Bexley Council's Planning Committee addressed concerns over parking provisions related to a home extension in Sidcup, leading to a request for a parking survey. The discussion took place during the Planning Committee meeting on Thursday, 31 July 2025, where application 25/01004/FUL for land adjacent to 309 Halfway Street, Sidcup, was under consideration.
The committee reviewed the application submitted by Mr M Cocerhan for the erection of an attached two-storey dwelling with refuse storage and parking to the rear, including the conversion of the existing hipped roof to a gable roof and demolition of an existing garage in the rear garden of the property.
The planning officer's report noted that the Highway Authority had recommended that an independent parking survey be undertaken in accordance with the Lambeth Methodology, using a Bexley Council 5.5m parking space length. The initial parking survey indicated that the parking stress on the nights in question was 50.9% and 56.1%.
During the meeting, Councillor Smith highlighted that parking was a key concern for residents, noting that a large number of objections related to parking issues. Specifically, the 90 objections included concerns about inadequate parking, increased traffic, and the impact on local roads. She asked where the parking stress test was undertaken and if there were any parking restrictions to the west of the site.
Mr. Williams, responding on behalf of the planning officers, stated that the parking survey was carried out within a 200-metre radius of the site, rather than on specific roads.
Councillor Smith further inquired if residents of the new development would be entitled to permits on neighbouring roads if a CPZ (Controlled Parking Zone) was implemented. Ms Young clarified that it had been secured that they would not be entitled to permits.
Councillor Davie agreed that there was not enough parking, but that the council was constrained by the London Plan and the Bexley plan. He stated that the committee was constrained by the London Plan and the Bexley plan, which follows on from the London Plan, in terms of parking standards. He said, I agree there's not enough parking, but of course we're constrained by the London plan and the Bexley plan, of course, really follows on from the London plan, so we don't really have much say in that and we always complain there's not enough parking because it's a one-size-fits-all thing for London.
Councillor Sandhu, one of the ward councillors for Bexley Heath Ward, spoke on behalf of residents, highlighting that the plans and policies often differ from the real lived experiences of residents. She noted that the parking survey was done in the early hours of the morning, which doesn't account for commuters who park in the area during the day.
Beyond denying permit eligibility, mitigation measures to address potential parking issues include a car club, a travel plan, and monitoring of the situation as the development is built and occupied. The travel plan will enable future surveys and mitigation, should issues arise.
These concerns and the Highway Authority's recommendation led to the request for a parking survey to better understand the parking dynamics in the area.
The Planning Committee ultimately approved the application, taking into account the need for housing and the existing parking conditions, but the request for a parking survey underscores the ongoing challenges of balancing development with the needs of local residents.
