Active Travel England will now help deliver walking, wheeling and cycling infrastructure on all large housing developments, in a bid to enable more people to make healthier, greener and cheaper travel choices.
As of today (1 June), Active Travel England (ATE) is officially a statutory consultee on all planning applications for developments equal to or exceeding 150 housing units, 7,500 m2 of floorspace or an area of five hectares.
This will see ATE reviewing around 3,100 applications a year, equating to 60% of new homes.
The new role will enable ATE to help planning authorities in their work to implement good active travel design – for example, by ensuring developments include walking, wheeling and cycling connectivity to schools and local amenities.
The Government says building in active travel at the design stage will also help to avoid big increases in vehicle traffic and reduce the need for costly upgrades to major road junctions or other corrective action in the future.
Chris Boardman, active travel commissioner, said: “Active travel is essential to improving public health, reducing emissions and tackling the cost of living crisis. That’s why we’re working to ensure millions more people have the opportunity to walk, wheel or cycle from their doorstep to where they need to be.
“Designing activity back into our neighbourhoods and creating places where children have transport independence is achievable – it just needs smart planning.
“As a statutory consultee ATE will work with planning authorities and developers to help them ensure new estates give people what they need to get fresh air and exercise, save money on petrol and help fight climate change.”
The establishment of ATE’s statutory consultee status follows a pilot project, which saw ATE work with 30 local authorities to assess more than 60 developments over the nine months up until November 2022.
Feedback from a survey at the start of the pilot saw 80% of respondents agree ATE should have a role in the planning system.
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