PJA was appointed by Inland Homes to provide advice and assess the impact regarding the redevelopment of the Randalls department store on Vine Street in Uxbridge.
The proposals included the retention and enhancement of the existing Grade II listed Randalls building, converting the upper floors to residential use whilst retaining retail and leisure uses on the ground floor. In total 58 residential units and 750 sqm of commercial spaces was provided.
Throughout the life of the project, PJA supported the wider vision to retain, re-purpose and enhance the listed building to improve local streetscape and encourage footfall along the town centre street.
The Transport Statement prepared by PJA demonstrated the sustainable location of the site using ArcGIS software and identified opportunities to link the site with existing local amenities as well as pedestrian and cycle infrastructure in the vicinity of the site. PJA advised on dedicated pedestrian routes to and from the site, considering principal desire lines to and from Vine Street towards the town centre and public transport interchanges.
By demonstrating the site’s accessibility by public transport modes and proximity to town centre facilities, PJA successfully negotiated a car-free development with the London Borough of Hillingdon, with the exception of disabled car parking provision.
As part of the assessment, PJA advised on the layout of access to the site, demonstrating through detailed plans that the visibility splays at the proposed access arrangement represent a significant improvement on the existing situation. An analysis of highway safety and review of design guidance set out in Manual for Streets, PJA successfully argued that a reduction in visibility below recommended levels will not necessarily lead to a significant problem.
The development proposals also posed challenges regarding refuse collection and servicing at a physically constrained site. PJA liaised with LBH as part of pre-application discussions and developed a refuse collection strategy that demonstrated that the specified refuse vehicle can enter and turn within the site with servicing and deliverys for the retained retail units occurring from a new dedicated bay set into the footway.
PJA successfully conveyed the negligible transport impacts and enhanced connectivity of the site during a series of public consultation events and pre-application scoping discussions with London Borough of Hillingdon and planning consent was granted in June 2017.
