New home developers hire specialist planning consultants and designers that aim to maximise the profitability of every planned development by ensuring that the housing density is a high as possible. This impacts on many aspects of a development that make living there more enjoyable such as open spaces, play areas and the like. However, the one that causes the most problems with residents is the lack of parking. Visit any new build estate at the weekend when everybody is at home and people are entertaining visitors you will see what I mean.
I read this article earlier about a Barratt Homes estate where the residents are putting “polite notices” on cars stating that the road is private so visitors cannot park there. Although this is technically correct, it would be private for long and once the council has adopted it anybody can park there.
Here is the article:
]Estate agents Whitton and Laing have waded in over a row over parking at Norman Crescent.
Recently residents were being warned off becoming vigilante traffic wardens by cops after two drivers found notes on their parked cars saying the road was private.
Read more about this parking problem.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Sirs:
Further to this article I feel it necessary to clarify the situation.
Firstly, of course developers employ experts and advisers. Show me a company that doesn’t. However, densities have far more to do with Government legislation (PPG3 now PPS3) than greed as you suggest. Planning advisers and architects work to set density parameters which are quite wide (eg 30-40 units per Ha). Regardless of what the public want to buy, developers are generally tied to build what the government dictate.
Secondly, with regard to parking. Again, the Planners dictate the amount of parking allowable per dwelling. On large developments we are generally allowed 1.5 parking spaces per dwelling. Considering the average family has a little over two cars sitting at home (in my experience it is more like 3+), you don’t have to be a mathematician to spot the problem even at planning stage – but rules is rules and we just build to them. Several developments I have been involved with have initially had ZERO parking allowance, or less than one space per dwelling. Guess which units were the last to sell…
I would respectfully suggest that, before you shoot the builder and tar them with the blame, try offering a balanced view by asking developers for comment.
Paul
I have a question you may be able to answer for me!
We currently have a Barratt home the problem is that a neighbour has decided to complain about cars parking on the curb opposite our house.
The cars are not obstructing traffic however they are particially on the curb!
My question is… is there anything within building regulations or deeds to property that says we are unable to do this?
We are under a management company within the estate (not that they are of any use!)
Regards!
After babysitting tonight for my son at Barratts Arena development at Hayes, in Middlesex, I was confronted by a huge sign saying that parking was not allowed any longer, that waiting was also not allowed, I suppose getting babies and shopping out of cars is prohibited, at pain of a £90.00 fine. The only pressure on parking is from the residents, there are no shops, stations or anything like that around. This is just a blatent attempt at making money from residents. At no time when selling these properties was there any indication by Barratts that there would be any restrictions like this.
According to my inspection, the Barratt area planners have certain thing to do to solve the parking problems. With a sincere care by the planning commission, this problem should be removed with much trouble and yes, the freedom of living would be the main focus on the commissions mind to solve it. Action with proper measurements required immediately.
Paul Barker,
Whilst I understand your point and have no doubt the the people that also lacked ambition and ended up as developers, planning officals, etc. do indeed make rules that end up with badly designed housing estates.
If indeed the amount of space for parking is dictated why do builders build garages that you cannot park a car in? Also, given that the is no minimum or maximum width requirement for a driveway, why do builders make then only wide enough to open the doors on one side of the car if you park right over to one side of the driveway?
To consider todays building industry as a profession is completley inappropriate.
There is absolutly no doubt the the low standard of building firms result in many a disgruntled new home owner.
I own a Barrat home and have had the most pathetic conversations with the company. I had many letters from them insisting that they would be building in accordance with the plans, despite there being a clear discrepancy.
In short the garage slab was too high, the house slab too low, the pavement too high, the drive way sloped too much and the drainage was in the worng place. In addition the plan for parking was poorly thought through as were the road widths. It’s the residence that have to live with these failings.
So despite the plans actually being well designed for managing surface water, waste water, etc. the implementation meant that the plan was no longer effective. This is the builders fault.
I believe we have every right to blame the building companies for the low quality of modern builds. The rules may well be wrong but the building firms have the ability to drive change into the rules. THey choose not to because it will affect their profits.
I agree. There is a massive estate near me (at least five different developers) and I was appalled to drive around it and see cars parked both sides of the road, making passing through very tricky. Part of the problem is bad design, in that the spaces provided are behind the houses and communal, rather than putting drives in. This results in a very cramped feel to the estate. Sad. Mind you its not all bad, I am looking to buy on a small estate built by a local company where the road are wide, and every house either has a garage plus a drive you can fit 2 or 3 cars on, or two parking spaces at the front. Seems they managed to get round the ‘regulations’ eh?