Appeal 6008168

The appeal is allowed and planning permission is granted for a vehicular access, including a dropped kerb, at [site address] in accordance with the terms of the application, [name]/2025/0002296/HHA, subject to the following conditions:

The development hereby permitted shall begin not later than 3 years from the date of this decision.

The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans: location plan, site plan 0503, plan ‘showing the property boundary in red, plan ‘showing driveway area in black’, and plan ‘showing area for drop kerb in black’.

I have taken the description of the proposal in my banner from the application form, but in my formal decision, in the interests of clarity, I have used the shortened description in the Council’s decision.

The main issue is the effect of the proposal on the safety and convenience of highway users.

[site address] is a wide, classified urban road, lit by streetlamps, and which is subject to a 30mph speed limit. The residential properties along this stretch of it are set well back from the very gently curving carriageway, some behind driveways and areas of hardstanding. Those on its eastern side are located behind sections of pavement and a wide grass verge. There is intermittent on-street parking along this side of the road, whilst the western side is restricted by a double yellow line. Appeal Decision: 6008168

There are no bus stops, junctions, pedestrian crossings or other such highway features in the immediate vicinity of the site. Consequently, although I observed that this stretch of the road carries a reasonable volume of traffic, it is not a location characterised by complex or unpredictable vehicular and pedestrian movements.

The Council says that there would be sufficient space for vehicles to turn and enter the highway in a forward gear. Although there are a lamppost and signage close to where the dropped kerb would be located, in other regards this part of the highway is largely free from street furniture or other visual clutter. Thus, even if reversing manoeuvres would be necessary, there would be good intervisibility between drivers using the proposed access and pedestrians on the adjacent sections of pavement.

Intervisibility between drivers entering the carriageway from the proposed parking area and those proceeding southbound on [site address] could be partially restricted by on-street parking. However, the vehicular movements associated with a single dwelling would typically be very modest, and most drivers using the access would become familiar with the necessary manoeuvre, and would exercise appropriate caution.

Given the presence of established driveways along this part of [site address] , such manoeuvres would not be unexpected for road users, and I have no evidence that those existing accesses have resulted in highway incidents. Finally, although the provision of a dropped kerb would result in the loss of an on-street parking space, private parking space would be created within the site.

On the basis that drivers, pedestrians and cyclists would exercise reasonable care and attention, I am therefore satisfied that the scheme would not be significantly detrimental to the safety and convenience of highway users.

It would not therefore conflict with Policies AC1 and AC2 of the Coventry Local Plan

Amongst other things, and in broad terms, these require that proposals should not cause unacceptable highway safety problems and that they should consider everyone’s needs. Neither would it conflict with the stance in the [name] (Transport and Accessibility) Supplementary Planning Document 2018 that proposals should not be prejudicial to highway safety.

Turning to the matter of conditions, as well as the standard time limit, a condition is necessary, in the interests of certainty, requiring that the development be carried out in accordance with the approved plans.

For these reasons, and having regard to all other matters raised, the appeal is allowed.