Decision details

To consider the future of the Programme and, if appropriate, approve the Programme for 2016/17.

(1)        That, for the foreseeable future, off street parking schemes be only constructed at the following sites, which were already committed, and funded from the existing 5-year combined Housing Revenue Account and General Fund Off Street Parking Capital Programme Budget (which currently had a budget provision of £1,855,000 available):

            (a)        The four sites agreed by the Council Housebuilding Cabinet             Committee in February 2015which had all progressed to the point of        planning applications being submitted and if approved, would commit around             £605,000 from the Off Street Parking Capital Programme Budget, namely:

(i)               Paley Gardens, Loughton;

(ii)              Torrington Drive, Loughton;

(iii)       Etheridge Green, Loughton; and

(iv)       Alderwood Close, Abridge;

(b)        The two sites where the Council Housebuilding Cabinet Committee had already agreed to fund the cost of demolishing the existing garages and to create off street parking spaces at an estimated cost of £40,000:

(i)         Springfield, Epping; and

(ii)        Loughton Way, Buckhurst Hill

            (c)        The four sites within Phases 1 and 3 of the Council Housebuilding   Programme, for which the relevant Area Planning Sub-Committees had   attached a condition to the planning consent to undertake a parking study and             to provide off street parking (if there was sufficient local resident support and          planning approval granted) at an estimated cost of £235,000:

(i)         The Roundhills Red Cross Site, Waltham Abbey;

(ii)        Roundhills Site 4, Waltham Abbey;

(iii)       Stewards Green Road, Epping; and

(iv)       Centre Avenue, Epping;

(2)        That, for future off street parking schemes (not including the above schemes in 1(a) and 1(c)), charges be made for the use of the off street parking bays through either one, or a combination, of the following options (as considered appropriate by the Director of Communities, in consultation with the Housing Portfolio Holder):

(a)        the sale of Residents Parking Permits in line with other Controlled Parking Zones in the District;

(b)        the provision of a hinged lockable bollard, rented to local residents at a cost of:

            (i)         £500 in the first year after implementation or re-instatement;             and

            (ii)        £250 per annum thereafter; or

(c)        through a Pay and Display Scheme, in line with other similar schemes on Highway Land around the District;

(3)        That the charges for the use of parking bays at future off-street parking schemes be added to the Annual Schedule of Fees and Charges for Housing Related Services and reviewed annually;

(4)        That the additional cost of monitoring the Controlled Parking Zones and/or Pay and Display bays for future schemes be met from the Off Street Parking Budget, with the income used to help fund any future maintenance costs or the construction of future schemes;

(5)        That any further off street parking schemes to be undertaken in the future be considered by the Cabinet on an annual basis;

(6)        That, prior to any Council Housebuilding planning application being submitted, transport studies be undertaken to assess the parking stress in the locality caused by any loss of garages and, because each planning application had to be determined on its own merits, the provision of separate off street parking schemes in the locality only be considered where transport studies had identified a lack of parking provision as a result of the new development, and that this previous automatic link between the two programmes be discontinued; and

(7)        That the following sites were unable to proceed be noted, since they had either failed to gain the support of local residents or there was insufficient Council-owned land available in the vicinity to develop a scheme:

(a)        Watermans Way, North Weald;

(b)        Sycamore House, Buckhurst Hill; and

            (c)        Tillingham Court, Waltham Abbey.