Biggest Shakeup to Kent Parking Standards in 18 years...

Kent County Council's Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport has recently made the decision to adopt the new Vehicle Parking Standards as an approved policy. The new Standards represent a starting point for engagement with the Local Planning and Highways Authorities on parking and layout matters.

Replacing the previous standards that were produced some 20 years ago, they reflect changing Government policy and parking survey data, providing guidance on both residential and non-residential development.

What are Parking Standards?

Vehicle Parking Standards are a development management tool that are used to ensure there is an appropriate balance between proposed land use within new development and the level of parking required to service those proposals.

They are used to assess the level of parking provision required for new developments when considering a planning application.

What are the key changes in the new Kent Parking Standards 2024?

Some of the key changes in the new standards include:

General

Standards now a ‘starting point for discussion’ rather than a maximum or minimum provision;
Design and layout changes to size of bays, garages, car ports, car barns and tandem parking;
Front parking courts preferred to rear parking courts; and
Electric Vehicle Charging Points – standards now refer to the Building Regulations 2010 – Approved Document S.

Residential Development

Some suburban and rural standards have increased, but are no longer minimum standards; and
Additional “off-plot” parking may be required at the discretion of the Highway Authority

Non-Residential

The parking requirement for new land use categories to be determined on an individual basis; and
The majority of existing non-residential parking standards have remained the same.

The new Kent Parking Standards can be found on KCC's website.

How has the approach to Parking Standards changed over the years?

The approach to parking at local and national level has changed considerably in recent years and parking standards have evolved accordingly.

In the 1970s and 1980s, they were expressed in minimum standards, in other words, that no less than the required number of parking spaces were to be provided.

Then in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the concept of maximum parking standards was introduced with the aim of significantly lowering levels of off-street parking as a means of reducing car use.

Today, national government parking policy has sought to end 'unrealistic' restrictons on parking provision.

What is the background to KCC's Parking Standards?

The first set of vehicle parking standards for Kent was produced in 1968 and reviewed in 1978 and 1993. The Kent Vehicle Parking standards produced in October 1993 were minimum requirements.

The current parking standards include the Kent and Medway Structure Plan: Supplementary Planning Guidance 4 (2006) in respect of non-residential developments, and the Kent Design Guide: Interim Guidance Note 3 (2008) in respect of residential developments.

It is now acknowledged that as the current Standards are over 20 years old, they no longer represent best practice or comply with policy.

The new Parking Standards have been produced to align with the current approach to parking, and seek to represent a starting point for engagement with the Local Planning and Highway Authorities on parking and layout matters.

In the meantime, if you would like to find out more about the Parking Standards, please contact DHA Transport’s Paul Lulham, Rob Smith or Leo Ashby.

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Paul Lulham