Civil Engineering Support for the Change of Use of Existing Agricultural Buildings and Yard Space to Mixed Commercial Use.

Berrys provided Civil Engineering services to support the retrospective change of use of existing agricultural buildings and yard space to mixed commercial use at Upper Lacon Farm, Prees, near Whitchurch. For a number of years, the client had run a number of commercial units from their farmstead. Accordingly, Berrys provided Civil Engineering support including a Transport Statement, access design, Flood Risk Assessment and Drainage Strategy to regularise the mixed commercial uses operating from the site.

How We Approached The Project

Following our initial review, it was apparent that the existing farm access and access route was not capable of accommodating two-way heavy traffic movements. Some of the commercial uses across the site generate intensive heavy traffic movements, and as such result in an intensification of use of the access over the permitted agricultural use. We therefore provided clear, upfront advice to the client that the proposals would need to include improvements to the existing access arrangements in order to ensure a smooth ride through planning.

We prepared an access design to accommodate large HGVs, in addition to the provision of passing places along the access route. This was supported by a vehicle swept path assessment, and access visibility splay assessment, to demonstrate the suitability of the improved access arrangements.

Working closely with the appointed planning consultant to devise the most suitable approach, the retrospective changes of use were dealt with under 3 separate planning applications. Accordingly, we provided a single Transport Statement report to support each of the individual applications. The traffic movements generated by each application were presented separately, and the cumulative impacts assessed against the permitted agricultural use of the buildings. This required bespoke ‘first principles’ traffic calculations due to the mixed uses at the site. We were able to demonstrate to the Local Highway Authority that the proposals could be safely accommodated on the local highway network, with the access improvements we designed. This application has secured local employment and start-up business opportunities within the local area.

How We Achieved The Project

A Drainage Strategy report was required to support the proposed changes of use. We investigated the existing surface water and domestic foul sewage systems provided against the local and national regulatory requirements. Through this process we advised our client of their various environmental responsibilities when managing the site and drainage systems.

Due to the site area being greater than 1 hectare, as Flood Risk Assessment (FRA) was also required to support the planning applications. All foreseeable sources of flood risk were reviewed against the source, pathway, receptor model. This required a review of local surface water flood risk issue present, which was reviewed against the proposed land use. We were able to demonstrate that the proposed site uses were acceptable against the level of flood risk posed.