Policy information sourced from the Brent Local Plan

BT2 Parking and Car Free Development

Developments should provide parking consistent with parking standards in Appendix 4. Car parking standards are the maximum and car free development should be the starting point for all development proposals in places that are (or are planned to be) well-connected by public transport, with developments elsewhere designed to provide the minimum necessary parking.

Contributions secured through a planning obligation to existing and new car clubs, bike clubs and pool car and bike schemes in the borough will be strongly encouraged in place of private parking in developments.

Managing the Impact of Parking

Additional parking provision should not have negative impacts on existing parking, highways, other forms of movement or the environment. The removal of surplus parking spaces will be encouraged. Development will be supported where it does not:

  • add to on-street parking demand where on-street parking spaces cannot meet existing demand such as on heavily parked streets, or otherwise harm existing on street parking conditions;
  • require detrimental amendment to existing or proposed CPZs. In areas with CPZs access to on-street parking permits for future development occupiers other than for disabled blue badge holders will be removed or limited;
  • create a shortfall of public car parking, operational business parking or residents’ parking;

The council will require off-street parking to:

  • preserve any means of enclosure, trees or other features of a forecourt or garden that make a significant contribution to the building’s setting and character of the surrounding area; and
  • provide adequate soft landscaping (in the case of front gardens 50% coverage), permeable surfaces, boundary treatment and other treatments to offset adverse visual impacts and increases in surface water run-off.

Public off-street parking will be permitted only where it is supported by a transport assessment and is shown to meet a need that cannot be met by public transport.

The council will accept the loss of off street short-term publicly available parking only where this would not lead to under-provision in the locality.

For more information please see the Brent Local Plan