Essex Parking Guidance Consultation 2023

Overview

EPOA Parking Guidance Consultation for Essex

What are EPOA consulting on?

Essex Planning Officers Association (EPOA) has been leading work to revise the parking standards guidance to inform new development across Essex.

Parking guidance is referred to in policy in the district Local Plans and the County’s Local Transport Plan. The guidance sets parking for different vehicle types, design and location, dimensions for parking and a suggested quantum for different types of development.

EPOA are consulting on parking standards for development such as housing, retail, commercial and leisure uses in part 1 document which will cover from the smallest developments upwards of any type across the County. A new approach to apply to Garden Communities and Large Scale Developments (part 2) is being also being consulted on.

How to Respond

A survey is attached to each document, and these are hosted on this website on behalf of EPOA, please respond by the 11^th December 2023.

If you have any queries, please contact consultations@essex.gov.uk adding “parking guidance” in the subject line.

What are the key changes?

The existing guidance was approved in 2009 and therefore needs to be updated as there have been changes in planning legislation and policy, introduction of Garden Communities and a greater awareness on the need to manage the impact of developments on local communities and the environment.

The main changes for Part 1 Parking Standards include:

• Updated guidance and removal of arbitrary maximum parking values
• Compliance with National Planning policy
• Improved evidence base
• Parking provision based on how accessible a location is
• Update on electric vehicle charging.
• Update to cycle parking to align with the new national guidance.

The main features of the new part 2 guidance – Garden Communities and Largescale Development has a focus on outcomes including:

• Supporting Sustainable Growth and responding to Climate Change
• Deliver quality places to live.
• Help manage congestion and local impacts on existing communities close to new large developments.
• Provide for a range of vehicle types and future flexibility.
• Reflect wider aims to encourage modal choice which makes better use of the local transport network.

The Guidance introduces a technical planning tool which will looks at the location of the development and its proximity to everyday services and allows for an assessment of the development based on location and the infrastructure and services it will need to deliver to achieve the above outcomes.  It consults on the idea of a parking budget – the quantum of parking, a greater split between off road and on road parking and flexibility on design.

What happens after the consultation?

Nothing has been decided at this stage; however, EPOA are really keen to understand your views on how best to take forward the next phase.

EPOA, the consultant and parking working group will review the comments and consider where and how to make changes.

What is EPOA?

EPOA represents 12 Local Planning Authorities in Essex, as well as two unitary authorities (Thurrock and Southend-on-Sea) and Essex County Council. Heads of planning departments from the authorities meet several times a year to discuss planning issues affecting the whole of Essex, and produce planning guidance documents, some of which are available to download.