here - Sandgate Parish Council

Traffic and ParkingThe Sandgate Conservation Area Appraisal makesclear that heavy through traffic is a principal cause ofcharacter and environmental degradation in Sandgate.In the longer term, structural stability and the abilityto keep old buildings in good repair are adverselyaffected. Stakeholders who took part in this Appraisalconsidered that further speed restriction, trafficcalming measures, replacement of standardhighway lighting and other measures with moresensitive installations would promote more localenhancement initiatives.Historically, Sandgate has been on the major coastalroute to the ports and therefore has had to cope withcross channel traffic travelling through the centreof the village. With the opening of the M20 and theChannel Tunnel most of the traffic bound for Doverthat used the A259 trunk road through the parishdisappeared and the road has now been de-trunked.However Sandgate has been left with a legacy of anextremely busy road running through its heart withlittle if any traffic calming measures along its principlethoroughfare together with outdated and inappropriateparking restrictions.Surveys and observations over the last four yearshave clearly shown that residents would like Sandgateto be a place where visitors can park with ease toshop and to eat and not be plagued by speedingtraffic. The implementation of a 20mph zone alongthe High Street (Twenty Is Plenty) is currently beinginvestigated with the full support of Kent Police.A parking survey will be completed in 2013 by theParish Council. This will seek to rationalise parkingand remove restrictions which date to the time whenthe A259 was a trunk road. Inconsiderate parkingacross the parish will also be included in this survey.The Parish Council will work closely with the DistrictCouncil and the local community to present localknowledge and local environment issues to producean up-to-date street by street plan which representsthe needs of the village today and for the future.SDS 11Traffic and ParkingThe Parish Council will seek and supportthe reduction in speed limits along theA259 to protect the built character ofSandgate High Street and the Esplanadeand the safety of those using these partsof the parish. The implementation of acommunity transport scheme in the parishas outlined above is also supported.With regard to car parking, if Sandgateis to thrive as a sustainable communityappropriately located, time-limited freepublic parking should be made availableand maintained. Given the denselydeveloped character of much of theparish, all planning applications shoulddemonstrate adequate off-road parkingprovision. The provision of private offstreetparking through the conversion offront gardens should be resisted in theConservation Areas as such alterationsto the streetscapes are detrimental tothe character and appearance of thesehistoric environments. Any such proposalsin other parts of the parish should beSUDS compatible and composed ofpermeable materials and be sensitive tothe immediate built context of the site.SANDGATE DESIGN STATEMENT 201349