Policy DM28 Encouraging sustainable travel
New development will be expected to be consistent with the criteria for sustainable development set out in policy DM1, particularly in relation to reducing the overall need to travel. Cumulatively, development proposals must ensure, so far as is practicable, that they would not result in overall net growth across the city in travel by private car and that any anticipated increase in travel demand resulting from the development can be accommodated or diverted to non car modes.
To this end, consistent with their scale and location, new developments must be designed to ensure that:
a) cycle and pedestrian links and public transport corridors are incorporated to maximise the opportunity for sustainable transport, both from within the development and the wider area. Links must be an integral part of the design of the development. Where relevant, developments should take opportunities to link with, improve and enhance the strategic and local cycle network as defined within the Norwich Area Transport Strategy or any successor strategic transport planning document which may be adopted during the currency of this plan;
b) developments maximise accessibility to and permeability within the site for pedestrians, ensuring that all new pedestrian routes proposed are coherent, convenient and legible in accordance with the design and layout requirements of policy DM3. Development proposals with a river frontage to the rivers Wensum and Yare which includes the route of the Riverside Walk (as shown on the Policies map) will be required to make provision for the relevant section of the walk as part of the overall design of the development. Design in these cases should allow for bankside access for essential river bank maintenance in accordance with the advice of the Environment Agency. Where development adjoins a navigable section of the river, opportunities should be taken to provide residential and/or commercial moorings to facilitate access by water where this is appropriate and reasonably practicable to achieve;
c) cycle and pedestrian links to nearby services (including bus stops), are enhanced where necessary. This may include the provision of pedestrian crossing points. All parts of the development should have easy access to bus services and bus stops with appropriate levels of information, lighting, cycle parking (on high speed bus corridors) and other relevant services;
d) parking areas and vehicle movements do not dominate, but create convenient, safe and attractive environments;
e) travel planning is integral to the design and operation of the development, and travel plans or travel information plans are provided as part of development proposals, in accordance with the criteria and thresholds set out in appendix 3; and
f) provision is made for the inclusion of a car club parking space and car club vehicle where this is required, in accordance with the criteria and thresholds set out in appendix 3
Supplementary text
28.1 Section 4 of the NPPF (Promoting sustainable transport) is clear that planning must support a pattern of development which facilitates and promotes the use of sustainable modes of transport. Local transport policy must facilitate economic growth by taking a positive approach to planning for development but should at the same time support reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and congestion and promote accessibility through planning for the location and mix of development in a way that ensures safe and secure access for all people.
28.2 Transport and traffic management are challenging issues facing Norwich. With its largely historic network of street and roads, and little opportunity to increase capacity for private vehicle use, the emphasis in recent years has been on restraining traffic growth, minimising the need to travel in the first place and promoting alternative modes of travel to the private car and high-emission vehicles. The local context of Norwich as a densely developed urban area with a particularly sensitive historic environment means that all available opportunities must be taken to manage traffic growth and plan responsibly for sustainable travel. In terms of the NPPF, this is a reasonable and justified approach which has been given considerable emphasis through national policy in recent years. Whilst anxious to facilitate and support the growth and development that Norwich needs, the city council takes the view that a less regulated approach to transport planning would not be in the best interests of the city and would not secure sustainable development.
28.3 The JCS sets out, particularly in policy 6, the approach to be taken to travel planning within the Norwich area, and importantly embeds the approach detailed in the Norwich area transportation strategy (NATS). The ‘vision’ of NATS is to provide the highest possible level of access to enhance the economic health of the area, whilst minimising the impact on the built and natural environment by outlining the approach to improvements for sustainable transport modes, and where appropriate the development of additional road capacity.
28.4 Policy 8 of NATS is of particular relevance as this seeks to ensure that growth in demand for travel across the Norwich area is met by means other than the private car, with the aim being prevent worsening of existing congestion levels within the Norwich area as a whole. This principle is embodied in policy DM28 which requires that new development should not result in an overall increase in private car use.
28.5 To further this objective it is essential (in accordance with national policy in the NPPF) that all developments have effective access to pedestrian, cycle and bus networks to maximise travel choice, and that their design provides for this whilst creating a safe and attractive environment. JCS policies 1 and 2 require development to be designed to prioritise low impact modes of travel. This development management policy provides further detail on how these strategic policies should be implemented.
References
- NPPF, CLG, 2012: Support reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and congestion: developments that generate significant movement located where the need to travel will be minimised and the use of sustainable transport modes can be maximised; accommodate the efficient delivery of goods and supplies; consider whether safe and suitable access to the site can be achieved for all people; ensure developments that generate significant movement located where the need to travel will be minimised and the use of sustainable transport modes maximised; give priority to pedestrian and cycle movements and have access to high quality public transport facilities.
- National Planning Practice Guidance: CLG 2014, Travel plans, transport assessments and statements in decision-taking.
- JCS policy 1: Addressing climate change and protecting environmental assets.
- JCS policy 2: Promoting good design.
- JCS policy 6: Access and transportation.
- JCS policy 9: Strategy for growth in the Norwich Policy Area.
- JCS policy 11: Norwich city centre.
- JCS policy 12: The remainder of the Norwich urban area, including the fringe parishes.
- Norwich area transportation strategy (NATS).
- Transport topic paper, April 2013.
