For a scheme of under ten homes, the transport evidence should be proportionate. NPPF policy TR6 asks for a Transport Statement or Assessment only where a development will generate significant amounts of movement. A handful of homes rarely does.
How much traffic does a small scheme create?
National trip rate data for new houses typically shows around five or six vehicle trips per home in a whole day, and well under one per home in the busiest hour. For nine homes, that is usually around five vehicle movements in the morning or evening peak, or one every ten to fifteen minutes. That is why the traffic impact itself is rarely the issue.
What the council will focus on
- Access. Width, visibility and the junction with the road.
- Parking. Numbers against local standards, and whether the layout works.
- Refuse and emergency vehicles. Can they get in, turn and get out?
- Walking routes. Footways to the nearest shops, school and bus stop.
- Road safety. Any pattern of collisions the scheme could make worse.
What a good note looks like
A few pages covering each of those points, with a visibility drawing and swept path drawings for the refuse vehicle. It should state the trips plainly, show the access meets the standard, and reach a clear conclusion against the policy tests. Officers appreciate brevity when it answers their questions.
When it needs more
- The access is onto a fast or busy road
- There is a collision cluster nearby
- Walking routes are missing or unsafe
- The council’s own validation list asks for a Transport Statement at a lower threshold
Check the local validation list, and if in doubt ask the highways officer before commissioning anything. It is the cheapest way to avoid paying for evidence nobody needs.
General information, not advice on a specific site. Policy and guidance correct as of October 2026.