Planning Officers fail to apply car-parking standards to Northcliffe Penarth

  Planning Officers fail to apply car-parking standards

In their promotion of new homes – for the housing market rather than for need – the Vale Council leaders must have told their planning officers to by-pass car-parking standards. 

The Northcliffe Lodge developers are allowed to propose just 30 car-spaces for 30 dwellings, though the ‘standard’ is one space per bedroom, which would total 67 for the 2 and 3-bed apartments proposed**.  They are allowed to claim in their transport statement that the new dwellings would be within “easy walking distance” to the town centre and a foodstore (over the St Augustine’s hill) and public transport (no bus service after  6pm and on Sundays).

People living close-by have objected that it will result in parking on-street in Paget Place and potentially in their own cul-de-sacs.  Vale Officers still indicate 30 spaces plus 6 spaces for visitors are sufficient**.  In a case in Barry (housing on the Windsor Rd church site) the officers suggested people could give up their cars if they find it difficult to park; presumably they give the same excuse in Penarth.

Labour politicians do argue for going easy on parking standards when there’s ‘affordable’/social housing.    Yet at Northcliffe Lodge, the developer is wriggling out of the obligation to provide 40% affordable housing on the argument that the service charges they plan to levy would be over much for social tenants.  

Cllr Lis Burnett, deputy leader, knows this well as Northcliffe is in her ward – curiously, she has not told the officers to stop leaning over backwards to assist this crammed yuppy development.

** Table 1: Accommodation Schedule

Apartment Type-    23 dwellings,  2 bedroom 90 m2 

                                7  dwellings  3 bedroom duplex 126 m2           Total  30

 http://vogonline.planning-register.co.uk/PlaRecord.aspx?AppNo=2015/01449/FUL

** see the Council Highway comments of 18^th August