Local Planning Authorities are required to consult the Scottish Government where a planning application would result in an alteration of access to the trunk road network or lead to an increase in the volume or type of traffic entering or leaving a trunk road.
Transport Scotland is an agency of the Scottish Government and is responsible for the management and maintenance of Scotland's trunk road and motorway network. The primary purpose of this network is to provide for the safe and efficient movement of long distance through traffic. This means strictly limiting the number of direct accesses onto trunk roads and ensuring the full implications of development proposals on traffic and road safety are taken into account.
Transport Assessment
The developer will generally be required, particularly with regard to major developments, to undertake a transportation assessment. This should be prepared in accordance with the Scottish Government's publication "Guide to Transport Assessment in Scotland". This assessment should identify the accessibility of the proposed development site by all modes and determine what, if any, mitigation is required. It is likely that any requirements for mitigation will be dealt with by either the use of planning conditions on any consent granted, or legal agreement (possibly a Section 75).
The applications that Transport Scotland are currently considering are available on our website and can be viewed by local authority/ national park areas.
The standards that are required for trunk roads are contained in the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB). Where possible it will be expected that applications will meet or surpass these standards.
Legal Requirements
The Planning Authority is required to consult the Scottish Government under Article 15(1) of the Town and Country Planning (General Development Procedure) (Scotland) Order 1992 before granting planning permission in certain cases including for any development within 67 metres of a trunk road, where the development includes the formation, laying out or alteration of any means of access to a trunk road and where a development is likely to increase the volume or type of traffic entering or leaving a trunk road. This consultation is referred to Transport Scotland the Scottish Government agency and where there is any doubt over the potential impact of a development proposal on the trunk road network Transport Scotland should be consulted.
Transport Scotland encourages early discussions with regard to development proposals and the requirements to determine their potential impact on the trunk road network. This will allow the nature and scale of transport interventions required to be identified.
Sustainable Development
The planning system guides the future development and use of land in the long term public interest to ensure that development and changes in land use occur in suitable locations and are sustainable. The planning system and the compliance with its associated policies and guidance are critical in delivering Transport Scotland’s commitment to a more sustainable, effective, integrated transport system.
Development proposals require to comply with current planning policy and guidance regarding sustainable development. Particularly relevant policy and advice is set out in:
Guidance on Transport Scotland’s role within the development management process which is intended to assist all parties involved in the process is detailed in Transport Scotland’s publication “Development Management Guidance – March 2007".
