Active Travel England has a role in the planning system as a statutory consultee for development management via Schedule 4 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015.
Active Travel England works alongside local planning authorities to ensure new infrastructure and developments are designed with active travel at the forefront. This includes providing provision for high quality cycling and walking networks, green spaces and green routes, and supporting facilities such as cycle parking.
Our work complements Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans by local authorities and the work of local consultees, including the public.
Development management
Since Thursday 1st June 2023, Active Travel England (ATE) has officially been a statutory consultee on all planning applications for developments equal to or exceeding:
- comprising of 150 homes or more
- more than 7,500 square metres in size
- an area of at least five hectares
As a statutory consultee, ATE works to ensure new planning applications consider active travel provision from the outset.
Pre-application engagement
Active Travel England will be offering pre-application advice on a limited number of strategic development proposals in the second part of 2024, to understand the resource implications ahead of a wider roll out of this service. We will provide further updates in due course.
Local plans
We are currently undertaking an independent one-year review of Active Travel England’s role in planning. This includes scoping out opportunities for ATE’s involvement in local plans in the future. More information on the review will be available in autumn 2024.
Planning policy and local planning
Guidance on how to submit pre-application enquiries and how to comment on a planning application will be published in 2024.
Guidance and documents
Planning for active places
A masterplan providing development guidance to design accessible walking, wheeling and cycling environments.
Sustainable development advice notes
Two advice notes have been produced to reflect the different considerations that apply within and outside of London.
Planning application assessment toolkit for local planning authorities
The toolkit allows local planning authorities to gather evidence and assess the active travel merits for a development proposal.
Development management for local planning authorities
Provides local planning authorities with clear guidance on how ATE will approach planning casework.
Inclusive mobility
A guide to best practice on improving access to public transport and creating a barrier-free pedestrian environment.
