| Client | University of Warwick |
|---|---|
| Turley office | Birmingham |
| Status | Planning permission granted |
| LPA | Coventry City Council |
Leading the way in intelligent vehicle research
Our role
- As part of our ongoing appointment as planning advisors under the University of Warwick’s Estates Framework, we were subcontracted to submit a full planning application for a Connected and Automated Vehicle (CAV) Test Route on the University of Warwick campus.
- The project is being delivered on behalf of the Midlands Future Mobility (MFM) consortium, whose partners include Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) at the University of Warwick, HORIBA MIRA, AVL, Transport for West Midlands, Costain, Amey, Wireless Infrastructure Group, Coventry University, Highways England, Vodafone and Immense.
- The MFM consortium are playing a leading research role in the development of intelligent vehicle systems. The MFM route for trialling of CAM solutions offers a unique combination of campus (mini-city), urban, rural and highways roads (200+ miles in total) linking Birmingham and Coventry, on which trials can be supported.
- Our role included advising on the suitability of the campus section of the route, addressing its impacts on ancient woodland, ecology and flood risk for example, and ensuring the benefits associated with new technologies, sustainable travel and economic investment were fully captured.
Results
- We provided planning advice and support throughout the inception and planning application stages of the campus route project, which will continue throughout its delivery.
- We undertook pre-application scoping with Coventry City Council, led on the preparation and submission of a full planning application, and ensured a timely, deliverable planning consent, which enabled construction to begin in autumn 2020.
- Once open, the campus CAV Test Route will complement the MFM wider network across the West Midlands region as part of the Midlands Future Mobility initiative.