Wild Rose Cottage, St Nicholas

Apex Transport Planning provided transport planning and highways advice to support a full planning application for a holiday accommodation scheme at Wild Rose Cottage, St Nicholas.

The proposals comprised the conversion of existing buildings and the introduction of small scale holiday accommodation within a rural setting, supported by on site parking, servicing arrangements and sustainable tourism measures.

The site is accessed from Duffryn Lane, a narrow rural lane with limited width and constrained geometry. A key challenge was therefore how walking and cycling movements could connect to the site safely.

A further challenge was demonstrating that the site could be appropriately accessed and that the internal layout could safely accommodate larger vehicles, including caravans, service vehicles and emergency vehicles.

We prepared a Transport Statement to support the planning application, focusing on access geometry, vehicle movements, on site turning provision and highway safety.

A site access drawing was produced to support the planning application, which demonstrated visibility could be achieved in accordance with recorded vehicle speeds. Swept path analysis was used to inform the design and demonstrate that the access could accommodate emergency vehicles and caravans.

We provided input to the internal layout to ensure that adequate turning space was provided for a fire tender within the site. This confirmed that vehicles could enter, manoeuvre and exit in a forward gear, addressing a key concern for the highway authority.

In relation to sustainable access, a detailed assessment of the width and geometry of Duffryn Lane was undertaken. This demonstrated that the route is suitable for shared use by pedestrians and vehicles, enabling a walking connection to the village to the north. The site was also shown to be accessible by cycle, with a cycle hire scheme incorporated into the development to support sustainable travel choices.

The assessment also considered parking provision, cycle parking and electric vehicle charging provision.

Planning permission was successfully granted in May 2023, confirming that the proposed holiday accommodation could operate safely and acceptably in transport and highway terms.

The approved scheme enables the delivery of a well considered rural tourism development, supported by safe access arrangements, appropriate on site turning provision for emergency vehicles and a transport strategy that responds to the constraints of the rural highway network.