B5.9.5 Courtyard parking

Proposed parking courts must be well-lit, secure, and benefit from natural surveillance from surrounding properties to ensure they feel safe and are practical for residents.

Wherever possible, parking courts should:

• be overlooked by multiple homes to create a sense of ownership and deter anti-social behaviour

• incorporate access control (for example a gate) to secure access

• consider integration of CCTV, where appropriate

Parking courts must serve no more than 8 properties, incorporate trees and landscaping and utilise materials which complement the surrounding built form. They must also provide parking bays which are a minimum size of 4.8 metres by 2.4 metres.

Exception: It may be acceptable for parking courts to serve a larger number of dwellings if the proposed layout demonstrates a high-quality design, including varied surface materials, integrated landscaping, and pedestrian routes.

The design and layout of shrub and tree planting in parking courts must avoid compromising personal safety or facilitating car crime by reducing surveillance.

Courtyard parking bays should be delineated with paving details rather than painted white lines to create a more durable and visually integrated surface. This approach enhances the overall appearance of the street and avoids the maintenance issues associated with fading paint.

To support sustainable drainage, reduce surface water runoff, and reduce pressure on existing drainage infrastructure, at least 50% of the hard surfacing within parking courts should be designed to be permeable or incorporate other sustainable drainage features in line with the SuDS hierarchy (where site conditions allow).