Over several years, TPS worked alongside PCMS to provide highways advice and assistance with regard to the phased expansion of Henlow Academy, as it transitions from a middle school to a secondary school, as part of Central Bedfordshire’s Schools for the Future programme. As is often the case with school expansion projects, highways featured top of the list of concerns within the Council and the local community. Our team were asked to take a particularly robust approach to understanding the highways impact of the proposals, including re-modelling the operation of the nearby roundabout junction following each phase of development being completed. The final phase of the transition was given consent in April 2020, following the grant of successive planning applications.
On behalf of the Academy TPS have since coordinated the discharge of a number of planning conditions, working alongside one of our design partners – Lynas Engineers. This has included school Travel Plan preparation and support to the school’s senior management team to deliver this, the design of a 20mph zone on approach to the school, and the design of an extended drop-off area with associated footpath.
Our team was subsequently asked to support the planning application for the neighbouring school – Raynsford Academy – which is transitioning from a lower school to a primary as part of the same programme. Access to the school is particularly constrained and whilst we were able to readily demonstrate there would be no adverse operational impact on nearby junctions once the school expanded, the Council’s main concerns related to the construction phase. As part of the application, we undertook swept path analysis to understand the impact of construction vehicles on residents parking, in order that we might propose appropriate (temporary) mitigation.