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REPORT OF THE STRATEGIC DIRECTOR OF SUSTAINABLE
REGENERATION
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TO THE PLANNING AND TRANSPORTATION REGULTAORY PANEL
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TITLE: THE NEW WALKDEN HIGH SCHOOL: TRAFFIC IMPACT
MITIGATION MEASURES AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
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RECOMMENDATION:
That the Panel note the contents of the report and are mindful of its content
when making formal decisions on relevant matters that require statutory
approval.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
When planning permission was granted for the new Walkden High School
(Planning Permission Ref: 09/57783/FUL), the Planning and Transportation
Regulatory Panel required that:
“the Strategic Director for Sustainable Regeneration submit (a) a report, at the
earliest opportunity, addressing the traffic issues which have been identified in
the vicinity of the High School described in 09/57783 above and (b) a report,
at the appropriate time, on the operation of the liaison machinery which is to
be established to ensure community involvement in the operation of the
school.”
In accordance with the Panel’s resolution, this report is intended to update the
Panel on measures to mitigate the school’s traffic impact and how local
residents have been actively engaged in the project as a whole.
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BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS: Urban Vision Report – Walkden High
School Highways Improvements (Appendix 1)
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DETAILS:
1.
Background
When planning permission was granted for the new Walkden High School on
03 September 2009 (Planning Permission Ref: 09/57783/FUL), the Planning
and Transportation Regulatory Panel required that:
“the Strategic Director for Sustainable Regeneration submit (a) a report, at the
earliest opportunity, addressing the traffic issues which have been identified in
the vicinity of the High School described in 09/57783 above and (b) a report,
at the appropriate time, on the operation of the liaison machinery which is to
be established to ensure community involvement in the operation of the
school.”
In accordance with the Panel’s resolution, this report is intended to update the
Panel on measures to mitigate the school’s traffic impact and how local
residents have been actively engaged in the project as a whole.
Construction of the new school building is nearing completion and
landscaping and works to playing pitches is well underway. The new school
will open in September 2011.
2.
Traffic Mitigation
In accordance with the planning permission for the new school, an extensive
package of off-site highway works to improve highway safety and help
address residents concerns has been developed with colleagues in Urban
Vision. A new school travel plan is also being developed by a newly formed
School Travel Plan Steering Group.
Off-site Highway Works
Soon after planning permission was granted, the council’s BSF team
commissioned Urban Vision to design a scheme focused on the following
objectives:
o Enhancing and enlarging the existing school bus stops and lay-by on
Birch Road
o Installation of new raised crossings to aid the safe passage of pupils to
the new school from the off-site school bus stops
o Introduction of measures to slow and calm traffic
o Introduction of physical measures to discourage nuisance parking
Having engaged local residents in developing a package of traffic calming and
management interventions around the new school, permission is being sought
from the Planning and Transportation Regulatory Panel on 21 April 2011 to
progress the scheme by initiating the statutory processes to secure the
necessary highways orders.
A detailed report by Urban Vision describing the scheme and explaining how
local residents’ involvement has influenced design development is provided in
Appendix 1. It should be noted that the works being proposed are far more
extensive than originally envisaged in the Transport Assessment that formed
part of the planning application.
New School Travel Plan
A School Travel Plan Steering Group has been established and the
development of a new travel plan is well underway. Members of the Steering
Group include school governors, the School Business Manager, the council’s
Travel Plan Co-ordinator and, importantly, four local residents. The Steering
Group have on various occasions sought input from colleagues in Transport
and Network Management to ensure the emerging plan is aligned with
planned developments to transport infrastructure such as improvements to the
loop line (pedestrian and cycle route) that runs along the southern boundary
of the new school site and the Leigh Guided Busway proposals. In addition to
the package of off-site highways works, additional measures being considered
and developed include the preparation of a leaflet for pupils and parents
promoting sustainable travel modes and highlighting the measures put in
place to minimise the traffic impact on the local community.
A planning condition was attached to the planning permission for the new
school that requires a final travel plan to be submitted to and approved in
writing by the local planning authority within six months of the new school
opening. The School Travel Plan Steering Group is however aiming to have
adopted an approved new travel plan when the new school opens in
September 2011.
Finally, local Traffic PCSOs regularly attend the resident’s liaison meetings
and have committed to offer vital enforcement support to help tackle problems
of nuisance parking when the new school opens.
3.
Community Involvement
Local residents have been actively engaged in the project since construction
began on site. They have been involved in the development of the off-site
highway works proposals, the formation and ongoing membership of the
School Travel Plan Steering Group, invited to and attended regular resident’s
liaison meetings and have all been given a 24-hour contact number to
address any construction related issues arising.
Very soon after construction began on site, regular residents’ liaison meetings
were quickly established and have become the main forum for community
engagement and involvement. A website with dedicated community sections
has also been provided at: www.salfordandwiganbsf.co.uk
In addition to the work undertaken in-house, the council’s construction partner
Laing O’Rourke Construction North has also employed dedicated community
liaison staff that take calls and e-mails from the public and lead on the coordination of solutions to construction related problems raised by the public.
Given the strength of residents concerns about the traffic impact of the new
school many residents’ liaison meetings have focused on discussing and
identifying potential solutions to traffic impact and nuisance parking. This
early and ongoing dialogue has helped ensure local residents have strongly
influenced the development of the proposals from the outset. Local Traffic
PCSOs attend residents’ meetings to helpfully provide enforcement support
and advice.
An initial draft highways works scheme was presented to residents in
September 2010 and following that draft plans and consultation letters were
sent to 272 homes in October 2010. Eight relevant written consultation
responses were received. The Urban Vision report in Appendix 1 provides a
summary of the issues raised in the consultation and how they have
influenced design development.
A further resident’s meeting focused solely on the proposed highways works
is scheduled to take place in May after the elections where we will explain
how we have responded to the issues raised during the consultation. This
meeting is being programmed to coincide with the statutory highways order
consultation, assuming Panel approve the initiation of that process.
As the construction of the new school is nearing completion, the focus of
residents’ meetings is beginning to move towards operational matters when
the new school opens. We have therefore arranged for the PFI facilities
management company to attend a future meeting(s) to respond resident’s
questions. Prior to the completion of the school local residents will be given
contact details for the school, the facilities management provider and Salford
Community Leisure who will be managing community use of the school’s
sports facilities.
Finally, as the development of travel plans are an ongoing, iterative process
the School Travel Plan Steering Group will continue to meet and review the
performance of the initial travel plan after the new school opens. Local
residents’ membership of the group will ensure the community remains
involved in addressing school travel related issues.
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KEY COUNCIL POLICIES: Unitary Development Plan and Statement of
Community Involvement
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CONTACT OFFICER: Daniel Hewitt
TEL. NO. 0161 778 0278
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WARD(S) TO WHICH REPORT RELATE(S):
Walkden South
APPENDIX 1:
Urban Vision Report – Walkden High School Highways Improvements
Final UV Walkden
Briefing Paper.doc
Appendix A.pdf
Appendix B.pdf