Short answer
If you are bidding on a small site (1 to 9 homes, or a minor change of use), the desktop transport statement tells you whether highways and access will block validation, force a Transport Assessment, or load S278 and off-site costs onto the scheme, before you spend on architect fees or sign an option agreement. It screens the site against the highways adoption boundary, walkable amenity, parking standards from the Local Plan, and indicative trip generation per TRICS-equivalent benchmarks.
PF & Co produces the desktop transport layer within Site Appraisal (£199 to £399), with a fuller desktop Transport Statement included in the Pre-Application Pack (from £1,995). 48 hours from confirmed boundary and brief.
Order a Site Appraisal or See a sample report.
When a transport statement is triggered
Whether a Transport Statement is required is set by the LPA's local validation list and the county highways consultee, not by a national rule. A small developer should expect transport evidence to be asked for in cases like these:
- 5 dwellings on a plot with a new vehicular access onto a classified road.
- Change of use of a high-street unit where parking provision falls below the adopted standard.
- A small commercial unit (workshop, trade counter, micro-warehouse) with regular delivery movements.
- Access via an unadopted road, or where ransom strips may sit across the access corridor.
- Alteration of visibility splay geometry at an existing access.
A Transport Assessment is the formal, modelling-led report for larger schemes. It is produced by a chartered transport engineer, signed under professional indemnity, and typically includes junction modelling and modal split analysis. A Transport Statement is the smaller-scheme equivalent: narrative-led, proportionate to a minor application. Some non-major schemes can still need TA-level work where the access is sensitive, and some majors are scoped down by the highways officer. The desktop layer identifies which route applies before you commission the engineer, and that single decision typically moves consultant-cost exposure on the scheme by £8,000 to £30,000 (indicative range, scheme dependent).
What our desktop transport statement covers
| Input we analyse | Source | Buyer-facing output |
|---|---|---|
| Highway adoption status | LPA and county adopted highway map | Pass/fail on adopted access; flag if private street works likely |
| Existing access geometry | OS MasterMap and aerial imagery | Annotated screenshot of the access for the planning consultant pack |
| Visibility splay at proposed access | OS geometry, standard junction visibility methodology | Pass/fail at typical 2.4m x 43m or 2.4m x 59m, with topo survey flagged where confirmation is needed |
| Walkable amenity (800m, 2km) | OS POI dataset | Sustainability narrative for the validation pack |
| Public transport accessibility | Bus stop and rail station proximity | Modal narrative; flag if PTAL-equivalent score is weak |
| Parking standards | LPA Local Plan | Required spaces vs site capacity, with shortfall flagged as a validation risk |
| Indicative trip generation | Use class, dwelling count or floor area, TRICS-equivalent benchmarks | AM/PM peak movement estimate for the highways officer |
| Cycle access | LCWIP where published | Active-travel narrative |
| Construction traffic | Highway character and access width | Abnormal-cost flag where a CTMP and wheel-wash will be needed |
Where the scheme appears to trigger a Transport Assessment threshold, the report names the next consultant needed (chartered transport engineer), an indicative fee range, and a typical timeline, so the abnormal sits in the bid model before architect fees are committed.
See what is included in our 48-hour desktop pack.
What this desktop transport statement does not replace
The desktop layer is a screening and pre-app tool. It does not replace, and is not offered as a substitute for:
- A chartered transport engineer's signed Transport Assessment under professional indemnity.
- Junction modelling using Picady, Arcady, LinSig or Vissim.
- Signal phasing analysis at controlled junctions.
- Topographical survey to confirm visibility splay levels and gradient.
- Tracking analysis for HGV, refuse and emergency vehicle access.
- Designed access drawings to highways adoption standard.
- A Section 278 Highways Act 1980 works agreement.
- A Travel Plan where the scheme requires one.
- On-site parking or speed surveys to confirm 85th percentile speeds.
Where any of these are triggered, the report names the specialist study, indicative cost range and typical timeline.
Four packs sized to four decisions
| Pack | Transport content | Decision moment | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Site Appraisal | Adoption, visibility splay, walkable amenity, parking standards, indicative trip generation | Bid or pre-screen | From £199, 48 hours |
| Feasibility Intelligence | Adds transport abnormal cost provision (S278, junction works, off-site contributions) | Pre-acquisition | From £895, 48 hours |
| Pre-Application Pack | Adds desktop Transport Statement ready for highways officer pre-app response | Pre-app meeting booked | From £1,995, 48 hours |
| Planning Intelligence Pack | Validation-list pack for the consultant submitting on behalf of the small developer | Application submission | Tailored, 48 hours |
Most small developers start with Site Appraisal. Order the Pre-Application Pack only when a Transport Statement is needed for a booked pre-app.
For sequencing across the rest of the validation list, see our guide to what reports you need for planning permission.
Send the boundary today
Send four things:
- Postcode and red-line boundary.
- Intended use class.
- Indicative dwelling count or floor area.
- Whether a new access is proposed.
You receive five things in 48 hours:
- Highway adoption status with pass/fail.
- Visibility splay screen at the proposed access.
- Parking standards check against the Local Plan.
- Walkable amenity and trip generation summary.
- Abnormal-cost flag with the next consultant named where a TA, S278 or topo survey is triggered.
£199 to walk away from a site with undeliverable access. £895 to load the S278 figure into the bid model. £1,995 to walk into pre-app with the Transport Statement ready.
Order a Site Appraisal or See a sample report.
Sources: GOV.UK planning permission guidance, GOV.UK National Planning Policy Framework, and our development land due diligence guide.