Sefton Council · Metropolitan borough
Transport Statements and Assessments in Sefton
What transport evidence a Sefton planning application needs, the parking standards that apply, and the policies an assessment should address.
Which document do you need?
National policy asks for a Transport Statement or a Transport Assessment wherever a development will generate significant amounts of movement.
Transport Statement
A shorter document for smaller schemes where transport issues are limited: access, parking, trips and sustainable travel.
Transport Assessment
A full assessment for larger schemes: trip generation, network impact, junction capacity and mitigation.
Parking standards
The standards Sefton Council applies, taken from the source document below and checked against it row by row.
| Use | Area and size | Car parking | Maximum car parking |
|---|---|---|---|
| B1 Business / Offices | All other areas | 1 space per 26 sq m (standalone offices and business parks) | – |
| B1 Business / Offices | Town / district centres | 1 space per 35 sq m | – |
| A2 Financial & Professional Services | All other areas | 1 space per 25 sq m | – |
| A2 Financial & Professional Services | Town / district centres | 1 space per 28 sq m | – |
| A3 & A5 Restaurants, Cafes, Hot Food Takeaways | All other areas | 1 space per 7 sq m of public floor area | – |
| A3 & A5 Restaurants, Cafes, Hot Food Takeaways | Town / district centres | 1 space per 9 sq m of public floor area | – |
| A4 Drinking Establishments | All other areas | 1 space per 7 sq m of public floor area | – |
| A4 Drinking Establishments | Town / district centres | 1 space per 9 sq m of public floor area | – |
| B2 General Industry | All other areas | 1 space per 60 sq m | 1 space per 48 sq m |
| B2 General Industry | Town / district centres | 1 space per 48 sq m | – |
| B8 Storage and Distribution | All other areas | 1 space per 120 sq m | 1 space per 100 sq m |
| B8 Storage and Distribution | Town / district centres | 1 space per 100 sq m | – |
| C1 Hotels | All other areas | 1 space per bedroom | – |
| C1 Hotels | Town / district centres | 1 space per bedroom | – |
| D1 Art galleries, museums, libraries | All other areas | 1 space per 25 sq m | – |
| D1 Art galleries, museums, libraries | Town / district centres | 1 space per 40 sq m | – |
| D1 Creches, day nurseries and day centres | All other areas | 1 space per 1 member of staff + 1 space per 4 day care attendees | – |
| D1 Creches, day nurseries and day centres | Town / district centres | 1 space per 1 member of staff | – |
| D1 Halls and places of worship or religious instruction | All other areas | 1 space per 6 sq m | – |
| D1 Halls and places of worship or religious instruction | Town / district centres | 1 space per 10 sq m | – |
| D1 Higher and further education | All other areas | 1 space per 2 staff + 1 space per 15 students | – |
| D1 Higher and further education | Town / district centres | 1 space per 2 staff | – |
| D1 Schools | All other areas | 3 spaces per class-room | – |
| D1 Schools | Town / district centres | 1 space per class-room | – |
| D2 Assembly and Leisure | All other areas | 1 space per 6 seats | – |
| D2 Assembly and Leisure | Town / district centres | 1 space per 10 seats (may be reduced in negotiation with Council) | – |
| D2 General leisure/sports centres | All other areas | 1 space per 23 sq m | – |
| D2 General leisure/sports centres | Town / district centres | 1 space per 25 sq m (may be reduced in negotiation with Council) | – |
| D2 Stadia / spectator seating / sports pitches | To be determined through a transport assessment | – | |
| Garden centres | All other areas | Enclosed display and sales area 1 space per 15 sq m + Outdoor display areas 1 space per 50 sq m | – |
| Garden centres | Town / district centres | To be determined case-by-case | – |
| Miscellaneous / Sui Generis: Theatres | All other areas | 1 space per 6 seats | – |
| Miscellaneous / Sui Generis: Theatres | Town / district centres | 1 space per 10 seats (may be reduced in negotiation with Council) | – |
| Use | Cycle parking |
|---|---|
| B1 Business / Offices | 1 space per 200 sq m (minimum of 2 spaces) |
| A2 Financial & Professional Services | 1 space per 200 sq m (minimum of 2 spaces) |
| A3 & A5 Restaurants, Cafes, Hot Food Takeaways | 1 space per 50 sq m (minimum of 2 spaces) |
| A4 Drinking Establishments | 1 space per 50 sq m (minimum of 2 spaces) |
| B2 General Industry | 1 space per 450 sq m (minimum of 2 spaces) |
| B8 Storage and Distribution | 1 space per 850 sq m (minimum of 2 spaces) |
| C1 Hotels | 1 space per 10 guest rooms (minimum of 2 spaces) |
| D1 Art galleries, museums, libraries | 1 space per 200 sq m (minimum of 2 spaces) |
| D1 Creches, day nurseries and day centres | 1 space per 4 staff and 1 per 200 sq m for visitors (minimum of 2 spaces) |
| D1 Halls and places of worship or religious instruction | 1 space per 50 sq m (minimum of 2 spaces) |
| D1 Higher and further education | 1 space per 10 staff plus 1 space per 15 students |
| D1 Schools | 1 space per 10 staff plus Primary: 1 space per 30 students Secondary: 1 space per 15 students |
| D2 Assembly and Leisure | 1 space per 20 seats (minimum of 2 spaces) |
| D2 General leisure/sports centres | 1 space per 20 seats (minimum of 2 spaces) |
| D2 Stadia / spectator seating / sports pitches | To be determined through a transport assessment |
| Garden centres | 1 space per 200 sq m |
| Miscellaneous / Sui Generis: Theatres | 1 space per 20 seats (minimum of 2 spaces) |
Source: Sustainable Travel and Development SPDAdopted June 2018Figures checked against the published document on 5 November 2026Selected tables: the source document has the full standards
Policies your assessment should address
The transport policies of the development plan documents in the summary panel. A neighbourhood plan, or a plan for one part of Sefton, may also apply to your site.
Sefton Local Plan
- SD1Presumption in favour of sustainable development
- SD2Principles of sustainable development
- IN1Infrastructure and developer contributions
- IN2Transport
- EQ4Pollution and hazards
- EQ5Air quality
This page summarises adopted policy and links to the source documents. It is not legal advice: always confirm a figure against the adopted document before relying on it.