FARNBOROUGH CIVIC QUARTER

PROJECT

RDP, bringing together Rushmoor Borough Council and development partner, Hill Investment Partnership Ltd, instructed us to support an outline planning application for a comprehensive redevelopment of the Farnborough Civic Quarter. The scheme is a mixed use, residential led development, including of up to 960 residential units and leisure centre, hotel, office, retail, commercial, healthcare, entertainment and community floorspace. It includes two mobility hubs, infrastructure and highway works and new open space and landscaping.

APPROACH

We worked with the project team to shape the masterplan with a focus on designing for people and promoting sustainable travel, in a site currently dominated by road infrastructure and several car parks.

The scheme aims to integrate the existing walking and cycling infrastructure with new and enhanced routes, including new crossings, the removal of a dual carriageway and the replacement of a gyratory with a much more compact T-junction. Improvements to the bus network and the introduction of mobility hubs would support and encourage a mode shift away from the private car, to the benefit of future occupiers of the scheme and of the wider community. Healthy Street indicators was used as a part of the evidence base.

We undertook significant stakeholder engagement with both the planning and highway authorities, bus and car clubs operators and took part in the public consultation.

We demonstrated the compliance with local policy including parking standards, and that the impact on the local junctions would be negligible or beneficial, despite the reallocation of road space to non-motorised users.

OUTCOME

A planning application was submitted, supported by our evidence base. We concluded that the proposals would have a beneficial transport impact. The application was unanimously approved at committee.