Decision details

(Report of Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health)

The report set out the current framework and policy around parking standards within Tonbridge and Malling.  The interim position to assess development management and applications was also set out.

Careful consideration was given to the current position related to development management (applications and enforcement) and how the Borough Council could better shape parking provision, particularly on large scale development sites, utilising lessons from existing developments.

It was reported that several options had been assessed in relation to IGN3 and SPG4 and whether a more up to date evidence base and set of parking standards/guidelines could be developed to replace the current aged guidance notes.  Both IGN3 and SPG4 significantly pre-dated the NPPF with the evidence base for the documents being almost 20 years old.

The options available to the Borough Council were detailed at 1.4.6 of the report.  As part of the emerging Local Plan a high level parking standards policy could be produced which would reference parking standards for residential and non-residential development with a commitment to producing a Supplementary Planning Document on parking either as a standalone document or within a combined design/guide code.  More detailed analysis of this was set out in option 4.

Particular reference was made to recent correspondence from the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities which encouraged the preparation of design codes.   Members welcomed the opportunity of reviewing options in respect of parking standards and Councillor Harman proposed that option 4 should be progressed.  This proposal was seconded by Councillor Hood and formally supported by the Scrutiny Select Committee.  However, Members asked that the form of the Supplementary Planning Document be determined by the Scrutiny Select Committee rather than delegated to the Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health.

Following consideration by the Housing and Planning Scrutiny Select Committee, the Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Infrastructure resolved that:

(1)             option 4 (as detailed in 1.4.6 of the report and duplicated below), be progressed;

·        ‘Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council include a high level parking standards policy within the emerging Local Plan with a commitment to producing either a stand alone Supplementary Planning Document (or its replacement) on parking; OR

·        includes the design and layout of parking (including standards) within a comprehensive Design guide/code modelled on the National Model Design Code which also covers other matters on place making/shaping following adoption of the Local Plan’

(2)             the position on current development management matters and how they were handled (as set out in paragraph 1.3) be noted.

As set out in the report submitted to the Housing and Planning Scrutiny Select Committee of 6 December 2022.