Sanatorium Road

Apex Transport Planning provided transport and highways support for the redevelopment of a former industrial site on Sanatorium Road, Canton, to deliver a new affordable housing scheme within an established urban area.

The proposals comprised 35 affordable homes, including a mix of apartments and houses, delivered on a constrained brownfield site with direct frontage onto the existing highway network.

The site was previously occupied by a warehousing use and has historically generated vehicle movements onto the surrounding highway network, including servicing activity. This was therefore a key consideration within our analysis, as we demonstrated that the proposals would offer a betterment over the existing situation and would not have an unacceptable impact on the network.

Additional considerations included:

• Designing safe and appropriate access arrangements within a constrained site frontage
• Demonstrating that traffic levels associated with the proposals would be acceptable in highway terms
• Justifying a low-car, policy-compliant parking strategy in a highly sustainable location
• Ensuring the assessment remained proportionate and focused on the issues relevant to decision-makers

We prepared a Transport Statement to support the planning application, taking a measured and evidence-led approach that focused on clarity, proportionality and policy compliance.

Our assessment considered:

• The historic vehicle movements associated with the former use of the site
• The site’s strong sustainable travel credentials, including excellent access to walking, cycling and public transport networks
• A clear, policy-led parking strategy aligned with Cardiff Council guidance and Welsh Government objectives
• Safe access design supported by visibility assessments and swept-path analysis

The site’s location, close to schools, shops, employment, parks and frequent public transport services, allowed us to confidently support a low level of car parking and demonstrate that future residents would have realistic alternatives to private car use.

We worked collaboratively with the wider project team and maintained constructive engagement with the highway authority to address matters efficiently and keep the application progressing.

Planning permission was granted by Cardiff Council, with the highway authority confirming that the proposals would not result in a material impact on highway safety or the operation of the local network.

The approved scheme replaces a former industrial use with high-quality affordable housing, supports sustainable travel choices and aligns with national and local planning policy objectives.