E25 Annex 5 - Car Parking Standards

Introduction

1

This annex provides technical guidance to developers on the appropriate level of car parking to be provided on new developments and should be read in conjunction with Policy 153: Car Parking Standards. In general, the number of spaces required will be the minimum necessary to avoid overflow parking on adjacent highways, and the resulting traffic hazards and inconvenience to other road users and the public in general that it creates. These standards apply to all new developments, including change of use proposals and extensions, and are based upon the various use classes specified in the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987, as amended. 2
The standards cover the space requirements of residents, visitors, employees and customers, but not the space requirements for the collection and delivery of goods. In addition to the standards set out, it may therefore be necessary for commercial and industrial developments to provide adequate space within their premises for the parking and manoeuvring of service vehicles. 3
The following standards aim to support the Local Plan's overall locational policies and reduce reliance on the private car. The standards have been expressed as a range of operational maximum and minimum amounts of parking for broad classes of development and location. Unless otherwise stated, floor space figures are expressed as gross floor space measured externally. In calculating the amount of car parking to be provided figures must be rounded up to the next whole number.

Excluded Uses

4

Certain types of use are excluded from the above standards because they are either specialised in nature or do not fall into any of the above use classes. The parking standards for these uses will be assessed on their own merits taking into account the level of parking they are likely to generate

Listed Building and Conservation Areas

5

The Council wishes to preserve Listed Buildings and their settings, and preserve or enhance the appearance or character of Conservation Areas. Occasionally, this may justify a variation in the appropriate car parking standard, provided that it will not result in overflow parking on adjacent highways and the resulting traffic hazards that it creates.

Residential Accommodation

6

Some developments require, or provide, living accommodation in association with the main activity, for example, warden accommodation, manager's Hats and other on-site staff accommodation. The parking space provision for this accommodation will be according to the relevant residential standard under Class C3 below.

Disabled Parking

7

Car parking bays for disabled drivers should be wide enough for wheelchair transfer to and from the vehicle. These spaces should be designated for specific use by disabled people and clearly identified. An individual space should measure 5 m x 3.66 m, although the following diagram shows the most appropriate size and layout of such spaces.

8

For car parks associated with employment premises, with up to 200 spaces for employees and visitors, 5% of capacity should be set aside for orange badge holders. For those premises with over 200 spaces, 2% plus 6 spaces should be provided.

9

For car parks associated with shopping areas, recreation facilities, health and educational buildings and places open to the public, with up to 200 spaces for the public, 6% of capacity should be set aside for orange badge holders. For car parks with more than 200 spaces, 4% plus 4 spaces should be provided.

10

The positioning of car parking places needs to take account of the limited distances that many people with disabilities can manage.

Space Sizes

11

With the exception of disabled parking spaces, each car parking space should measure 5 m x 2.5 m, with an aisle width between rows of cars of a minimum of 6 m. For garage parking, the minimum internal space size should be 2.7 m x 5.0m (double garages 5.0m x 5.0m).

12

The following series of diagrams suggest how car parking areas may be successfully laid out.

Turning Areas

13

There must be free access to and from each car space without any other parked vehicle having to be moved.

14

This requirement may be relaxed with respect to private parking spaces associated with dwellings where a single parking space may be positioned in front of a garage. There should be a distance of at least 6 m between the front of the garage and the highway in order to allow the opening and closing of garage doors without a car parked in front blocking onto the highway (road and footway). The garage forecourt area must not form part of an access road, footway or vehicle turning area.

15

Where the site has access to a classified road, applicants must show that there is sufficient turning area within the site so as to enable cars to enter and leave parking areas in a forward gear. The following series of diagrams shows the turning area required for a typical family car.

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Class A1 - Shops

General
Town Centres: No maximum or minimum requirement
Elsewhere in Towns: A minimum of 1 space for every 20 m² over 100 m², A maximum of 1 space for every 15 m² of total floor space
Large Villages, Selected Small Villages and the Countryside: A minimum of 1 space for every 20 m² over 100 m² , A maximum of 1 space for every 15 m² of total floor space

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Class A2- Financial and Professional Services

General
Town Centres: No maximum or minimum requirement
Elsewhere in Towns: A minimum of 1 space for every 20 m² over 100 m², A maximum of 1 space for every 15 m² of total floor space
Large Villages, Selected Small Villages and the Countryside: A minimum of 1 space for every 20 m² over 100 m², A maximum of 1 space for every 15 m² of total floor space

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Class A3- Food and Drink

Restaurants
Town Centres: No maximum or minimum requirement
Elsewhere in Towns: A minimum of 1 space for every 20 m², A maximum of 1 space for every 15 m² of total floor space
Large Villages, Selected Small Villages and the Countryside: A minimum of 1 space for every 20 m², A maximum of 1 space for every 15 m² of total floor space

