Parking and Accessibility Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) consultation

Background

The draft SPD is an update to the 2019 document which is on our Transport policy page. During the examination of the County Durham Plan, the independent Inspector found that the 2019 standards should be updated to encourage people to use sustainable travel by limiting car parking in areas that could be reached by public transport.

The SPD sets out what types and amounts of parking developers should provide at new residential and non-residential (including retail, employment, and leisure) developments which includes:

• general parking
• electric vehicles
• cycle parking
• disabled parking
• motorcycle parking

Making sure there is enough parking for a broad range of transport types will improve access for all and encourage the use of sustainable modes of transport.

What we are proposing

The SPD provides a definition of an accessible location, where car parking provision can be limited, and sets out standards for parking for disabled persons.

For non-residential development, the SPD sets standards for car, cycle, and electric vehicle parking, with the potential to limit car parking at accessible locations if appropriate.

The SPD includes a minimum parking requirement for residential development, to help reduce or remove problems associated with people parking on roads and verges, as this can cause emergency vehicles access problems, block pushchair and wheelchair user access, and cause physical damage to the pavements and verges themselves.

Provision of parking for cycles and electric vehicles is also required where appropriate at all new development.

Have your say

What happens next

Responses to the consultation will be considered in drafting a full Parking and Accessibility SPD which will be subject to another full public consultation during the summer of 2021. Following that consultation, any final amendments to the document will be considered and justified before completion and approval. Once approved, the SPD will be adopted and will be used to assess planning applications. The final version of the standards is available on our Transport policy page.