You couldn't Make It Up!
I know this is from 2013 but I couldn't believe that they were planning to take
money off us for renting out our driveway.
The government announces new guidance to discourage councils from introducing a new
parking tax on people’s driveways and parking
spaces.
Across the country, assisted by the internet “matching”,
households are renting out their spare or unused dedicated
off-street parking space in and near town centres, train
stations and sports grounds. This provides a small income
for hard-working families, and helps provide more cheap
parking spaces for people to park their car, taking pressure
away from on-street parking. Personal finance experts like
Martin Lewis of moneysavingexpert.com have recommended
this to households as a practical way of raising and saving
money.
It is believed that many councils do not like this activity, as it
deprives them of parking income - as a result, they are
demanding that households apply for planning permission
for “change of use”. Such a planning application fee costs
£385 - councils are threatening fines of up to £20,000 if
householders do not apply.
Eric Pickles announced today that the government will be
publishing new guidance on change of use making it
clear that the public should be able to rent a single
parking space without planning permission, provided there
is no public nuisance to neighbours, or other substantive
concerns. A distinction is made between renting out a car
parking space to park a single car (which should not normally
require planning permission, where there is no change to the
intensity of use), as opposed to changing your garden into a
car park or a clear commercial use like a car show room
or minicab rank (which would clearly require planning permission).
Eric Pickles, Secretary of State for Local Government, said:
Councils should be welcoming common sense ways that
help hard-working people park easier and cheaply and for
families to make some spare cash. Councils shouldn’t be
interfering in an honest activity that causes no harm to
others, unless there are serious concerns. Parking charges
and fines are not a cash cow for town halls.This government is standing up against the town hall
parking bullies and over-zealous parking enforcement.
Further information
The Department for Communities and Local Government
is currently undertaking a review of Planning Practice
Guidance, seeking to consolidate the confusing and
inaccessible 7,000 pages of guidance. A streamlined,
web-based resource will be launched in “beta” test
mode later this month.
This will include new practice guidance on when planning
permission is, and is not, required. Ministers will introduce
new guidance on the issue of change of use that includes
renting driveways. New guidance on changes of use will
also make clear that whether an application for change
of use is needed should be considered on the basis of
the individual circumstances. Material change of use is
determined on a case-by-case basis to avoid situations
where people may seek to flout the rules by, for example,
turning their front garden into a car park.
Moneysavingexpert.com has published a guide on how
households can rent out their spare parking space, and how
people can park for less. There are a number of websites
which offer a “matching” service between people who want
to rent out their drive and hire it out. They concede that it
currently is a “grey area” in planning law, so highlighting the
public need for clearer guidance.
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