2.9 Quality Audits

2.9.1 The Quality Audit Process

Quality Audits are a three-stage process, echoing the stages of the Road Safety Audits. They are required for all developments with 50 dwellings or more, and may be necessary for smaller developments if particular design issues are identified.

The Quality Audit process should include a review of the pedestrian and cycle facilities within the site and how they link into the wider network to provide access to employment, education, healthcare and leisure destinations. This is to ensure that developments are not designed in isolation, but are connected successfully with the local community. The desire-lines of pedestrians and cyclists from all parts of the development should be considered. Access to public transport should be appraised to ensure good connections to neighbouring towns and regional centres.

Each stage of the Quality Audit should include the appropriate Road Safety Audit, providing a detailed and impartial appraisal of the proposed road network, including any alterations to existing roads. It should consider the interaction between vehicles and all other road users with regard to balancing the potential risks against their likelihood, and fully considering all design aspects such as visibility, speed control, pedestrian and cycle crossing points. Particular attention should be paid to the experiences of people with mobility, visual and hearing impairments, and other disabilities.

A typical audit includes the following elements:

audit of visual quality
review of how the development will be used by the community
Road Safety Audit
inclusive access audit (walking and wheeling)
cycling audit
public transport audit

Stage 1 Quality Audit

The Stage 1 Quality Audit should be included in the Transport Assessment and submitted at an early stage in the Planning process. Reference should be made to the principles of Designing Streets and the SCOTS National Roads Development Guide.

Following submission of the initial Quality Audit we may require changes to the development layout and design before we are in a position to support the Planning Application. Alternatively or additionally, we may recommend additional Planning Conditions and, where necessary, S75 contributions.

Stage 2 Quality Audit

A Stage 2 review of the Quality Audit will take place when the RCC application is made and further changes to the layout and design features may be required.

Stage 3 Quality Audit

Prior to the Adoption of the roads, the Qualtiy Audit will be reviewed and the developer may be required to implement additional measures to resolve any issues which have become evident.

Note: These webpages are for reference by developers of housing and employment sites in East Lothian. 
They provide guidance on transport infrastructure against which Planning Applications will be assessed 
and evaluated, and set out East Lothian Council's procedures regarding the construction and adoption of 
new roads in accordance with current legislation. 
These pages supersede all previous versions of our Standards for Development Roads document. 

Revisions 
01/07/2023 Document release