The wording and approach to assessing ‘enhanced’ amenities in the technical manual is incorrect. The Aim of this assessment issue is, ‘To maximise the potential for people to choose public, active and lower-emission private transport by providing the site with convenient, sustainable options.’
In line with this intent, an ‘enhanced amenity’ should be referred to as an additional amenity, as it must provide an additional compliant amenity resulting from the development. If a development provides an amenity to replace an existing amenity, regardless of whether there is a qualitative enhancement or change of amenity type, this must be considered as an existing amenity.
Furthermore, an additional amenity provided by the development may only be considered as such where there is a net increase in the number of compliant amenities resulting from the development.
The updated guidance can be found below:
Option 10 – Additional amenities:
Provide compliant additional amenities within less than or equal to 500 m of the building entrance.
M4.2: Additional amenities
Two or three points can be awarded for providing additional amenities ≤ 500 m via a safe pedestrian route.
If additional amenities duplicate the services provided by existing amenities, this is still recognised. This is because duplicate amenities still create additional choices for users in terms of services offered and location.
If a development provides an amenity to replace an existing amenity, regardless of whether there is a qualitative enhancement or change of amenity type, this must be considered as an existing amenity.
A new amenity provided by the development may only be considered as ‘additional’ where there is a net increase in the number of compliant amenities resulting from the development.
2 points: at least one additional amenity
3 points: two or more additional amenities
This will be updated in the next reissue of the technical manual.
