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The guidance in the Streetscape Design Guide is provided for both residential and non-residential development, and functions as a means of ensuring that the under-provision of parking spaces does not lead to road safety issues. At the same time, not seeking to undermine the county’s objectives to promote and encourage sustainable journeys using modes of travel by walking, wheeling, cycling, or using public transport.

The under-provision of car parking can add to congestion and delays with unacceptable levels of on-street parking in some locations. This can create obstructions on the highway hindering access for other vehicles and especially for emergency vehicles. Therefore, the provision of minimum car parking standards is set as a benchmark to address these issues. Consideration should be made for the creation of underground parking in new parking areas to reduce the area of land required for development.

This Guidance should be read alongside the latest version of the Local Transport Plan (LTP) or South ȫ��̽�� Development Plan (SWDP) which contains policies to promote sustainable travel through the provision of physical infrastructure and travel planning initiatives. Where a development seeks to differ from this guide, justification should be provided. It will be for the Local Highway Authority to decide if this is acceptable or not. A list of minimum car and cycle parking standards adopted by the Local Highway Authority are set out in Appendix I.

The National Planning Policy Framework 2024 (paragraph  112) states:

“If setting local parking standards for residential and non-residential development, policies should take into account:  

• the accessibility of the development
• the type, mix and use of development  
• the availability of and opportunities for public transport
• local car ownership levels; and  
• the need to ensure an adequate provision of spaces for charging plug-in and other ultra-low emission vehicles is essential”

ȫ��̽�� County Council identifies ‘minimum’ car parking standards suitable for the transport characteristics of the county.  For car parking bay specifications, we refer to the guidance published in 2016 by the British Parking Association called ‘Parking know-how, bay sizes’.   

For residential proposals (including houses, flats, holiday accommodation, yurts, campsites and apartments) car parking spaces provision is identified in relation to bedroom numbers. Minimum required residential car parking spaces within the curtilage of the property are set out in Table 1.

Table 1: minimum residential car parking spaces 

*In the rural parishes of Redditch, there is a minimum requirement of four spaces (since 2019).  

Key considerations for residential parking are as follows:

1. Garages are often excluded from car parking calculations because they can be converted into habitable space without requiring planning permission, but this depends on the specific context and local regulations.
2. A reduced parking standard may only be accepted for sites in ‘highly sustainable’ locations considered suitable by the Local Highway Authority and based on evidence presented by the applicant.
3. Car parking spaces should be a minimum of 2.4 metres x 4.8 metres in size. However, additional circulation space may be required for individual residential plots.
4. Undercroft car parking is possible if in private ownership
   1. However, the design must be fit for purpose, noting that gate posts and drainpipes on the side of walls will also take up additional access width.
   2. The height of the undercroft will need to accommodate all suitable vehicle types expected to use the site.
   3. This includes access for refuse collection vehicles and emergency vehicles, subject to the wider sites design and considerations.  
5. Tandem parking is restricted to two places only and is acceptable in suitable locations.
6. The minimum space for maneuvering between opposing parking bays is six metres.
7. For residential driveways that include car ports, additional width should be given to the vehicle space to allow for the positioning of posts, the Local Highway Authority will require evidence to support such a provision.
8. If a parking space is located against a wall or other boundary structure, additional parking width should be provided to ensure people are able to exit and enter vehicles.
9. A minimum of six metres is required in front of a garage door (typically on a driveway) to ensure that when the garage is opened, a vehicle does not require overhang into the adjoining carriageway or footway.

Visitor spaces are not a requirement for residential sites.  

There will be residential sites where no on-street parking restrictions are provided. In these locations, it is acknowledged and accepted that there will be occasional and short-term parking occurring on -street, related to infrequent visitors, deliveries, etc. The site design will ensure that these are appropriate for the carriageway, for the volumes and type of traffic anticipated to use the site.  

Where existing street demand, or parking restrictions prevent this, off-road visitor and delivery parking provision should be made at a ratio of one space per five residential units.

Any planned kerbside parking on-street should be provided at a minimum of 2 metres x 6 metres. 

Houses of Multiple Occupancy (HMO's) have their own separate use class and as such require a separate parking standard from other residential dwellings. Minimum parking standards for HMO’s are shown in the table 2 below.

Table 2: HMO car parking spaces 

Key considerations for HMO parking include:  

1. An HMO is expected to provide full, in-curtilage parking provision in line with the above table.
2. Exceptions will only be considered at the discretion of the Local Highway Authority where the applicant can demonstrate with sufficient evidence that changes to the above requirements would not result in detrimental highways conditions i.e. congestion, parking availability, safety for residents, businesses, site occupants and road users.
3. For clarity, HMO parking provisions include allowances for visitors.

