Rayners Penn

SMA supported the Full Planning Application for the sensitive redevelopment of Rayners House, Rayners Lodge, and The Gardener’s Bothy, three historic Grade II listed buildings, into a sustainable, high-end boutique hotel, with a fine dining restaurant, bistro, and cookery school, along with the erection of a Wellness Spa, garden suites and villas, new highway access, internal roads and car parking areas, landscaping and associated works.

Now approved, the scheme will transform Rayners Penn into a luxurious, yet environmentally conscious destination, balancing heritage conservation with modern hospitality needs.

Key Considerations

The nature of the site and its rural setting required a comprehensive transport strategy, that addressed a wide range of technical and operational considerations. This included:

• Accessibility: Ensuring the site is accessible for hotel guests, staff, and service vehicles, while respecting the heritage setting and rural context;
• Traffic and Parking Impacts: Assessing operational traffic flows and hourly parking demand for guests and staff, with a focus on minimising disruption to the surrounding highway network;
• Sustainable Travel: Integration of cycle parking and electric vehicle charging infrastructure in line with sustainability targets and BREEAM requirements;
• Highways Safety: Designing safe and effective highway access, supported by Road Safety Audit (RSA); and
• Construction Traffic: Managing and mitigating the impact of construction vehicles on the local network during the build phase.

SMA’s Roles and Services

SMA has provided multi-disciplinary consultancy support throughout the planning and pre-construction phases, including:

• Transport Assessment Report – A comprehensive analysis of accessibility, trip generation, and impact on the surrounding network
• Highway Access Design – Including visibility splay analysis and access refinement to meet safety and design standards
• BREEAM-Compliant Travel Plan – Promoting sustainable modes of travel for staff and guests
• Construction Traffic Management Plan (CTMP) – Addressing routing, phasing, access constraints, and impact minimisation during construction
• Section 278 Support – Assisting with technical approvals and legal agreements for off-site highway works

Outcomes and Next Steps

Following Planning approval, SMA are now continuing to provide technical support through the detailed design stage, Section 278 approvals, and the management of construction-phase transport impacts, ensuring the successful delivery of this unique development.