Dramatic cut in parking spaces on new housing estates in Midlothian
New parking standards for developers in the county reduce the number of visitor spaces required in new residential site from one for every two houses to no more than one for every 20 homes.
And they will reduce the number of spaces for users of new sports facilities with golf courses to be told they can have no more than two spaces per hole and any stadium built with over 1500 capacity allowed no more than one space for every 150 seats.
A report due to go before Midlothian Council's planning committee next week for agreement says the new standards have been influenced by the Scottish Government's goal of reducing private car use.
It says previous policy which advised developers the minimum number of spaces required for housing will be replaced with new rules setting out the maximum allowed.
It will reduce the number of visitor spaces at residential estates to just five per cent of the number of homes – one in 20 – in towns with rural developments allowed up to 10 per cent.
The report says: 'A consequence of the proposed new parking standards is that provision of car parking will be reduced across new developments,
including in new residential developments.
'The parking standard will apply across a whole development; it will therefore be incumbent on those developing proposals to accommodate the parking standards within the design of the whole development.'
As well as reducing the number of visitor parking spaces allowed, the new standards also require that 10 per cent of those provided have an electric charger in place, however to qualify for that in towns the development would have to have at least 200 new homes built.
The report says the new parking standards were put through a 'targeted consultation' which involved community councils, Homes for Scotland and internal sections of the council.
They cover new build larger stadiums which face a change of one parking space for every 15 seats to one for every 150 seats swimming pools being allowed a maximum of one space per 25 square metres when it used to be a minimum of one every 10 square metres and golf courses reduced from two and a half spaces per hole to two spaces.
Minimum cycle parking places and EV charger spaces will also be introduced across all new developments. Councillors will be asked to agree to the new standards next week.
By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter
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