Client
Location
Woking
REMIT
RGP have recently been appointed by CoplanEstates, on behalf of Woking Borough Council, in support of the Woking Gateway development. The Woking Gateway scheme will complement nearby developments under construction that will rejuvenate Woking town centre and in turn make use of the town’s excellent links to London.
BACKGROUND
The scheme comprises a new, 45-storey development within Woking Town Centre. This would include in the order of 500 residential units, a hotel and various commercial units. The scheme would complement the nearby Victoria Square scheme (5,759 m² Marks and Spencer store, additional new retail units, a 190-bed four-star hotel and 391 residential units). This is currently under construction and is due for completion in 2020. RGP’s input to the Woking Gateway scheme will include all highway and transportation matters associated with the proposals.
The technical and policy approach and assumptions that underpinned the assessment presented were scoped and agreed at length with the relevant Highway Officers at the Surrey County Council and Woking Borough Council.
RGP’S APPROACH
In particular, RGP’s input will include servicing and parking arrangements for the site (including basement car park and integral servicing options) along with assessing the trip impact of the scheme on the local and wider transport network. Given the locality of the site with respect to Woking station, which provides fast and direct services to London Waterloo, the scheme is to be promoted as low-car with limited car parking provision incorporated on-site. This will maximise the developable area and will minimise construction costs. RGP are assisting in the justification for a low-car scheme through in-depth assessments of policy guidance, local car ownership levels and likely travel to work modes amongst future occupiers.
