CAR PARKING STANDARDS
1. General aim: As a general objective the Council will normally promote
the provision of off-street parking where it is necessary. However, where
possible the Council will restrict the amount of parking spaces in
locations where there is good access to public transport. The following
notes on the use of the car parking standards should be read in
conjunction with the standards themselves. The London Planning
Advisory Committee (LPAC) has formulated a parking strategy for
London which has the long term aims of restraining the use of cars and
promoting better public transport services.
2. Maximum Standards: The standards have been changed from minimum
to maximum requirements. However, the Council will attempt to be
flexible in its requirements, taking account of the type of use and the
location of each proposal.
3. Scope of the standards: The standards apply to new buildings and to
extensions to existing buildings. Where changes of use are involved, the
standards will normally apply if the change is to a use with a higher
parking standard. In this case, the amount of parking required will be the
excess over the requirement for the previous use.
4. Floorspace definition: The reference to floorspace in all cases is to the
gross floor area; that is, including the thickness of external walls.
5. Multiple land uses: Where several land uses are included within a
scheme, the parking requirement is calculated separately for each use.
Ancillary floorspace (e.g. canteen space within a factory) is subject to the
standard for the main use.
6. Absence of a standard: The standards set out below do not cover all
land uses. Proposals for uses not dealt with below will be assessed in
relation to the capacity of the premises (i.e. in terms of the numbers of
people using the building), the proportion of visitors likely to arrive by
car, the character of the surrounding area, the likely hours of use, the
frequency of peak use and the availability of other car parking facilities
nearby.
7. Dual use: Developments designed to allow for the multiple use of
parking facilities (i.e. the use by different sections of the community at
different times) are to be encouraged. Where this can be achieved, the
parking requirements will be based on the maximum demand at any one
time.
8. Provision for people with disabilities: All developments will need to have
due regard to requirements of people with disabilities. Public buildings,
including places of learning and buildings in which people are employed,
will need to be designed to provide (within the site, close to the main
entrance and with an accessible route to it) an accessible space for cars
to set down and pick up disabled passengers. In addition, specific
parking facilities for disabled people will be required on site as part of the
overall parking requirement. Advice on access, including the quantity,
design and layout of car parking for disabled people - based on the
standards recommended by the Institution of Highways and
Transportation – is available from the Council's "Access for All" design
guidelines.
9. Loading arrangements: For the classes of use where loading, unloading
and refuse collection facilities are needed, the provision of separate
space for these purposes within the confines of each site will normally be
required, in addition to the car parking provision referred to in the
following schedule. The requirements for factories and warehouses are
specified there.
10. Refuse Collection: Residential developments will need to allow for
maximum carrying distance of 25 metres (82ft) for refuse sack collection
and a maximum level pushing distance for paladins of 9 metres (30ft).
Where these conditions cannot be achieved in relation to a vehicle
standing on the public highway, the vehicle will have to enter and turn
around within the site in accordance with arrangements which satisfy the
Council.
11. Coach traffic and emergency service vehicles: Those uses likely to
generate coach traffic (e.g. theatres, public halls, hotels, swimming
baths, sports grounds and educational establishments) should be able to
draw upon adequate facilities for the satisfactory setting down and
picking up of passengers including the manoeuvring of vehicles without
the need for reversing. Similarly, those uses which are likely to be
visited fairly frequently by emergency services' vehicles (old people's
homes etc) should include adequate arrangements for access and
manoeuvre.
12. Car park design: Each application must show how the required number
of car parking spaces are to be accommodated. All spaces should be
arranged for convenient entry and exit close to and accessible to the
development served. Large unbroken expanses of surface parking are
unattractive and to overcome this all surface car parks should be
designed with safety in mind, preferably overlooked, well-lit, suitably
screened and landscaped. A guide to the design of surface car parks is
available from the Council.
13. Parking in front gardens: The provision of car parking in front gardens
has often been carried out in an unattractive way with adverse
consequences for the local environment. A leaflet is available from the
Council giving advice on how to achieve satisfactory solutions. The
Council encourages front garden parking where gardens are large
enough to allow cars to be parked at right angles to the road, without
obstructing the pavements or pedestrian access to the house itself.
