Relay Slimbridge Limited appointed iTransport to provide highways and transport advice in support of a planning application for a new battery storage facility on Kingston Road, Slimbridge. The scheme forms part of the wider transition towards more resilient renewable energy infrastructure, with the facility designed to supply stored energy to the National Grid during periods of high demand or constrained generation.
The site lies on the north-western edge of Slimbridge, surrounded by agricultural land and accessed via a rural local road network. Its location brought a number of transport sensitivities into play, including narrow carriageways, constrained visibility, pinch points, on-street parking and proximity to residential properties, a primary school and a local Public Right of Way. Although the operational impact of the finished site would be minimal, the construction phase required the movement of HGVs and specialist vehicles, which made construction traffic management a key planning issue.
The client’s objective was to demonstrate that the battery storage facility could be delivered safely and with minimal disruption to the surrounding community. That meant preparing a robust, evidence-led Construction Traffic Management Plan that responded to Gloucestershire County Council’s requirements and provided confidence that local highway safety and amenity would be protected.
iTransport undertook a detailed review of existing transport conditions around the site, including a site visit, road safety review and assessment of local highway characteristics, walking and cycling facilities and nearby Public Rights of Way. This helped establish a clear understanding of the physical and operational constraints that would shape the construction strategy.
Using that evidence base, we developed a compliant access and construction strategy for the site. This included widening and surfacing of the existing farm track and provision of visibility splays in line with Manual for Streets. We also prepared swept path analysis for the range of construction vehicles expected to access the site, including articulated HGVs, tippers, concrete mixers and skip lorries, demonstrating that these vehicles could safely negotiate the local road network, the site access and the internal track arrangement.
A full Construction Traffic Management Plan was then prepared, setting out the routing strategy, delivery controls and wider environmental and operational measures needed to manage the construction phase. This included directing all HGV movements via appropriate higher-standard roads, introducing a pre-booking system so that only one HGV arrived at a time, and setting out measures to control dust, noise, vibration and working hours.
We also considered the specific requirements associated with underground cabling works, including the use of temporary traffic signals and staged closures to be agreed with the highway authority. Throughout, the focus was on balancing the practical needs of construction with the sensitivities of the local environment and community.
The Construction Traffic Management Plan gave both the Local Planning Authority and Highways Authority a clear, evidence-based framework showing that the battery storage facility could be constructed without adverse effects on the safe and efficient operation of the local highway network.
The assessment demonstrated that construction traffic demand would be relatively low, with only 75 HGV deliveries expected over a six-month programme, alongside limited daily workforce trips. Swept path analysis confirmed that construction vehicles could access the site safely, while the agreed routing strategy ensured HGVs would avoid less suitable local roads and protect nearby residential areas and sensitive links.
The wider package of management measures also helped reduce perceived risk by addressing environmental impacts such as dust, noise and vibration in a structured and proportionate way. In the longer term, the scheme established a safe permanent maintenance access for a facility that would generate very little operational traffic over its lifespan.
Overall, the CTMP strengthened the planning submission by dealing with transport issues proactively and giving consultees confidence that the construction phase could be carefully controlled.
We provide the full range of specialist transport planning services needed to take schemes from early concept through to consent and delivery
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