Public Houses
Town Centres: No maximum or minimum requirement
Elsewhere in Towns: A minimum of 1 space for every 20 m², A maximum of 1 space for every 15 m² of total floor space
Large Villages, Selected Small Villages and the Countryside: A minimum of 1 space for every 20 m², A maximum of 1 space every 15 m² of total floor space

Take-Aways
Town Centres: No maximum or minimum requirement
Elsewhere in Towns: A minimum of 1 space for every 20 m² over 100 m², A maximum of 1 space for every 15 m² of total floor space
Large Villages, Selected Small Villages and the Countryside: A minimum of 1 space for every 20 m² over 100 m², A maximum of 1 space for every 15 m² of total floor space

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Classes B1, B2 and B8- Business, General Industrial, and Storage or Distribution

Under 235 m²
Town Centres: No maximum or minimum requirement
Elsewhere in Towns: A minimum of 2 spaces, A maximum of 2 spaces plus 1 space for every 35 m²
Large Villages, Selected Small Villages and the Countryside: A minimum of 2 spaces plus 1 space for every 35 m²

Over 235 m²
Town Centres: No maximum or minimum requirement
Elsewhere in Towns: A minimum of 9 spaces, A maximum of 9 spaces plus 1 space for every 50 m²
Large Villages, Selected Small Villages and the Countryside: A minimum of 9 spaces plus 1 space for every 50 m² (every 300 m² in the case of B8 use) over 235 m²

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Class C1- Hotels

General
Town Centres: No maximum or minimum requirement
Elsewhere in Towns: Between 1 and 1.5 spaces for each bedroom
Large Villages, Selected Small Villages and the Countryside: A minimum of 1.5 spaces for each bedroom

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Class C2- Residential Institutions

Residential Care and Nursing Homes
Town Centres: All developments should provide a designated space for a visiting doctor or nurse
Elsewhere in Towns: All developments should provide a designated space for a visiting doctor or nurse. Otherwise the maximum requirement is 0.5 space per bedroom
Large Villages, Selected Small Villages and the Countryside: All developments should provide a designated space for a visiting doctor or nurse. In addition, a minimum of 0.5 space per bedroom is required

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Class C3- Dwellinghouses (for the purposes of these standards, flats, houses in multiple occupation and other types of dwelling are included within this class)

Houses and flats
1 bedroom
Town Centres: No maximum or minimum requirement
Elsewhere in Towns: A minimum of 1 space for each dwelling
A minimum of 1 space for each dwelling
2 or more bedrooms
Town Centres: No maximum or minimum requirement
Elsewhere in Towns: A minimum of 1 space for each dwelling
Large Villages, Selected Small Villages and the Countryside: A minimum of 2 spaces for each dwelling

Houses In multiple occupation (also hostels)
For each bedsit
Town Centres: No maximum or minimum requirement
Elsewhere in Towns: Between 0.25 and 1 space for each bedsit
Large Villages, Selected Small Villages and the Countryside: A minimum of 0.5 space for each bedsit

Sheltered housing (where the age of the occupants is restricted by a Section 106 Obligation to individuals over the age of 60, or couples, at least one of whom is aged over 60)
General
Town Centres: All developments should provide a designated space for a visiting doctor or nurse.
Elsewhere in Towns: All developments should provide a designated space for a visiting doctor or nurse. Otherwise the maximum requirement is1 space for each single person dwelling unit and 1.5 spaces for each two person dwelling unit
Large Villages, Selected Small Villages and the Countryside: All developments should provide a designated space for a visiting doctor or nurse. In addition, a minimum of 1 space for each single person dwelling unit and 1.5 spaces for each two person dwelling unit is required.

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Classes D1- Non-Residential Institutions

Health Services
Town Centres: No maximum or minimum requirement
Elsewhere in Towns: Between 2 and 4 spaces for each consulting room
Large Villages, Selected Small Villages and the Countryside: A minimum of 4 spaces for each consulting room

Public Halls etc,
Town Centres: No maximum or minimum requirement
Elsewhere in Towns: A minimum of 1 space for every 10 m², A maximum of 1 space for every 5 m²
Large Villages, Selected Small Villages and the Countryside: A minimum of 1 space for every 10 m²

Education
Town Centres: No maximum or minimum requirement
Elsewhere in Towns: A suitable area for picking-up and setting-down children plus a maximum of 1 space for each classroom
Large Villages, Selected Small Villages and the Countryside: A suitable area for picking-up and setting-down children plus a minimum of 1 space for every full-time employee plus a minimum of 1 space for each classroom

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Class D2- Assembly and Leisure

General
Town Centres: No maximum or minimum requirement
Elsewhere in Towns: A minimum of 1 space for every 10 m², A maximum of 1 space for every 5 m²

Large Villages, Selected Small Villages and the Countryside: A minimum of 1 space for every 10 m²