Wherever possible existing walls, hedges and trees should be retained.
"Tandem" parking arrangements will be accepted only where the parking
spaces concerned are within the control of one dwelling.
14. Planning Obligations: Funding Public & Other Transport: As a general
rule, developer contributions will be sought to secure transport
improvements sufficient to overcome any transport impact objections
arising from the development. Whilst it is desirable for developments to
be located close to the public transport network, it is recognised that for
some areas, particularly certain parts of regeneration areas,
developments attracting significant numbers of people could be
acceptable provided there are public transport improvements, in order
for the overall transport impact to be acceptable. Improvements could
take the form of new capital items such as bus, cycle and pedestrian
improvements; or revenue costs such as new or enhanced bus services
that provide links to a development. However, developer contributions
for public transport may not be an adequate substitute for a development
that is poorly located as, even after contributions, the site may not be
accessible as other sites, such as those in town centres. It needs to be
considered therefore, whether the improvements make public transport a
genuine alternative to car use such that it will significantly affect the
modal split of travel to a development.
15. Consideration will be given to extend this principle to other commercial
areas. The Council will be looking to prevent on-street parking
congestion in these centres - and to avoid the generation of 'overspill'
parking in surrounding residential areas.
16. Details of the amount to be contributed towards the cost of each space
are available on request. The amount charged will be determined on a
cost of provision basis - made up of the actual value of land in the area
together with the costs of surfacing, marking out, etc. These costs will
be subject to continuous review.
17. Dwelling conversions and parking demands: The conversion of dwellings
into self-contained flats and bedsitters has been a major contributor to
the growing problem in recent years of residents' on-street parking. To
meet this problem the Council has reviewed and revised its policy for
parking requirements in relation to dwelling conversions. Developers'
guides on dwelling conversions are available from the Council.
18. Briefly, the new policy requires the provision of 1 off-street car parking
space for each flat created except where a) below applies in which case
1 space can be waived. The resultant required number of spaces may
be waived altogether or further reduced only:
a) Where there is insufficient suitable space within the curtilage
to provide the off-street parking required; and
b) Where there is sufficient local on-street capacity to
accommodate the parking demand created and where it is
considered that on-street parking will not lead to congestion.
19. The decision as to whether sufficient suitable space exists on site will be
made against the Council's design guidelines for front garden parking.
The question of sufficient local on-street parking capacity is based on an
assessment of parking demand within a hierarchy of streets defined
according to carriageway width and/or traffic flows. It is important,
therefore, that prospective developers discuss their proposals with the
Council’s Traffic Engineers prior to making planning applications to
establish whether sufficient on-street parking capacity exists to allow for
further dwelling conversions. This type of assessment applies equally to
dwelling conversions into non self-contained accommodation.
20. Cycles: Developers should refer to the Council’s new cycle parking
standards (see Appendix 2). The Council wishes to ensure that those
people who want to use their cycles should have adequate, secure
parking facilities at their destination. Staff cycle parking places should
be off-street, covered, well-lit and secure. Visitors are often better
served by providing parking near entrances in prominent, convenient
positions - the recommended form of parking being "Sheffield" stands.
21. CONTROLLED PARKING ZONES: Controlled Parking Zones (CPZ’s)
are in operation at Walthamstow Town Centre, Hoe Street, Leytonstone,
Leyton and around Blackhorse Road Station and Walthamstow Stadium.
These are to deter commuter parking in the town centre and in
residential streets around Blackhorse Road Station and to prevent onstreet
parking by customers of the Walthamstow Stadium. CPZ’s provide
on-street parking places for residents and their visitors, local businesses
and in the town centre for market traders. Further Controlled Parking
Zones are proposed in North Chingford shopping centre and around
Highams Park and Wood Street stations.
22. Miscellaneous: Residential staff in residential care premises and nonresidential
developments will need to have parking provision made for
them in accordance with the appropriate residential standard (except
where otherwise stated). The parking spaces related to non-resident
staff needs will normally be assessed on the maximum number of nonancillary
staff likely to be present at any one time.
23. All parking requirements which result in part of one space being
necessary will be rounded up to the next whole number.
24. Motorcycle parking: The Council will consider appropriate parking
provision for motorcycles.