POLDEN BOWER SEN SCHOOL, BRIDGWATER

CLIENT
Somerset County Council

SECTORS
Education

LOCATION
Bridgwater

PLANNING AUTHORITY
Sedgemoor District Council

HIGHWAY AUTHORITY
Somerset County Council

PROJECT TEAM
AWW
AECOM
Alder King

PROJECT MANAGER
Simon Moody

PROJECT DIRECTOR
James Darrall

PROJECT

We were instructed by Somerset County Council to support a major hybrid planning application comprising full details for a new two-storey SEN School creating 160 school places and outline details for up to 38 dwellings on land off Bower Lane, Bridgwater. The new bespoke SEN school allows Somerset County Council the opportunity to expand and replace their existing Elmwood and Penrose schools.

APPROACH

We were initially instructed to undertake a transport feasibility study to inform the suitability of the site. Subsequently, we prepared supporting documentation, including a Transport Assessment and Travel Plan to support the planning application. The methodology and inputs into the Transport Assessment were agreed with the local highway authority through pre-application discussions. The scope of work included the formulation of comprehensive Travel Plan measures to encourage the uptake of sustainable travel, the design of vehicular access arrangements, onsite parking layout, trip generation and distribution calculations and capacity analysis of the local transport network.

Our input included liaison with key local stakeholders including Somerset County Council and Sedgemoor District Council.

OUTCOME

Planning approval was secured in May 2019. The SEN school is currently under construction and is due to open for students in January 2021.