Growing Baldock sustainable urban extension

The challenge

Prior to ITP’s involvement, Urban & Civic had submitted a planning application for new homes, employment, leisure, education and community uses across four allocated sites around Baldock. A new strategic link road was proposed between two of the primary routes in the town. 

The modelling supporting the application was based on conventional assumptions around travel behaviours and traffic growth, and suggested that the development would result in significant impacts on local roads and on the nearby strategic road network. This was compounded by the existing traffic using Baldock as a through-route, especially when the adjacent A1(M) becomes congested.

The solution

Urban & Civic appointed ITP to develop a new Mobility Vision, recognising the highly connected location of the sites adjacent to Baldock train station, existing communities and the town centre. 

The Mobility Vision demonstrated the opportunity and set out an Active and Sustainable Modes Strategy, supporting ambitious levels of mode shift both for future residents and existing communities in Baldock. This adopted the vision-led approach of enabling everyday trips by walking, wheeling and public transport first, before considering the residual car-borne journeys. We worked closely with the masterplanners, David Lock Associates, to develop an appropriate design solution for the link road which ensures its movement function is better balanced against its place function. 

The strategy was supported by a comprehensive evidence base, including a significant data collection exercise, audits, and case studies of best practice at other sustainable developments around the UK and Europe.

The result

Through collaborative and positive engagement  Hertfordshire County Council, North Hertfordshire District Council, Active Travel England and National Highways, ITP gained consensus on the sustainable mobility potential of the four sites. Delivery of the Mobility Vision and design interventions are likely to result in significant numbers of people making day-to-day journeys by sustainable modes, and fewer people who are dependent on their cars, compared with the initial proposals.

ITP have been retained to prepare a new outline planning application for the development. We are developing a Transport Assessment and Travel Plan, including:

• Mobility vision
• Active modes and Public transport strategies
• Parking strategy
• Local and strategic modelling 
• Monitor and manage strategy