Minutes:
Mr Roger Cornwell referred to the Cabinet meeting held on 6 April 2022 at which Cabinet agreed to consult on the second draft of the County Durham Parking and Accessibility Supplementary Planning Document. The consultation ended on 7 June 2022 and whilst the supporting information for the consultation said that it was expected that the document would be adopted in the autumn under delegated powers, this had not taken place. Mr Cornwell commented that planning applications were in progress where parking provision is a consideration and he pointed out that having an adopted Supplementary Planning Document would be more relevant and material than the interim document currently available. Mr Cornwell asked what was the reason for the delay and when the Supplementary Planning Document would be adopted.
Councillor E Scott, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Economy and Partnerships thanked Mr Cornwell for the questions and explained that substantial feedback was received from stakeholders as part of the second consultation on the Parking and Accessibility SPD in June 2022. Within the responses, different perspectives on the quantum of parking spaces required on both commercial and residential development sites were noted therefore getting the parking provision correct on new developments required striking a balance between the needs of different stakeholders. For example, on residential developments, the Council must consider the needs of residents who require sufficient secure off-street parking and the needs of residents moving around developments, including those with mobility issues. The Council must also consider the designs required by developers to make new housing attractive and viable as well as providing sufficient space for service and delivery vehicles.
Members and officers were therefore in the process of understanding the different stakeholder perspectives in the consultation responses and the implications of the proposed guidelines on development viability. This measured response was required to ensure the most appropriate future standards for the County will be adopted. A report will be brought back to Cabinet seeking approval once Cabinet is confident that parking guidelines are correct to meet the needs of residents, stakeholders and developers for future years.