PJA are providing St Modwen and the Tortworth Estate extensive highways and transport advice towards a proposed Garden Village development at Buckover in South Gloucestershire.
The development would provide 3,000 homes and up to 3,000 jobs in a new sustainable settlement to the east of Thornbury and north of Bristol.
The Tortworth Estate has considerable land holdings in the Thornbury area and has partnered with St Modwen in bringing forward a garden village which would provide a significant new development within South Gloucestershire. The village would be designed with garden village principles in mind, with a high level of sustainability provided by the complementary services and land uses of employment and retail to establish a truly self-contained settlement.
The village lies on the A38 and adjacent to the M5, presenting significant challenges in highway terms. The proposals will include significant street design changes to the A38 corridor as it passes through the new garden village. The A38 corridor acts as a diversionary route for the M5 during periods of closure so any alterations to the highway will require the retention of a certain residual capacity to allow for such occurrences.
PJA are providing considerable advice on the transport and highways impacts of such a settlement, including the provision of street designs for the A38 corridor, microsimulation of the wider transport network and detailed consideration of the impacts of the development on Junction 14 of the M5 to the northeast of Buckover.
The provision of high quality walk and cycle links within the village are essential to the proposals. The development is proposed to include extensive segregated cycleways, including the use of Dutch-style roundabout designs at key gateways.
PJA have undertaken considerable consultation and dialogue with both South Gloucestershire Council and Highways England as the Masterplan develops. In particular, options for improvements at Junction 14 are being developed in collaboration with other local site developers and HE in order to achieve a mutually agreeable solution.
A comprehensive public transport strategy will form a key part of the development proposals to provide residents and employees of Buckover with a range of sustainable travel options. PJA are currently producing extensive technical work to support the site through Joint Spatial Plan Examination process.
