B5.9.4 Private frontage parking

To avoid visual dominance of cars and maintain active, attractive street frontages, on-plot parking to the front of homes must be limited to no more than three consecutive properties. To achieve this, design proposals could incorporate varied parking layouts, soft landscaping breaks and other measures such as staggered building lines to visually soften parked cars and create a more engaging streetscape.

A change in surfacing material must be used to delineate parking bays from the public realm. Acceptable surface materials include: bound and consolidated porous materials. Gravel or similar unbound materials must not be utilised within 2 metres of the highway.

Parking bays must meet minimum widths of 3.2 metres and lengths between 6 metres and 6.5 metres (if no additional footway is provided), and be wholly located within the curtilage to avoid parked vehicles overhanging the highway.

Exception: Where any proposed M4(2) accessible and adaptable dwelling is proposed it must be demonstrated that one parking bay can be widened to 3.3 metres. M4(3) wheelchair user accessible dwellings must have an additional 1.2 metres to the side and rear of one parking bay as standard. This must be demonstrated via a parking compliance plan to ensure that the site meets Local Plan Policy LP2 requirements.

The gradient of driveways must not exceed 1 in 12.5 (8%) to ensure safe and practical access for vehicles and pedestrians.

Exception: Where the driveway forms all or part of the principal approach route to a dwelling required to meet M4(2) accessible and adaptable dwelling or M4(3) wheelchair user accessible dwelling standards, the gradient must not exceed 1:20 (5%). Where steeper gradients are unavoidable, a dedicated ramp or separate accessible approach route must be provided in accordance with the ramp requirements of the Approved Document M Volume 1: Dwellings, including maximum gradient, level landings, handrails, edge protection, and appropriate surface finish.

Driveways should occupy no more than 50% of the front garden. The remaining space should be dedicated to a well-defined, landscaped (natural grass and/or planting) garden that includes a pathway leading to the front door.

Exception: In higher-density developments (such as the Urban Area Type (50+ dph) and Highly Urban Area Type (80+ dph)), or where site constraints mean this is not possible, alternative design solutions may be acceptable, including the use of permeable surfacing, narrow integrated planting beds, and street tree planting to minimise the visual impact of large areas of hardstanding.