Sustainable travel
The development proposals embrace the 15-minute neighbourhood principles ensuring that future residents live within walking or cycling distance of many facilities needed for day-to-day living, including local schools, shops, other community amenities as well as local bus stops.
The adjacent established bus network serves Birmingham, Walsall, Sutton Coldfield and surrounding local areas. Enhancements to existing bus services to be funded by the proposed development will be explored as the proposals move forward.
Designed with active travel at its heart, the development will feed into the network of walking and cycling routes already connecting the surrounding residential areas, and link upgrades will be made where appropriate. New, safe, crossing points will be provided where necessary on Chester Road and Little Hardwick Road to facilitate direct pedestrian movement, enhancing safety and encouraging active travel for everyday journeys. This will aid also in increasing social inclusion.
Within the development, the masterplan will be designed to prioritise pedestrian movements, meaning low vehicular speeds and a network of new walking and cycling routes. Pedestrian and cyclist access will be made available around the site, with vehicular access proposed from both Chester Road and Little Hardwick Road.
Access junctions and wider network
Vehicular access to the development is proposed via new junctions with Little Hardwick Road and with Chester Road. Technical work to design the access junctions is currently underway.
An assessment of the local and wider transport networks is currently underway, with a comprehensive Transport Assessment and Interim Travel Plan being prepared to form part of the outline planning submission. This assessment will include a review of baseline conditions including traffic surveys of the surrounding road network. Junction and link assessments will be undertaken using these surveys and a forecast for future network growth, with mitigation measures proposed where appropriate. Such mitigations may be in the form of road improvements and further sustainable travel measures, which would be funded by the development.
Enhancements to bus services in the local area are being explored
Active travel will be at the forefront of movement proposals for the site