Outdoor activity centres and paintballing.
Activity centres bring groups at set session times, often by minibus. We assess sessions and events, and design an access that suits the vehicles they bring.
Main guide: Transport Statements
Paintballing, high ropes, water sports, fishing lakes and off-road venues are usually in rural locations. The council’s questions are about the lane, the access and peak days.
What the council focuses on
Session times and group sizes, minibus and coach access, vehicles with trailers, parking, competitions and events, and the suitability of the approach roads.
The evidence that answers it
- A booking pattern with maximum session sizes.
- Parking demand and layout.
- Access visibility and lane assessment.
- Event and competition management where relevant.
Fishing lakes and motorsport
Fishing lakes see early and late visits with long stays. Motorsport and off-road venues bring trailers and event traffic. We tailor the assessment to each.
What the application usually needs
- A Transport Statement based on session bookings.
- Parking for cars and minibuses.
- Access visibility and a lane assessment.
- Swept paths for vehicles with trailers.
- An event management plan.
A typical case
A typical case is a paintballing site in woodland, with groups arriving for morning and afternoon sessions. The council asks about minibuses on the lane. We use bookings to show group sizes and session times, design a car park with minibus drop-off, and improve visibility at the access.
Technical points
Activity centres work in sessions, so arrivals concentrate before each start. Fishing lakes bring long stays with early starts. Motorsport and off-road venues bring trailers and event traffic, often needing an event plan.
School groups and corporate events often arrive by coach or minibus, which reduces car trips but needs a turning area and drop-off point near the reception. For venues used by the public, we show the maximum number of people on site per session and the parking needed. Where activities take place across a large site, internal tracks and emergency access are also checked.
If highways raise concerns
Concerns usually relate to minibuses and trailers on rural lanes. Booking data, passing places and access improvements usually resolve them.
Conditions limiting session sizes or event numbers can also give officers confidence.
How we help
We prepare a proportionate transport statement and access design.
The same questions arise in Scotland and Wales, where they are assessed against NPF4 and Scottish guidance or Planning Policy Wales and TAN 18 rather than the NPPF.
To get a quote, send us:
- The site address or a location plan.
- The activity, session times and maximum group sizes.
- The access and approach roads.
- Any pre-application advice or highways comments you already have.
Questions we get asked
Does paintballing need a Transport Statement?
Usually a short statement covering sessions, parking and the access.
How do you assess fishing lakes?
By numbers of pegs and visit patterns.
What about motorsport events?
We prepare an event traffic management plan.
Can a narrow lane take minibuses?
We assess passing places and visibility.
Can you help with water sports centres?
Yes, including trailers and boat launches.
Related guidance.
Related services: Transport Statements · Site access design · Swept path analysis.
Guidance and sources
- GOV.UK: National Planning Policy FrameworkEngland. National policy on transport in planning decisions.
- GOV.UK: Travel Plans, Transport Assessments and StatementsEngland. Planning guidance on proportionate transport evidence.
Sources checked 8 November 2026. General information, not advice on a specific site.
Got a site in mind?
Send us the location and what is proposed. We will tell you what the council is likely to ask for, with a fixed fee.