Comment

Central Bedfordshire Design Guide SPD

Representation ID: 16118

Received: 28/02/2023

Respondent: Cllr Silvia Collins

Representation Summary:

Street trees in parking areas shouldn't have highly coloured berries or roots which can damage road surfaces/properties

Swept path analysis for new estates need to take into account existing residents' parking habits

LED street lighting needs to be controllable (temperature and intensity), so as not to impact residents' amenity (e.g. sleep quality) or enjoyment of their homes and neighbourhood.

A05

Full text:

Street Trees:
Defaecation by perching birds will be a problem for cars parked below their canopies. If the trees contain red/blue berries that they forage on, this could exacerbate any damage to vehicles. Types of tree, watering requirements and any characteristics regarding extent or nature of root spread, will also be key (e.g. willow/cherry can be problematic).

Road Widths:
I have commented in Chapter 5 about swept path analysis for new estates which don't always take account of existing residents' street parking. An example is where terraced homes provide parking at the front of the properties but this road width is not marked out and frequently not excluded from swept path measurements at a junction being proposed for a new estate road. Subsequently, larger vehicles trying to to access the new estate (e.g. bin lorries) do not have adequate turning capacity at these junctions, when there are parked cars there. This causes conflict when the new residents ask for DYL outside the terraces but the existing residents have nowhere else to park and have been parking there for decades.

Street Lighting:
Again brought up at Suscoms. LED temperature and intensities need to be controllable (preferably remotely). These lights can be very (too) bright in residential areas and I have had to request that filters be added in a number of instances, as they can affect bedrooms and impair residents' sleep quality.