Parking modalities
This refers to the ways in which designers can accommodate parking in residential schemes.
Although this is not always possible, people want to park their cars near their house, ideally in place where they can see it from their window. Residents must be able to open the car doors properly to enable children the elderly and those with limited mobility to exit. They also need to be able to park at close proximity of their homes, with safe, accessible footways or paths to reach their homes.
However, Nottingham City Council aims to deliver pedestrian-friendly neighbourhoods, residential areas that are not dominated by cars and that can foster healthy, active, resilient communities.
It is possible to get the balance right by ensuring a mixture of parking modalities in neighbourhoods so that no form of parking is too dominant: see the Design Solutions page (link coming soon).
TYPES OF PARKING
Curtilage (Fig 1) 2.4m x 5.5m
This refers to parking at the front of the property, a type typical in modern terrace houses. Curtilage parking is limited to six together and front parking must be concealed whenever possible.
On-plot (Fig 2) 3.6m x 5.5m
This refers to parking within the plot of land that belongs to a house, for example on a driveway. The maximum width of gaps between houses is restricted, allowing only one parking width between buildings. Also, there is a requirement to close the gap with gates or solid doors to conceal cars from the public realm and to provide a sense of continuous frontage.
On-street (Fig 3) 2.4m x 6m
Parking on streets can be designated in special circumstances but the preference is for street parking to be for visitors and deliveries. On-street parking must be demarcated with inset materials such as stones or blocks (not paint) fitted at surface level. Where there is a need for traffic calming, parking combined with planters is a good solution.
Garages (Figs 4a and 4b) 3.6m x 6m clear internal space
Nottingham City Council will not count parking in garages as part of the parking provision number. Integral garages are acceptable as long as these are not too dominant in the street scene. Garages located behind two on-plot spaces are not be accepted, especially if these are double garages. See Perimeter Block.
Visitors
Allocated spaces can be on-street when properly demarcated.
Deliveries
There is an increasing need to allow space for delivery vehicles. Designers must demonstrate how all houses could be served without highways disruption.
Fig 1: Curtilage parking. Good demarcation of public-private division and clearly demarcated access path.
Fig 2: Parking on-plot (side driveway). Well concealed thanks to the good plot boundary treatment.
Fig 3: On-street parking. Well defined and demarcated, and combined with trees in pits.
Fig 4a: Integral garages are acceptable but in this case there are too many of them side by side, dominating the street scene.
Fig 4b: Double garage set back creates a large gap in the perimeter block. This solution will not be acceptable.