Use current parking demand figures in development projects
On 23 July, CROW delivered a clear message: to prevent parking from causing problems in development projects, municipalities and developers should use the most up-to-date parking demand figures. The publication appeared in the middle of the holiday period, so its message may have received less attention from many stakeholders. We often recognise this issue in our projects and consider the message important, so we are repeating the call now that everyone is back at work.
Why this matters
Many municipalities still use outdated parking standards based on CROW figures from 2018 or even 2012, rather than the latest figures from 2024. In practice, this creates tensions when balancing parking, affordability, climate adaptation and housing quality.
Guidance for policy and development
Municipalities often fall back on standard requirements and avoid tailored solutions. The paper Parking standards and sustainable development provides practical guidance for adjusting parking policy throughout the policy and development process.
Appropriate parking standards are essential. Parking is regularly seen as an obstacle to housing, quality of life and sustainability in development projects. High parking requirements lead to high costs and substantial land take, directly undermining other policy ambitions. Using current figures helps prevent this and makes projects feasible, affordable and ready for the future.
What do we see in practice?
We strongly recognise CROW's observations in our projects. Outdated parking standards often create a surplus of parking spaces: expensive, space-intensive and detrimental to greenery, affordability or public space. Current data and tailored solutions, by contrast, create room to encourage choices such as cycling and shared mobility. Parking can then support sustainable development instead of obstructing it.
Parking as a bottleneck
“Parking is often the first bottleneck that brings a project to a halt,” says a project manager quoted in the paper. Our experience supports this. Excessive parking requirements at an early stage weigh heavily on the business case, delay progress and can lead to objection procedures. Working with current data from the outset helps prevent these problems and retains flexibility.
Four steps according to CROW
The paper outlines four broad steps for municipalities and developers:
- Vision and ambition:
Realistic spatial ambitions and application of the STOMP principles as the basis for tailored solutions and reductions. - Legislation and regulations:
Translation into policy frameworks covering area classifications, parking standards, tailored arrangements, walking distances, financial contributions in lieu of parking and securing agreements. - Area and project development:
From master plans to building proposals, balancing parking demand against wider objectives. Applying this approach helps prevent disputes and objections. - Monitoring and adjustment: After handover to management and operation, give explicit attention to communication, management measures and evaluation.
A broad exploration
The paper Parking standards and sustainable development was developed with input from more than 50 professionals working for municipalities, provinces, housing associations, property developers and consultancies.
Would you like to understand what these findings mean for mobility and parking in your municipality or development? Please contact us for further explanation.
Download the publication
The full paper is available on CROW's website: Parking standards and sustainable development.
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