Non-residential development includes a wide range of development types i.e. education, health, industry, retail, etc. 

An end user of these types of development may be best able to identify their operational parking needs on site, but parking provision must still reflect the land use classification of the proposals and their size.  It is on this basis that the Local Highway Authority identifies minimum car parking standards, which must be applied to new developments. See Appendix I.

Key considerations include:

• For non-residential development, there is a requirement to secure motorcycle parking, the ratio is one space per ten car parking spaces, with a minimum provision of one space (please see Appendix I).
• Should a development be sufficiently bespoke or fall outside this list of land use classifications, the Local Highway Authority will need to determine parking provision suitability on a site-specific basis, taking account of evidence provided by the applicant.
• Adequate space for delivery and public service vehicles must also be made within the boundary of a site, which should not conflict with the proposed parking arrangements.

A car parking free development is only accepted in appropriate urban centre locations or close to major public transportation interchanges.  

However, it is accepted that even in car parking free developments, residents still have the potential to own a vehicle and require parking. Unfortunately, in these situations, car parking often takes place on the public highway, which can often lead to increased conflict with other road users, congestion and safety concerns for the highway network. Therefore, care must be taken to ensure that car parking free sites are positioned in areas where appropriate infrastructure and local amenities are available, allowing for a range of alternative modes of travel to the private car.  

Where car parking free development is proposed, applicants will be required to submit all of the following information to the Local Highway Authority in support of their application:

• Details of key local amenities within a convenient walking distance of the development.
• Details regarding all of the existing and any proposed alternative travel modes to and from the development, including active travel routes (walking, wheeling and cycling).
  • This should include an audit of available routes, the destinations they serve and journey times.
• Details of existing and proposed public transport services, routes (bus and rail) and their frequency.
  • This must be practical and convenient to enable residents (and employees) of the development to access services such as places of work, education, leisure, retail, etc.
• A Travel Plan for the proposed development, which should look at opportunities to maximise the use of alternative modes of travel to the private car.
  • Where appropriate, options could include car/ bike-sharing and other micromobility initiatives.
• Details of how servicing and delivery vehicles will serve the site, acknowledging that at times, there will be a requirement for access by these vehicles.
• A review of car parking opportunities and availability within 300m of the proposed development.
  • This should be supported with a wider audit (including availability) of designated public car parking provision and on-street parking, including restrictions.

The Local Highway Authority will discuss and determine the suitability of parking free development upon the submission of this information.  

Car sharing schemes or car clubs can provide many travel and economic benefits to residents as an alternative to private car ownership. Car sharing clubs are becoming increasingly popular for new residential developments but need to be economically viable.  

A development of at least 100 units is considered to be a viable economic threshold for car clubs, though this does not mean that they are unsuitable for smaller developments, particularly if the scheme can be extended to neighbouring buildings or wider community.  

Developments should be designed to facilitate car clubs either now or in the future. They should also be responsive to changes in local car-driving and car-ownership dynamics, offering the opportunity to change on-street parking spaces to car-club spaces with ease and without detriment to the streetscape.

Where these schemes are proposed, early discussions with the Local Highway Authority and car club operators are needed to ensure long-term viability and area-wide take-up.  

Section 117 (e) of the NPPF states that applications for development should be designed to enable the charging of plug-in and other ultra-low emission vehicles in safe, accessible, and convenient locations.  Where Electric Vehicle (EV) charging points are installed, they need to be accessible for disabled motorists.  

The technical requirements for EV charge points, for both residential and non-residential developments are set out in Building Regulations, in the following document: The Building Regulations 2010- Approved Document for Infrastructure for charging electric vehicles.

For all new residential developments (including new static home developments), every new home with on-site parking must have access to an EV charge point.  

Residential buildings undergoing major renovation, which includes ten or more parking spaces after the renovation is complete, must provide an EV charge point for each dwelling. There is also a requirement to ensure that all parking spaces have the potential to be upgraded to an EV charging space in the future, with cable routes provided in all spaces without charge points.  

For non-residential sites, EV parking should include 10% of the site’s total car parking requirement, although different requirements may also be identified and requested by District/Borough Councils.  In addition, a minimum of one accessible EV charging space should be provided for non-residential site visitors, compliant with PAS1899.  

For full details, see . Please note that other legislation may also apply to the installation of electric vehicle charge points. For example, .

For non-residential developments, consideration and provision must be given to Blue Badge holders. Parking ratios are set out in Table 3.

Table 3: Blue Badge Bay provision  

For these users, car spaces should be 4.8 metres in length and 3.6 metres in width. However, spaces of 2.4 metres in width can be used where a shared space of 1.2 metres is demarked between the two blue badge spaces.  

