By Anna Bensemann | Sep 02, 2021
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 carparking 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 manoeuvring areas when vehicles are not allowed to reverse onto a street.
It is possible that councils determined to impose carparking 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 carparking is generally accepted in these aeras.
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 carparking requirements.
So, where space is at a premium the provision of carparking could be slashed. Not providing carparking 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 is 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
- Game changers for housing under the RMA
- Selwyn District Council Changes Urban Allotment Sizes
- Negotiating with Neighbours Under the RMA
- Housing Growth continues in Selwyn with Legislative Support
- The impact of consent notices when purchasing land
- Boundary disputes – What are they and how can you resolve them?
- Proposed Selwyn District Plan - What next?
- The Great Forestry Debate
- State highways, noise and reverse sensitivity: what’s the buzz?
- Tiny Home Revolution May Not Save Costs
- Good District Plan provisions save time and money
- Balancing Common Sense and Legal Process under the RMA: Protecting Communities and the Environment
- Time's up on the RMA
- Indigenous Biodiversity: what does it mean for a farmer?
- Buildings under exemptions may still need resource consent
- How might Development Contributions affect you?
- Planning Rules can Affect Property Value
- Is it a Wetland or Not?
- But that’s the way we have always done it!
- The importance of knowing your boundaries
- Commercial Activity in a Rural Zone – What’s the Harm?
- District Plan in Selwyn – How will it Affect You?
- Crunch Time For New Freshwater Legislation
- Changes to Flood Management in Selwyn
- Historic Heritage Challenges for Landowners
- Why we have complicated septic tank disposal rules
- Highly Productive Soils – Big Picture Thinking vs Private Landowners Needs
- Rural allotment sizes set to double in West Selwyn
- Wild Weather and Resource Consent Requirements
- Who Pays for Infrastructure in Greenfield Land Development?
- Who Shapes our Planning Rules?
- Your Rights as an Affected Neighbour: Navigating Development Under the RMA
- New Indigenous Biodiversity Legislation Mandates Significant Natural Area Identification
- Change isn't coming, it's here!
- Our History - How We All Play a Part in its Protection
- Planning Permissions – Resource Consent or Plan Change?
- Councils are Increasing Residential Density, but why, who does it benefit?
- Spotlight on District Plan Provisions
- Changes to Resource Management Planning Signalled in Proposed Legislation
- How lizards might affect your new development
- With increasing density, good design matters
- What to do when you inherit land
- The dream of subdividing your land
- Rural Allotment Sizes set to Double
- RMA changes are coming, are you ready?
- Planning land use to be resilient to natural hazards
- Outstanding Natural Features and Landscapes - effect on farming
- Minimum car parking requirements to be chopped
- Managing Cultural Heritage Sites
- Highly Productive Soils – Big Picture Thinking vs Private Landowners Needs
- Burning crop stubble on your property?
- Crime Prevention Through Environment Design (CPTED)
- Housing Intensification – Not for Everyone Says CCC
- Hazardous activities, land contamination and resource consent applications
- A Practical Guide for District Plan Reviews
- A recent Baseline Group project was recognised at the 2022 Canterbury Architecture Awards
- Risks to farmland in the planning framework
- Is the RMA really the problem?
- Fundamental Culture Shift in New Zealand Planning Legislation.
- Have your say on Development Projects
- Make Your Additional Land Profitable Under the Selwyn Proposed Plan
- Proposed Selwyn District Plan Update
- The Role of Planning in the Climate Change - Discussion for Agriculture
- What does a professional planner do?
- Cross lease titles - an overview
- How Tree Canopies Transform Neighbourhoods and Enhance Lives