Garage door installers victory on garage size

Door and Hardware Federation which represents the UK garage door industry has claimed a victory in its three year campaign for larger garages in newly-built homes.

A local authority has admitted that the policy of encouraging smaller garages in homes to reduce car usage has failed.

It has relaxed its restrictive guidelines on garage size and is now talking to other councils which may follow its lead.

Said Julie Chester, chairman of the garage door installers and distributors group of the Door and Hardware Federation (DHF): "This has totally vindicated our campaign of persuading developers and councils that the restrictions have made garages so small that many modern cars cannot fit in them".

The campaign was started by the then Association of Garage Door Specialists, whose members later joined the DHF which also represents all the leading UK garage door manufacturers.

It was ten years ago that the Government encouraged developers of new homes to reduce the size of garages to discourage car use.

However, the policy has led to residents in housing estates parking their cars on the roads, pavements and cycle paths because they did not fit into their garages.

"Right at the start of the campaign we pointed out that these unused small garages in modern homes would only add to parking congestion on the roads," said Ms Chester.

Now a study by Essex County Council has found that 78 per cent of garages were not being used to park cars - largely because many did not fit comfortably inside the space.

"Their policy on garage size has led to residents on housing developments parking on the street, blocking access to emergency services vehicles and refuse lorries, and leaving their cars at greater risk from damage and theft, just as we originally warned".

The new garage size guidelines from Essex County Council will now be treated as a minimum rather than a maximum.

Garages will have to be at least 7 metres by 3 metres as opposed to the existing guidance of 5 metres by 2.5 metres.

Developers will be free to offer as many garage spaces as they believe their customers will want.

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