Applicants should look to:  

1. Minimise the distance from blue badge spaces to a building’s accessible entrance.
2. Make sure parking spaces have an accessible route to footways and entrances, using dropped kerbs, tactile paving, ramps, etc.
3. Avoid the placement of bollards and street furniture which would obstruct routes to and from the parking space.
4. Show clear signage and markings for the spaces where appropriate.

For cycle parking, ȫ��̽�� County Council prioritises accessibility, security, and convenience for cyclists. Parking requirements vary in relation to the type and scale of development proposed.  In all situations, effective cycle parking design prioritizes safety, security, convenience, and visibility:

• Conveniently located, in a position that is closer, or at least as close, to the nearest available car parking space.
• Cycle parking should be visible and overlooked in public view, or covered by security measures such as CCTV, or located within a designated room or a cage with an access code.
• Sheltered, especially if long stay parking.
• Well maintained.
• Lit at night.
• With ample space for maneuvering and locking bikes securely.
• Allow for locking both the frame and the wheels.
• Consideration of parking of e-bikes and electric scooters (a connection to a charging point) may also be required in appropriate locations.

ȫ��̽�� County Council adopts minimum cycle parking standards for each land use. Full car and cycle parking (minimum) standards are set out in Appendix I.  

Further information and wider details regarding cycle route design can be found in for designing high-quality, safe cycle infrastructure. 

8.1 Residential Cycle Parking

Cycle parking is a requirement for new or extended residential dwellings, encouraging sustainable commuting and promoting cycling as a convenient mode of active travel. Therefore, the following considerations apply:

• Secure bicycle and e-bike storage in residential developments can be achieved through a variety of solutions, but must provide protection from theft, the weather and vandalism.
• Consideration should be given to cycle parking being placed close to access points of the property.
• Cycle parking within an appropriate rear garden building is acceptable if the route between the building and front of the property is useable, direct, free from obstruction and as short as possible.
  • A route that requires a person with a bike to negotiate 90-degree bends via a narrow alley or requires them to travel through a series of gates, would not be acceptable.
  • A requirement to take a bike through the dwelling to reach the garage or garden is also not acceptable.
  • Garages can be used for bicycle storage, where these have a minimum internal dimension of 6 metres x 3 metres.

For residential dwellings, minimum cycle parking requirements are shown in table 4 below.

Table 4: Land use classification for cycle parking provision

All cycle parking standards are set out in Appendix I.  

8.2 Longer Term Cycle Parking

There are locations where a cyclist may need to leave a bike for a longer period, potentially overnight and for multiple days or weeks. These might include public transport interchanges, workplaces, college and university grounds, holiday or event locations, etc.  

Cycle parking in these locations might be best combined with changing rooms, showers, lockers and other amenities for cyclists. They may play a wider role, providing a centralised facility that provides various services and amenities for cyclists, including repairs, information on routes, cycle hire, etc, acting as more of a cycle or mobility hub.  

Leaving cycles for extended periods of time necessitates further consideration of the safety, security, and protection of cycle parking facilities.  Considerations for long-stay cycle parking include:  

• Long-stay cycle parking should be in an accessible location, but attention is needed to a degree of security to reduce the risk of vandalism in public space.
• Greater provision of surveillance measures.
• Well-lit for 24-hour access and to discourage theft and antisocial behavior.
• Greater degree of security, such as more impenetrable locking mechanisms or cage-like surroundings.  
• Protection from the elements (UV exposure, wind, rain, and associated corrosion risk) afforded by entire enclosure or shelter.
• Proximity to shower and personal storage facilities (or inclusion of these into design of long-stay cycle parking).

For clarification, the provision of long-stay cycle parking at ‘workplaces’ refers to areas with a high employment density, be it a retail or business parks, office complex, etc rather than individual workplaces.  

Higher education institutions may need to allocate separate parking areas for staff and students, with varying demands throughout the day.

Parking around schools and other education institutions can cause safety hazards and traffic congestion.  Parking areas should be designed to minimise movement conflicts and ensure pedestrian safety at a priority. In addition to parking, areas will need to be designed for short-term drop-off and pick-up movements, but in locations that do not impede other traffic on the highway network.

Educational institutions may need to allocate separate parking areas for staff and students, with varying demands throughout the day, with primary, infant and junior schools providing both cycle and scooter parking. Access for coaches, buses or taxis to safely drop off pupils, particularly those with Special Educational Needs or disabilities will also need to be considered.

It is important to consider the means of separating student and staff access from vehicular circulation, delivery areas and parking for safety reasons.