03 Oct Hounslow ‘parklets’ plan uses parking spaces for community

Plans to convert parking spaces into community areas with seating, phone-charging points or other social uses have moved a step closer.

Hounslow Council has approved a strategy to allow people to enjoy a wider range of leisure opportunities on the streets, rather than have car-parking monopolising the kerbside.

The plan is for on-street parking bays that meet the right criteria to be re-purposed as “parklets”, providing outdoor seating and spaces to meet, play board games or simply watch the world go by.

A report to the council’s Cabinet says: “Nearly one third of our households don’t have access to a vehicle, yet the kerbside remains dominated by parking. Any opportunity to allow flexibility in the use of kerbside space, other than car storage, will enable us to improve the public realm for our residents.”

Community groups, organisations and local businesses can now bid to create their own community parklets, which can be used for a wide variety of social purposes, including planters, benches, games, notice boards, phone charging facilities or any other items that residents or businesses propose.

Under the scheme, anyone who wants a parklet will have to submit an application, demonstrating how they can fund, fit-out and maintain the parklet. They will also need to provide public liability insurance for the space, prove that they have consulted and have community support for the parklet.

Applications that meet the necessary criteria will be approved initially for a six-month trial period, after which they will be reviewed to see whether they can become permanent fixtures.

Hounslow Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Climate, Environment and Transport Strategy, Councillor Katherine Dunne, said: “We want to make sure that everyone in our borough can take advantage of an outdoor space. We need to reduce congestion on our borough’s roads, improve air quality for everyone and rise to the challenges of climate change.”

“Creating and maintaining a parklet will require hard work and commitment. We can support anyone who wants to make an application with information and guidance. These green community spaces have proved popular in other boroughs across London and across the country.”