Mr. William O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what guidance he issues on the car parking provisions which should be provided by planning authorities when considering planning applications for the operation of a taxi business from a residential property; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if he will consider giving further guidelines in planning policy guidance 4 to the hours that any business may be conducted from a terraced house when the neighbouring properties are occupied as domestic living quarters; and if he will make a statement;
(3) if he will give further consideration to improving the guidelines in planning policy guidance 4 concerning the establishing of taxi businesses from terraced houses; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BaldryThe revised planning policy guidance note No. 4 "Industrial and Commercial Development and Small Firms" was published in November 1992. It explains that planning permission will normally be required for any use of a dwelling house for business purposes which changes materially the overall character of the property's use as a dwelling house. Such a change may be indicated where the non-residential use generates visitors, traffic, noise or fumes over and above what might be expected if the property were in use as a single dwelling without any ancillary use.
It is for local planning authorities to decide whether the use of residential properties for business purposes is appropriate and acceptable development given the circumstances of each case, or whether such uses could be made acceptable by the imposition of conditions, such as those limiting working hours. The provision of adequate car-parking facilities can be material in deciding individual applications for planning permission. Guidance on the reasonableness of car-parking requirements is given in appendix D of planning policy guidance note No. 13.