A COUNTY-WIDE solution to the problem of parking spaces is on the table from this week, with councillors looking for residents' feedback on the plan.

New guidance drawn up by Buckinghamshire County Council aims to take ‘a real world view’ of parking numbers when considering building new housing and business.

With over 300,000 private cars and vans in the county and one of the highest percentages of three-plus car households in the south east, BCC says action is needed fast.

The measures are set to replace the separate, existing guidelines set out by each of the county’s four district councils to create one set of comprehensive guidelines.

And from this week, members are asking residents to comment on the plans, with a consultation open until October 31.

Ruth Vigor-Hedderly, Cabinet Member for Transport, said the guidance for developers was the result of a lot of hard work gathering evidence and statistics in partnership with the county's four district councils.

She said: "This is based on real world evidence that has been thoroughly researched,' said Ruth. 'I want residents to have confidence that new housing estates won't have parked cars spilling over into their streets."

The proposals cover cars, bikes, motorcycles and blue badge holders, and seek for the first time to create a county-wide standard for new developments.

Current district council guidance was written under old, more restrictive national planning policies, and in some cases leads to insufficient numbers of parking spaces being provided.

BCC says its new guidance aims to aim to provide parking that will:

• More closely match local needs, accounting for variations between urban and rural communities.

• Be realistic about demands for parking.

• Account for Buckinghamshire's higher than average three-car ownership.

• Recognise that every development is unique and 'one size doesn't fit all'.

• Encourage 'sustainable' travel by including provision for bikes and motorcycles.

Bucks has almost 19,000 three-vehicle households, 9.4 per cent of a total of more than 200,000 homes (2011 census).

This is against a South East average of 6.7%. And two-car households account for 36.2% of the total number of homes.

Council officers say they have also taken into account the different make-up of towns and villages throughout Bucks, and has divided the county into zones.

Ryan Bunce, Service Lead Officer for Policy, Strategy and Development, said: “It's flexibile enough to provide a different amount of parking where developers can provide good evidence that this would be the right thing to do.

“We hope this will all help to make sure new developments provide the right parking, but we want to hear what our residents think.”

The consultation can be completed online: http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/about-your-council/have-your-say/ and copies will be available at libraries.