Help me solve a parking issue

[TraLaLaaaaa]

What would you do if you had this large tarmacked area in front of your house that you want to keep open for parking on yourself but stop others from using it as a car park for near by shops? I do a bit of a swoop onto it (orange arrow on diagram) so that I can drive off it facing forward (busy road, footpath, school & nursery next door so lots of kids at certain times of the day so I don't want to be reversing off it).

Here's what I've thought of so far:
Fence - would need to apply for planning permission. If I got planning permission, I can't actually afford to put up a fence.

Planters - someone would steal them/mess them up? Would I be liable if someone tripped over them? (People also walk across it/stand chatting on it/etc. as if it were the footpath.) And if I placed them to stop others driving on, it would prevent me from driving on too.
Signs on the front of house - my house has little kerb appeal as it is, so I don't really want signs on the front of it. I also think that if people are so unthinking enough to park right up to my front door anyway, then a sign isn't going to prevent them.
Penguin bollards or similar - similar issue with the planters, if they're placed to stop others, then they stop me too. Also, would need quite a few and they're not very attractive for a residential property.

I put notes on occasionally, or talk to people if I see them parking there. I got told to fuck off recently for just mentioning that it was private property and not a car park. I think it's probably not worth it because I imagine it's a steady stream of different people, not the same people every day.

Anyone got any other ideas? I fear it might be an unsolvable issue short of completely fencing it off? I really don't mind the school parents parking there to drop off and pick up, but for some reason I can't make myself quite so zen-like about the people using it in the day time when going to the next door shops. It's not all day every day, but it's becoming more frequent due to a change next door, so I'm just pondering on it today after getting up this morning to find someone's car bumper about 6 inches away from my front door.

Hmm, yes. I think some really big planters are probably your best bet. You do need to make it look more residential than commercial.

I can see why other people park up on it - if you park up on it then it seems fair game, almost?

Would the cafe go halves with you on some big, long planters to go down that boundary? Would make their frontage much nicer too. I think I'd start with that, and blocking off the way people walk across it from the other corner too with planters down the other side to stop them cutting the corner.

Large rocks and planters are the answer to fence off from the cafe , plus a private parking sign. If this doesn't work speak to your council first who may say a permanent fence is fine without planning due to the circumstances

I’d apply for planning permission to move the low stone wall at the front of your garden and extend it around your boundary. Have a block wall built along the boundary of your and the cafes land.

Then you could have a drive, a gate and a front garden. You would also have access to your side garden from the front.

I know it would cost a fortune but it would increase the value of your property I would imagine.

I agree with planters. Make it look like it’s a home and not a business.

I can see why people park there. I'd go for cheap home made no parking signs.
Use fast setting concrete in a cheap buckets and stick in some wooden stakes with no parking signs stuck on them. They would be cheap movable and should be effective.

MayFayner, that was always the plan, but after haemorrhaging money on the house renovations, there was nothing left for the garden! And then I kind of got used to it and so stopped thinking about it for a while.

I see what you're saying NoSquirrels, but I do think it's obvious mine is a house that's lived in and I wouldn't assume for a second that I could park there if I were just visiting the shop. Yes, big planters will probably help. Having the neighbour's car right in front of my window does give the impression of a car park though. I'll be asking him to stop next time I see him.

Right, will look into planters. Will be on the gardening thread next, asking for advice on easy to keep alive plants for planters...

That's a good idea for a quick fix Grabby.

Oh, and wowfudge, I've just spent a pleasant hour looking through all the old paperwork for the house. The deeds say I can't build on the land between the house and western boundary (which is the front of the tarmacked bit). I don't know if that means an actual building, or even just a fence.

That was a good diagram because the picture is exactly how I imagined! I can see how people think they can park there, but it must be infuriating.
I really think in the short term I'd try a couple of plants or trees in heavy pots outside the door, or a raised flowerbed, and a no parking sign. If it's necessary you can then scale up later.

How about a fence that is set into concrete filled planters? Bit like on this picture but a more substantial fence rather than trellis. maybe.

I'm thinking it could go between your entry and exit points so you can still get on or off your space without having to unlock bollards or whatever and hopefully it would deter others as it will look like a private area.

As it's not a permanent fixture and can be moved there would be no planning (I presume). It would hopefully be heavy and solid enough to avoid theft or damage.

Do you remember the post about bins full of cement....
You need something to separate you and the cafe...
Buy some black bins fill with water glue the lids on.....

Could you just call the planning office for a friendly chat and some advice about what you could or couldn’t do - no point paying for an application if it’s not needed or not likely to be granted.

Painting a boundary sounds an excellent first step among with planters in conjunction with next door cafe, and having a stack of notices to stick on windscreens ready to go.

I'm amazed the planning office said they didn't know and you'd just have to put in an application. Maybe ring back on another day and you might get someone better informed?

I'd put some sort of slim 6' trellis fence up between you and the cafe first, a hedge would be too wide and impede the path to your front door.

I'm pretty sure you wouldn't need planning and it couldn't really be described as building.
I imagine that would demarcate the boundary's enough to deter even the cheekiest of CF's.

Stage two would be planters on the curve.

Could look lovely.

We have rocks where cf’s used to park. We live on a private road and they would park up curbing their car. There is gravel on there and it was making a mess. We made our very own mini Stonehenge and painted the rocks white. It has worked. Bearing in mind these people aren’t supposed to be parking on my road that I pay and maintain, they’re lucky we don’t get them towed -bastards-

This has just reminded me of a parking space locally on a road that’s one of those ‘mixed use residential / road / parking spaces’ near a school but without many obviously designated parking spaces but where some areas would belong to people but look very similar to the areas that were for anyone to park on

Somebody with a rugged Land Rover turned their patch into a rugged rockery that was too rugged for the city style land rovers let alone normal cars on the school run but which the land rover sss very happy on. Worked a treat - nobody ever parked on his bit!

Steal some road cones?

Now you've posted the photo, I can see why people would assume that it's just general free-for-all parking - I think you have to fence it off somehow, people will ignore signs/ painted markings.

Not building means just that. Fencing is a different thing.