Transport feasibility before you buy
A clear view of the access, transport and delivery risks before you buy, option or commit to a layout.
Before commissioning the evidence, our transport scoping service can define the study area, assumptions and tasks. Where EIA is relevant, we can coordinate screening input, ES scoping and the transport chapter with the environmental team.
Can the site work on transport grounds?
An attractive plot can depend on an access improvement, visibility across a neighbour’s land or a connection to the footway network. An early appraisal helps distinguish a manageable design task from a constraint that could change the development, its cost or the decision to proceed.
We review the proposed use, access opportunities, surrounding routes and available information. The result is a transport view of the site, with the main uncertainties made clear for the development team.
The constraints that can affect the purchase
- Whether a credible access arrangement can be achieved for the intended use.
- Visibility, road context and whether a speed survey is needed.
- Highway boundary information and potential dependence on third party land.
- Walking, wheeling, cycling and public transport opportunities and gaps.
- Likely servicing requirements and the space the layout needs to reserve.
- Potential highway works, assessment requirements and consultation steps.
Title interpretation, rights over land and enforceable agreements need to be checked by your solicitor. We can identify the transport dependencies for that review.
A practical appraisal and a route to the next decision
The agreed deliverable may be a concise note, annotated plan or access options review. It sets out the constraints, assumptions, potential responses and the further evidence needed. The quotation identifies whether a site visit, surveys, concept drawings or authority discussions are included.
Where costs for highway works are discussed, their level of confidence should be stated. A preliminary view is not a contractor’s quotation, detailed design approval or confirmation that land can be secured.
What to send us
Send the site boundary, proposed use and approximate development scale, any access sketch, previous planning history and your decision date. An estate agent’s plan can be a starting point, with its limitations made clear.
If the site moves forward, the appraisal can inform site access design, a Transport Statement or a Transport Assessment. The separate insight on when to get transport advice before purchase explains the buying decision.
Questions we get asked
What do you need for an initial appraisal?
A site boundary, location, intended use and approximate scale. Include an access sketch, existing reports and any council comments where available. We will identify the information needed to firm up the review.
Does the appraisal confirm that planning permission will be granted?
No. It identifies transport constraints, options and further evidence needed. Planning acceptability, land rights and technical approvals require their own consideration.
Is a site visit or speed survey always included?
The quote identifies whether the review is desktop based, includes a visit or needs commissioned surveys. The evidence should match the risk being tested.
Guidance checked 18 October 2026. National transport policy for England · Planning guidance on transport evidence.
The next questions to resolve
Got a site in mind?
Send us the location and what you are considering. We will set out the appraisal scope and a fixed fee.
Start with your site’s location
The relevant council guidance and evidence requirements depend on where the site is. Find transport planning advice for your area for local authority contacts and our area guides.