Staffordshire County Council adopted its new Highways Design Code at its cabinet meeting on Wednesday 16 September.
Prepared by PJA, the Code was developed to provide a clear and consistent approach to the design, construction and adoption of new residential streets across the county.
The Code replaces previous highways guidance and brings Staffordshire’s approach in line with current national policy and design guidance, while responding to the county’s unique character and geography.
It provides guidance for developers, designers and other professionals involved in delivering new residential streets that are intended for adoption as public highway, establishing clearer expectations from the earliest stages of the development process through to technical approval, construction and adoption.
Rather than prescribing a single approach to street design, the Code provides a framework that allows designs to respond appropriately to their context, including local circumstances, traffic volumes and the different demands placed on streets.
A key aim is to encourage earlier collaboration between planning, highways and development teams. A new deliverability check brings technical highways input into the process before planning permission is granted, helping to identify practical issues earlier and reducing the risk of significant design changes later in the development process.
The Code also considers the wider role that residential streets play as places for people, addressing matters including movement, landscaping and trees, highway drainage and sustainable drainage systems.
PJA worked with officers at Staffordshire County Council to develop the Code and establish a practical framework that can be applied consistently to new residential development across the county.
PJA’s in-house graphic design team also supported the project, developing the document template and front cover for the new Code.
The adoption of the Highways Design Code provides developers and designers with greater clarity around Staffordshire County Council’s expectations and supports the delivery of well-designed, deliverable residential streets from planning through to adoption.
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