B5.9.7 Visitor parking

On-street visitor parking must be designed to provide at least 1 visitor parking space per every 10 units within residential layouts. Visitor parking bays must also be provided at a minimum rate of 1 space per every 4 units on shared surface streets and private drives as outlined in the District-Wide Cycle and Other Parking Standards (Appendix 7).

Visitor spaces within parking courts or basement car parks will generally only be permitted where the court is gated or otherwise controlled to maintain appropriate access and management. In these instances, visitor parking must be clearly marked and differentiated through a contrasting surface material to ensure they are easily identifiable and not misused by residents.

All visitor parking must be clearly signed or marked out to discourage misuse and inconsiderate parking. Electric vehicle charging points will also be required for 10% of these bays.

Where on-street visitor parking is proposed, sufficient carriageway width must be maintained to allow passing traffic to flow safely. If additional ‘ghost’ parking bays (indicated but not physically demarcated) are used, a swept path analysis must be provided to demonstrate that parked vehicles will not obstruct the safe passage of vehicles or emergency services.

On-street visitor parking should be evenly distributed throughout a development and should be well integrated within the design. Consideration should be given to the proximity of junctions/speed restraints/frontage parking and bus routes.

On-street visitor parking should be located away from residential windows and main doors to prevent blocking light, restricting access, or causing discomfort to residents.

The appearance of visitor parking (both on-street spaces and within parking courts), must be softened and enhanced through the provision of tree and/or shrub planting to reduce the visual impact of parked vehicles. Planting must be designed and maintained to avoid creating hiding places or blind spots that could compromise personal safety or facilitate car crime. For major applications, the Design and Access Statement (DAS) must clearly set out proposed security measures, including lighting, surveillance and  management arrangements.