Policy DM19: Vehicle Parking

Pavement parking needs to be addressed as a priority given its impact on the disabled. It’s not just a problem limited to narrow streets. Roads like Clandon Road suffer with pavement parking despite the road being wide enough for it to be totally unnecessary. The pavement outside our house has had to be re-surfaced twice, and I’m about to report it again as pavement parking has warped and destroyed it to the point of dangerous ridges appearing.

Southern Water would support the inclusion of permeable paving and SuDS in this policy. We therefore suggest the addition of the following wording to this policy:

Parking areas should incorporate appropriate sustainable urban drainage measures and developers ensure their design does not increase flood risk locally.

Further explanation and justification:
Southern Water supports all policy requirements which seek to ensure that surface water is appropriately managed, as close to source as possible. We need planning policy to consider carefully the measures called for in response to the climate crisis, and ensure sustainable development is central to the local planning framework for planning applications coming forward. This is also in line with the requirements of paragraph 167(c) of the NPPF (2023) that requires:
using opportunities provided by new development and improvements in green and other infrastructure to reduce the causes and impacts of flooding, (making as much use as possible of natural flood management techniques as part of an integrated approach to flood risk management)
Measures should support the attenuation of flows of surface water run-off from rainfall, as well as surface water infiltration into the ground wherever possible in the local environment.
Southern Water is working across our region to remove surface water from our networks in key areas. Even as we deliver this work, development continues to increase surface water run-off. To be resilient to the evolving impacts of climate change we must plan to ensure that rainwater is separated from wastewater in the design and construction of our communities. For more information on our work, and the root causes of releases from storm overflows, please see –
https://www.southernwater.co.uk/our-region/clean-rivers-and-seas-task-force/pathfinders/
https://www.southernwater.co.uk/our-performance/storm-overflows/storm-overflow-task-force
During heavy rain, local sewer networks’ drainage capability can be exceeded by the amount of rainwater entering pipes and storage tanks connected via roads, roofs and paved areas. When these fill up, storm overflows release excess water through outfalls into rivers and the sea to prevent flooding of homes and businesses. Storm overflows are part of the network’s original design and are regulated by the Environment Agency. Over time, the expansion of urban settlements as well as ‘urban creep’ (home extensions, conservatories and paving over front gardens for parking) have incrementally added to the amount of rainwater entering sewers, resulting in increased releases from storm overflows. As stated in Water UK’s 21st Century Drainage Programme;
“The country’s built environment is constantly changing and “urban creep” – home extensions, conservatories and paving over front gardens for parking – can all add to the amount of water going into our sewers and drains. Green spaces that would absorb rainwater are covered over by concrete and tarmac that will not. In fact, studies show that “urban creep” results in a larger increase in predicted flooding than new housing, because it adds more rainwater to these systems’.
Stronger integration of sustainable drainage solutions within policy should ensure SuDS are incorporated into new development and public places, whilst also securing truly sustainable development. Please see our policy statement on Sustainable Development here:
https://www.southernwater.co.uk/media/ny0nb3qu/our-policy-statement-on-sustainable-development-a4.pdf

Railfuture London & South East regional branch endorses this. See later comment in response to “Strategic Transport Assessment – Forecasting Report” concerning the potential application of different standards for residential car parking for new developments around the new Hoo St. Werburgh station resulting from improved transport accessibility.”

The current and proposed parking standards provide information on garage sizes. There is no mention in the notes of
garage door widths. My research since 2019 re What car and Autocar details confirms the 95%ile width with wing mirrors is
2.2m. Hence garage doors should be 2.5m in width. St Mary's Island garages are all 2m. You cannot get an SUV or large car in.
Manual for Streets never had garage door widths, only car widths of 2m. Manual for Streets 3 is in the Government Long Grass since 2022. Reference to Car free development should also be inserted.

I have already passed comment re no mention of garage widths in the NOtes in current standards for cars 2.2m wide 95%ile.
Sites with no garages but on street parking will EV chargers to Lamp columns be provided in future, they need to be.

New houses generally have 2 spaces. Not allowing for work vans visitors or children’s cars. Too far away from anything not to drive. Causes paths and road sides to be congested possibly blocking emergency access and making crossing difficult. Very few people in Allhallows can afford electric cars. The trend is to move away from electric as not efficient/practical and go possibly for hydrogen again not affordable.

Parking is already terrible around here and looks set to get worse with all this

Emphasise that vehicle parking provision (both on-street and off-street) in new developments must not dominate the street scene. Furthermore, we believe that opportunities for on-street parking should be supported by a parking stress survey.

This policy does not appear to make any provision for self employed people who have a work vehicle and a vehicle for leisure. The self employed contribute greatly towards the local economy and provide trusted trades people to carry out varying maintenance services. Also there would need to be provision for disabled people who need a vehicle to aid their mobility and would like to live in standard housing rather than be segregated from their community.

More vehicle parking should be incorporated without restrictions or permits people should be free to use the type of transport that suits them not the council

more parking spaces per dwelling is required in rural areas otherwise they park on pavements . people now take their work vans home

Allow for blue badge parking and free parking where possible. Then you will get people coming to the area.

There should be no public parking season ticket permits issued for on-street parking.

I live in Allhallows, where parking on the streets is a constant issue. Many houses, built in the 70s, have driveways barely large enough for one modern car. Yet, Medway Council's new developments feature similarly small driveways, often fitting just one car or, at best, two. This approach exacerbates the problem, flooding our streets with more vehicles. This overcrowding makes driving, walking, and crossing the road hazardous, and the situation is likely to result in serious accidents if not addressed.

Vehicle parking on new build developments is rarely sufficient with one parking space per household when most households have 2 cars. This leads to a build up of parking in adjacent streets. Provision should be made for adequate parking with new builds.
Where possible parking provision should have integral energy production e.g. solar panel on the car park roof.

This strategy of all spaces having charging points is huge and not necessary when a significant portion of residents do not own an electric vehicle.