Policy information sourced from the Islington Local Plan

T3 Car-free development

  • All new development will be car free.

Residential Parking (including C3 and non-C3 residential use)

  • Vehicle parking or waiting for essential drop-off and accessible parking will be permitted for new homes. This does not include applications for vehicle parking within a site, the planning unit and/or within the curtilage of existing residential properties, including any undercroft or basement parking. Unless exceptional circumstances can be demonstrated, no parking permits will be issued to occupiers of these new homes.

Non-Residential Parking

  • Parking will be allowed for non-residential developments where this is essential for operational requirements and therefore integral to the nature of the business or service (e.g. Use Class B8 storage and distribution uses). In such cases, parking will be permitted where an essential need has been demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Council and where the provision of parking would not conflict with other Council policies. Normal staff parking will not be considered essential and will not be permitted.
  • Essential drop-off or essential operational parking considered acceptable in line with Parts B or C must:
    1. be off-street and located to be accessible and convenient in relation to the development;
    2. not impede pedestrian and cycle movements;
    3. provide an accessible route from the parking space to the development; and
    4. provide electric vehicle charging points.
  • Where on-street drop-off or other essential parking is proposed, details must be submitted to demonstrate the need for on-street provision and to show that arrangements will be safe and will not cause a traffic obstruction or nuisance. Electric vehicle charging points must be provided where parking is justified; charging points must be located within the parking space or carriageway and must not obstruct pavements or cause other adverse public realm impacts.
  • Planning applications for uses that require coach parking will only be permitted where the coach parking would not give rise to adverse impacts on road safety and congestion. Coach parking must be provided on-site, unless the applicant can identify an alternative location which satisfies the Council in terms of road safety and congestion and other relevant planning matters. Such locations must not be directly outside the main entrance of developments and must not be at the expense of space provided to facilitate other sustainable modes of transport including buses.

Accessible parking

  • Accessible parking spaces must be provided based on 10% of the total residential units/bedspaces proposed (for residential proposals); or one accessible parking space per 33 employees (for employment development). For other uses, the number of accessible spaces must be proportionate to the number of building users. Spaces will only be made available for Blue Badge holders who live or work in the development linked to the parking space. The Council will require accessible parking spaces to be located on-street and identified on plan. The cost of provision of parking spaces will be secured by a Section 106 legal agreement to enable the Council to install the accessible parking spaces as and when demand materialises from Blue Badge occupiers/employees. Spaces will generally not be required to be physically provided where this demand has not materialised. Where it is not possible to deliver designated spaces on street, for example due to insufficient space or issues with amending Traffic Management Orders, a financial contribution should be made towards investment in other accessible or sustainable transport initiatives where appropriate.

Car Clubs

  • The Council will support the provision of car clubs, including the provision of accessible car club parking spaces and/or contributions towards the provision of car clubs in the vicinity of the development, where appropriate. Car club vehicles must be ‘clean’, i.e. it must be powered by alternative fuels to minimise harmful impacts on the environment.

Car Parks

  • Proposals for, or including, new public car parks (and other motor vehicle public parking, including for coaches) will be refused. Redevelopment of existing car parks is strongly encouraged. Proposals for the redevelopment of existing car parks (public or private) for a different use will be subject to the car-free restriction within this policy. The artificial separation of sites to remove existing on-site parking areas (public or private) from the boundary of an application for the purposes of retaining car parking spaces will not be considered acceptable. All parking related to the existing use and/or building which is the subject of the application must be included as part of the application site.

Electric vehicles

  • Electric vehicles are not exempt from the car-free policy. However, the Council will require the provision of on-street charging points for vehicles where any parking is provided.

For more information please see the Islington Local Plan