize. Whilst the north arm of the Turning Head unsatisfactorily appears to be part of private frontage of the 5-bed dwelling at the end of the street, and likely to be used as private parking. As the access is from a Classified Road, it is essential that an adequate Turning Head that clearly forms part of the public street would be provided and always available for use and not blocked by parked cars. Furthermore, to afford safe pedestrian movements a short length of footway would need to be provided leading into the site from Fort Austin Avenue on the west side of the proposed access road along with a dropped kerb pedestrian crossing point.

The proposal includes a garage for each property but because garages are not used for parking, they cause a parking shortfall, in accordance with current guidance they can be discounted as parking spaces. Therefore, Carports are preferred and given the situation and constraints of this site should in this case be provided in place of the garages. Or, alternatively, the garages removed from the proposal and replaced with open driveway (hardstanding) parking spaces. There would be particular concern over the need to provide three convenient open car parking spaces that would always be available for use to serve the five-bedroom house, to prevent very real concern that overspill car parking would block the Turning Head.

SUMMARY:
Currently, the proposed garage car parking, along with the layout and geometry shown for the end of the access road and the turning head would be unsatisfactory. Along with particular concern over the proximity and relationship between the Turning Head, and the private frontage and parking spaces at the five-bedroom property there, where due to a lack of clear severance the two appear to merge into each other.

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

Comment Date: Fri 21 Nov 2025

Fort Austin Avenue EDG25.001.FRSR-047.pdf

Comment Date: Wed 12 Nov 2025

The Housing Delivery Team support the proposal for housing development on this site.

Should the applicant submit a full planning application, Policy DEV9 requires that at least two of the houses be built to M4(2) Building Regulations standard.

The DEV7 requirement for affordable housing is not triggered as the proposal is for less than 11 homes. We believe that the density proposed is a good use of the site considering its constraints so do not believe the requirement has been artificially avoided.