Resident-only parking permit call for Newport

Councillor Richard Overton, of Telford & Wrekin Council, was responding to a question by a Newport ward councillor, who complained some student houses had six cars parked around them and asked whether the Landlord Accreditation Scheme could be amended to limit the number of cars.

He pointed out that houses can legally be changed into student residences for up to six people without a change-of-use application going through the planning department, and said the council would need to provide “evidence of harm” to central government in order to amend policy.

Councillor Peter Scott, who represents Newport North and West, said residential streets in the town have a “severe parking issue” and students of the nearby agricultural Harper Adams University took up more than their fair share of on-street space.

In his question to Councillor Overton, he said: “In Newport we now have many student-let properties with up to six living in one house. This can mean that six vehicles need to be parked there during the day or night.

“Many of the residential roads in Newport already have a severe parking issue, especially with poor pavement parking. There needs to be something added to the Landlord Accreditation Scheme that can help us.

“Can the council do anything to control the numbers of student lets on residential streets and can the landlord be made to accommodate cars being parked only on their own driveways and garage areas?”

Councillor Overton, who is the borough portfolio holder for housing and enforcement, told the meeting of Telford & Wrekin’s full council: “Members will know that Harper Adams is a growing university, which we welcome. However, we must ensure we help create conditions where students and residents can live well together.

Permission

“The council recognises that, under planning legislation, dwellings can be converted to provide accommodation for up to six people, provided they live as a single household, without the need for a planning application.

“If, however, more than six people were accommodated, planning consent would be required and we would be able to consider material planning matters including levels of parking and amenity.

“The majority of the student accommodation referred to has been converted without the need for permission from the local authority. The only way to require a planning application would be through the removal of permitted development rights.

“However, in making such a direction, there must be significant evidence for an identified need demonstrating to the secretary of state the evidence of harm.”

He said the council is continuing to gather evidence of this sort and may eventually build a case, and promised to keep members informed.

Councillor Overton added: “As members may be aware, the council has given a commitment to apply in the new year to adopt civil parking enforcement powers from the police.

“One of the options that will come with civil parking powers is the potential to consider implementing residential permit parking schemes. Longer-term, this may offer a partial solution to Councillor Scott’s concerns in Newport.

“The new Landlord Accreditation Scheme is designed to improve standards within the private sector and to recognise good landlords. It is not designed to implement parking restrictions.

“Although I appreciate parking in this area is challenge, if car owners have paid their road tax and are not parking illegally, then there is little the council can do in the short term.”

Councillor Overton promised to put pressure on the public protection department to send a representative to speak to Newport Town Council – where Councillor Scott is also an elected member – about the issue, and offered to attend himself as well.

By Alex Moore, local democracy reporter