No roads objection on Luncarty homes
Transport chiefs have been advised not to object to a massive development south of Luncarty - despite experts acknowledging it could add to problems on the busy A9.
Construction engineering consultants CH2M have told Transport Scotland not to object to A&J Stephen/I&H Brown’s proposed development despite noting it would “likely have an increased impact on the overall traffic flows” on the Perth to Inverness road in both directions.
It comes after CH2M was tasked to complete a second audit of information the two developers passed to Perth and Kinross Council planners after a transport assessment accompanying their initial “in principle” application for 650 houses failed to include traffic generation forecasts for 5ha of employment land also included within the scheme.
That assessment, which was completed for A&J Stephen/I&H Brown by consultants SYSTRA back in May, asserted: “650 units could potentially generate up to a total of 352 and 368 two-way vehicle trips during the weekday morning and evening peak hour periods, respectively.”
When CH2M audited the above assessment for Transport Scotland it said: “CH2M is of the opinion that the proposed development is unlikely to have any significant impact on the operation or safety of the A9 if the appropriate mitigation is provided.
“We would recommend that Transport Scotland offer no objection to the proposed development [subject to conditions].”
But then A&J Stephen/I&H Brown had to order SYSTRA to complete an additional traffic impact assessment as according to CH2M their initial assessment “did not address the potential impact of any employment development”.
SYSTRA’s second assessment said: “The employment uses are anticipated to generate a total of 80 and 64 two-way vehicle trips during the weekday and evening peak hour periods respectively.
“SYSTRA would conclude that 5ha of general employment use would have a minimal impact on the 650 residential units previously identified in our [initial] transport assessment ... for the site at Luncarty South with a loss of around 20 residential units anticipated in seeking to keep the proposed access junction performing within acceptable limits.”
CH2M’s latest audit note, however, says if the entire scheme is passed as proposed somewhere between 149 and 220 extra vehicles will eventually end up using each lane of the A9 every weekday morning and evening depending on which direction drivers are headed.
It says: “CH2M note that the addition of employment development and a reduction in the number of residential units ... is likely to have an increased impact on the overall traffic flows on the A9.
“However, it is also acknowledged that the 5ha of employment land is identified in the LDP and has been assessed therein.”
It then concludes: “CH2M are content that the observations and recommendations provided in the [previous] audit note ... are still applicable. CH2M recommend that Transport Scotland offer no objection to the proposed development subject to requesting the planning conditions included in the [previous] audit note be attached to any permission PKC may grant.”
The conditions CH2M recommend PKC apply to any consent for the scheme are:
No part of the development shall be occupied until a comprehensive travel plan setting out proposals for reducing dependency on cars has been submitted and approved in writing by PKC after consultation with Transport Scotland
Details of the lighting within the site shall be submitted for the approval of PKC after consultation with Transport Scotland
There shall be no drainage connections to the trunk road drainage system
The application now awaits a decision from PKC.