South Norfolk Council · District council
Transport Statements and Assessments in South Norfolk
What transport evidence a South Norfolk 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
Norfolk County Council's parking standards apply in South Norfolk. These are county standards, taken from the county's document below and checked against it row by row.
County standards
| Use | Car parking |
|---|---|
| C2 Residential Care Home | 1 space per full time equivalent staff + 1 visitor space per 3 beds |
| C2 Residential Education – Further & Higher | 1 space per full time equivalent staff + 1 space per 5 students |
| C2 Residential Education – Primary & Secondary | 1 space per full time equivalent staff |
| C2A Secure Residential Institution | 1 space per full time equivalent staff; Visitor – individual merit |
| C3 residential – 1 bedroom unit | 1 space per dwelling |
| C3 residential – 2 or 3 bedroom unit | 2 spaces per dwelling |
| C3 residential – 4 or more bedroom unit | 3 spaces per dwelling |
| C3 Retirement Housing (eg warden assisted independent living) | 1 space per dwelling; 0.25 spaces per dwelling (unallocated) for visitors |
| E(f) Day care centres (non-residential) | 1 space per full time equivalent staff + 1 space per 4 persons attending plus drop off/pick up facilities for clients |
| E(g)(i)/(ii)/(iii) – Offices, Research & Light Industry | 1 space per 30sqm |
| B8 Storage and Distribution with retail element | 1 space per 150sqm + 1 space per 20sqm retail area for customer parking |
| E(a) retail – Food retail (1,000sqm and above) | 1 space per 14sqm |
| E(a) retail – Non-food retail (1,000sqm and above) | Covered area = 1 space per 20sqm plus Uncovered areas = 1 space per 30sqm |
| E(a) retail – Shops (less than 1,000sqm) | 1 space per 30sqm (covered & uncovered areas) |
| Shopping Centres & large Department Stores | Considered individually as part of a transport assessment |
| B2 General Industrial | 1 space per 30m2 |
| B8 Storage and Distribution (includes open air storage) | 1 space per 150sqm |
| Bus Stations | None unless justified |
| C1 Hotels – Hotels, Motels, Boarding Houses & Guest Houses | 1 space per bedroom plus 1 space per full time equivalent staff |
| C2 Hospitals | To be considered on a case by case basis |
| C4 Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) | 0.5 space per bedroom rounded up to the nearest whole number |
| Car Boot Sales | Dependent upon individual requirement (in region of 1 space per stall/pitch for sellers plus 3 spaces per stall/pitch for customers) |
| E(b) / Sui Generis – Restaurants, Snack bars & Cafes (excluding Transport cafes) | 1 space per 2 seats plus 1 space per 5sqm of the public floor area (to represent bar use) |
| E(c) Financial and Professional Services – Banks & Building Societies etc | 1 space per 20sqm |
| E(e) Health Centres and Surgeries (eg dentist, chiropodist & doctors etc) | 1 space per full time equivalent staff + 2 per consulting room plus ambulance space |
| E(f) / F1(a) Crèches and Nursery Schools | 1 space per full time equivalent staff + 1 space per classroom plus drop off/pick up facilities for clients |
| F1(a) Further & Higher Education | 1 space per 2 teaching daytime staff + 1 space per 15 students for student parking plus provision for public/school transport |
| F1(a) Primary & Secondary Schools | 1 space per 1 full time teaching staff + 1 space per 1 space per classroom plus provision for public/school transport |
| F1(b)/(c)/(e) Art Galleries, Museums & Exhibition Halls | 1 space per 30sqm plus coach drop-off/pick-up point |
| F1(d) Libraries | 1 space per 30sqm + space for mobile library van as appropriate |
| F1(e) Conference Centres | 1 space per 5 fixed seats plus coach drop-off/pick-up point |
| F1(f) Places of worship | 1 space per 10sqm or 1 space per 5 fixed seats |
| F2(c) Team sports (outdoor sports pitches) | 20 spaces per pitch plus 1 space per 10 spectator seats; 1 coach space per 4 pitches |
| F2(d) Swimming Pools | 1 space per 10sqm of public area plus bus/coach drop-off/pick up |
| Garden Centres | 1 space per 40sqm (retail area covered and uncovered) |
| Golf Clubs | 3 spaces per hole + 1 space per 22sqm of any clubhouse |
| Marina | 1 space per 2 mooring berths |
| Other Sports facilities | Individual merit |
| Stadia | 1 space per 15 spectators |
| Sui Generis – Cinemas | 1 space per 5 fixed seats plus coach drop-off/pick-up point |
| Sui Generis – Fast food drive-through takeaway | The level of provision is heavily dependent on the operator. Individual assessments should be carried out for developments of this type which must include an adequate assessment of queue lengths and provision for staff parking. |
| Sui Generis – Fuel Station | 1 space per 20sqm retail space |
| Sui Generis – Hostel | 1 space per full time staff equivalent |
| Sui Generis – Hot food takeaway (excluding drive-through) | 1 space per 3sqm of the public area |
| Sui Generis – Motor Vehicle Service Centres (including MOTs) | 1 space per full time staff equivalent + 1 space per 35sqm |
| Sui Generis – Motor Vehicle Showrooms | 1 space per 45sqm show area |
| Sui Generis – Nightclubs | 1 space per 50sqm |
| Sui Generis – Public Houses & Wine Bars (excluding Nightclubs) | 1 space per 5sqm public areas |
