By Anna Bensemann | Nov 06, 2020
Car parking requirements for new urban developments are due to be on the chopping block within 18 months under new planning provisions.
All district councils are required to remove any objective, policy, rule or method that imposes a minimum car parking requirement in accordance with the Governments Urban Development National Policy statement. This will see a move away from the standard two carparks per residential dwelling typically seen in urban zones and enable more land to be available for housing in medium density developments. It will also free up land occupied by maneuvering areas when vehicles are not allowed to reverse onto a street.
It is possible that councils determined to impose car parking minimums will find creative ways to effectively require onsite carparks. This could be through discounted development contributions when carparks are provided, or by considering the effect on traffic where any carparks are not provided but a resource consent is required.
In our larger well-connected cities and towns with good pedestrian and cycle networks and accessible public transport systems, reliance on cars is dwindling. The housing market demand for smaller sections and reduced car parking is generally accepted in these areas.
The restrictions are being removed in a broad brush manner to all districts that contain “urban environments”, and the removal of car parking requirements will not just be limited to residential activities. Shops, theatres, preschools, schools, businesses, supermarkets and big box retail outlets like Kmart and Mitre 10 will no longer have regulated car parking requirements.
So, where space is at a premium the provision of car parking could be slashed. Not providing car parking in some instances would be economic suicide for businesses, especially supermarkets, big-box retail outlets and the like who usually provide more than minimum requirements anyway, but individual project developers will be able to determine the required minimum amount to meet actual demand.
It’s going to be interesting going forward to watch new developments and see what developers think we need in the way of carparks. No doubt there will be instances where they get it wrong and those will be problematic legacies. However, we can only but hope those developing most of our new retail outlets are aware of actual demand and will aim to have a good level of service to meet their customer’s needs.
The National Policy Statement on Urban Development 2020 (NPS) is aimed at promoting and managing development for the next 30 years and car parking limits are only one tool targeted to assist development. It is perhaps the most direct and tangible provision in the NPS that will either be the great success story of the market led development or a prime example of what not to do to make successful developments in our urban environments.
Articles you might be interested in
- Proposed Selwyn District Plan Update
- Rural Allotment Sizes set to Double
- Planning Rules can Affect Property Value
- District Plan in Selwyn – How will it Affect You?
- Minimum Car Parking Requirements to be Chopped
- Good District Plan provisions save time and money
- With increasing density, good design matters
- The rise or fall of rural lifestyle blocks in the Selwyn District?
- Highly Productive Soils – Big Picture Thinking vs Private Landowners Needs
- Proposed Selwyn District Plan - What next?
- Game changers for housing under the RMA
- The importance of knowing your boundaries
- Who Shapes our Planning Rules?
- Crime Prevention Through Environment Design (CPTED)
- How to navigate Rural Land Development Under the National Policy Statement on Highly Productive Soils
- Tiny Home Revolution May Not Save Costs
- A Practical Guide for District Plan Reviews
- Historic Heritage Challenges for Landowners
- Is the RMA really the problem?
- A recent Baseline Group project was recognised at the 2022 Canterbury Architecture Awards
- The dream of subdividing your land
- Wild Weather and Resource Consent Requirements
- The Great Forestry Debate
- Rivers, Lakes and Coastline, Public Space for All
- Time matters – With Resource Consent
- Commercial Activity in a Rural Zone – What’s the Harm?
- How Tree Canopies Transform Neighbourhoods and Enhance Lives
- Is it a Wetland or Not?
- What does a professional planner do?
- Highly Productive Soils – Big Picture Thinking vs Private Landowners Needs
- Your Rights as an Affected Neighbour: Navigating Development Under the RMA
- Outstanding Natural Features and Landscapes - effect on farming
- Confused by Environmental Legislation? You are Not Alone.
- Why we have complicated septic tank disposal rules
- Buildings under exemptions may still need resource consent
- Indigenous Biodiversity: what does it mean for a farmer?
- Hazardous activities, land contamination and resource consent applications
- Burning crop stubble on your property?
- Changes to Resource Management Planning Signalled in Proposed Legislation
- But that’s the way we have always done it!
- Cross lease titles - an overview
- Fundamental Culture Shift in New Zealand Planning Legislation.
- The impact of consent notices when purchasing land
- Change isn't coming, it's here!
- How lizards might affect your new development
- Housing Growth continues in Selwyn with Legislative Support
- Flood Management | Changes in Selwyn
- Who Pays for Infrastructure in Greenfield Land Development?
- The National Policy Statement for Natural Hazard Decision-Making and its effects on Resource Consents
- Risks to farmland in the planning framework
- Managing Cultural Heritage Sites
- Have your say on Development Projects
- What to do when you inherit land
- Balancing Common Sense and Legal Process under the RMA: Protecting Communities and the Environment
- Rural allotment sizes set to double in West Selwyn
- New Indigenous Biodiversity Legislation Mandates Significant Natural Area Identification
- State highways, noise and reverse sensitivity: what’s the buzz?
- The Role of Planning in the Climate Change - Discussion for Agriculture
- RMA changes are coming, are you ready?
- What does The Selwyn District Plan (appeals version) mean for the planning process and consent?
- Spotlight on District Plan Provisions
- Selwyn District Council Changes Urban Allotment Sizes
- Our History - How We All Play a Part in its Protection
- Councils are Increasing Residential Density, but why, who does it benefit?
- Planning land use to be resilient to natural hazards
- Crunch Time For New Freshwater Legislation
- Boundary disputes – What are they and how can you resolve them?
- Housing Intensification – Not for Everyone Says CCC
- Navigating New Opportunities: The Importance of Land Development Planning in 2024
- How might Development Contributions affect you?
- Negotiating with Neighbours Under the RMA
- Make Your Additional Land Profitable Under the Selwyn Proposed Plan
- Time's up on the RMA
- Planning Permissions – Resource Consent or Plan Change?