Nuneaton and Bedworth parking standards SPD 2026.

What has changed

The SPD updates the 2022 document to support the Borough Plan adopted in December 2025. Policy HS2 requires applications to address accessibility and demand management, and sets a 15% modal shift to non-car travel for all proposals. The SPD is to be read with the council's Air Quality SPD and with Warwickshire County Council's highway design guidance. It does not include a schedule of changes from the 2022 version.

Residential standards

• HMOs: 0.5 spaces per bedroom for small HMOs of up to six people; larger HMOs case by case (Table 1).
• Space size: 2.5 by 5.5 metres, increasing to 3.0 metres wide against a wall or boundary and 3.5 metres between walls (paragraph 5.10).
• Garages: 3.5 metres wide internally, and 6.0 by 6.0 metres for a double garage. The dimensions are stated to matter where a garage is included in parking provision, and a compliant garage can be treated as providing a secure cycle space (paragraphs 5.11 and 5.12).
• Accessible parking: 5% of total parking, close to entrances and to BS 8300 (paragraphs 5.13 and 5.14).

Cycle and EV standards

• Dwellings: one secure cycle space per bedroom; flats to have secure communal ground-floor storage; student accommodation one per four bedrooms (Table 3).
• Design: Sheffield stands by default, no butterfly or wheel-grip stands, and at least one bay for non-standard cycles (paragraphs 6.7 to 6.10).
• Residential charging: one 16A charging point per dwelling with dedicated parking, or one per ten unallocated spaces (paragraphs 5.4 to 5.9).
• Non-residential charging: 10% of spaces with 32A points, which may be phased with 5% initially.

Departing from the standards

The SPD does not include a car free category. Reduced provision is possible only as a departure, which the applicant must robustly justify and which requires the highway authority to be satisfied that the impacts would not be severe (paragraph 5.1). Accessibility is weighed qualitatively, including on-street parking availability, access to public car parks and public transport, particularly in town centres (paragraph 5.2).

Points to note

Outside the town centre, the residential standards set the level of provision expected, including unallocated spaces in addition to allocated parking. The town centre maximum of one space per dwelling is the main location-based distinction.

Policy HS2's 15% modal shift applies to all proposals, so transport submissions are expected to explain how the development will support travel by means other than the car, alongside the parking provision proposed.

Practical points

• Include unallocated spaces in addition to allocated provision outside the town centre.
• Check garage dimensions against paragraphs 5.11 and 5.12 before counting garages.
• Address the 15% modal shift required by policy HS2 in transport submissions.
• Evidence any reduction with parking demand and capacity data, agreed with the highway authority.