| Sui Generis – Theatres & Bingo Halls | 1 space per 22sqm plus coach drop-off/pick-up point |
| Transport Cafes | 1 lorry space per 2sqm |
| Use | Long-stay cycle parking | Short-stay cycle parking |
|---|---|---|
| C2 Residential Care Home | 1 space per 5 staff | – |
| C2 Residential Education – Further & Higher | 1 space per 5 staff + 1 space per 3 students | – |
| C2 Residential Education – Primary & Secondary | 1 space per 5 staff + 1 space per 3 students | – |
| C2A Secure Residential Institution | 1 space per 5 staff; Visitor space on individual merit | – |
| C3 residential – 1 bedroom unit | 2 secure covered spaces per dwelling. None if garage or secure area is provided within curtilage of dwelling | – |
| C3 residential – 2 or 3 bedroom unit | 2 secure covered spaces per dwelling. None if garage or secure area is provided within curtilage of dwelling | – |
| C3 residential – 4 or more bedroom unit | 2 secure covered spaces per dwelling. None if garage or secure area is provided within curtilage of dwelling | – |
| C3 Retirement Housing (eg warden assisted independent living) | 2 spaces per 8 units (visitors) | – |
| E(f) Day care centres (non-residential) | 1 space per 4 staff | – |
| E(g)(i)/(ii)/(iii) – Offices, Research & Light Industry | 1 space per 100sqm for staff | 1 space per 200sqm for visitors |
| B8 Storage and Distribution with retail element | 1 space per 500sqm for staff | 1 space per 1000sqm for visitors |
| E(a) retail – Food retail (1,000sqm and above) | 2 spaces per 200m2 | – |
| E(a) retail – Non-food retail (1,000sqm and above) | 2 spaces per 200m2 | – |
| E(a) retail – Shops (less than 1,000sqm) | 2 spaces per 200m2 | – |
| Shopping Centres & large Department Stores | Considered individually as part of a transport assessment | – |
| B2 General Industrial | 1 space per 250sqm for staff | 1 space per 500sqm for visitors |
| B8 Storage and Distribution (includes open air storage) | 1 space per 500sqm for staff | 1 space per 1000sqm for visitors |
| Bus Stations | 5 spaces per bus bay | – |
| C1 Hotels – Hotels, Motels, Boarding Houses & Guest Houses | 1 space per 5 staff | 1 space per 10 bedrooms |
| C2 Hospitals | 1 space per 4 staff; Visitors – to be considered on a case by case basis | – |
| C4 Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) | 1 space per bedroom | – |
| Car Boot Sales | 4 spaces per 500sqm gross display area | – |
| E(b) / Sui Generis – Restaurants, Snack bars & Cafes (excluding Transport cafes) | 1 space per 100sqm for staff | 1 space per 100sqm for customers |
| E(c) Financial and Professional Services – Banks & Building Societies etc | 2 spaces per 300m2 | – |
| E(e) Health Centres and Surgeries (eg dentist, chiropodist & doctors etc) | 1 space per 4 staff | 1 space per consulting room |
| E(f) / F1(a) Crèches and Nursery Schools | 1 space per 5 staff | 1 space per 30 child places |
| F1(a) Further & Higher Education | 1 space per 5 staff | 1 space per 3 pupils |
| F1(a) Primary & Secondary Schools | 1 space per 5 staff | 1 space per 6 pupils (secondary only); 1 space per 10 pupils (for Primary) |
| F1(b)/(c)/(e) Art Galleries, Museums & Exhibition Halls | 1 space per 4 staff plus visitor parking (individual merits) | – |
| F1(d) Libraries | 1 space per 4 staff plus visitor parking (individual merits) | – |
| F1(e) Conference Centres | 10 spaces plus 1 space per 10 vehicle spaces | – |
| F1(f) Places of worship | 1 space per 5 seats | – |
| F2(c) Team sports (outdoor sports pitches) | 10 spaces plus 1 space per 10 vehicle spaces | – |
| F2(d) Swimming Pools | 10 spaces plus 1 space per 10 vehicle spaces | – |
| Garden Centres | 1 space + 1 per 20 car spaces (for 1st 100 car spaces), then 1 space per 30 car spaces (over 100 car spaces) | – |
| Golf Clubs | Individual merit | – |
| Marina | 1 space per 10 moorings | – |
| Other Sports facilities | Individual merit | – |
| Stadia | 10 spaces plus 10% of vehicle parking provision | – |
| Sui Generis – Cinemas | 10 spaces plus 1 space per 10 vehicle spaces | – |
| Sui Generis – Fuel Station | 1 space + 1 space per 5 staff | – |
| Sui Generis – Hostel | Individual merits | – |
| Sui Generis – Hot food takeaway (excluding drive-through) | 1 space per 100sqm for staff | 1 space per 100sqm for customers |
| Sui Generis – Motor Vehicle Service Centres (including MOTs) | 1 space per 5 staff | – |
| Sui Generis – Motor Vehicle Showrooms | 1 space per 5 staff | – |
| Sui Generis – Nightclubs | 1 space per 4 staff | – |
| Sui Generis – Public Houses & Wine Bars (excluding Nightclubs) | 1 space per 100sqm for staff | 1 space per 100sqm for customers |
| Sui Generis – Theatres & Bingo Halls | 10 spaces plus 1 space per 10 vehicle spaces | – |
| Transport Cafes | 1 space per 200m2 | – |
Source: Parking Guidelines for new developments in Norfolk (Revised July 2022)County standards: Norfolk County CouncilAdopted July 2022Figures checked against the published document on 10 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 South Norfolk, may also apply to your site.
Greater Norwich Local Plan
- 4Strategic Infrastructure
South Norfolk Local Plan: Development Management Policies Document
- DM 3.10Promotion of sustainable transport
- DM 3.11Road safety and the free flow of traffic
- DM 3.12Provision of vehicle parking
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.