Street Furniture Planning Guide: Creating Safe and Welcoming Public Spaces

Street furniture — benches, planters, litter bins, cycle stands, lighting columns and barriers — shapes how people experience and use public spaces. Done well, it creates welcoming, functional environments. Done poorly, it creates obstructions, dead spaces and maintenance headaches.

Key Principles of Good Street Furniture Design

1. Consistency

Public realm designers typically specify a coordinated "street family" — all furniture in a shared palette, colour and material. This creates visual coherence and a sense of place. Many councils publish approved street furniture palettes for their areas.

2. Accessibility

All street furniture must comply with PAS 128 (underground utility detection) and avoid creating obstacles for disabled users. Key standards:

• Minimum 1,200mm clear pedestrian corridor past any furniture
• bollards must be detectable by long cane users (tapping height 350–700mm)
• No overhanging elements below 2,100mm that could injure visually impaired users

3. Durability

Street furniture must withstand continuous outdoor use, vandalism and harsh weather. Material choices:

• Galvanised/powder-coated steel: Most common, 15–25 year life
• Cast iron: Heritage aesthetic, extremely durable, heavy
• Hardwood (FSC certified): Natural look, requires oiling/treatment
• Recycled plastic lumber: Low maintenance, splinter-free, very long life
• Stainless steel: Premium, low maintenance, coastal environments

Common Street Furniture Elements

benches

Siting considerations: sun/shade balance, views, proximity to other activity (shops, playgrounds). Standards: arms and backs required for elderly users to rise from seated; not all arms (some without allow people to lie down — design choice).

Planters

Dual function — softening the environment AND providing HVM function (blocking vehicle access to pedestrianised zones). Concrete, steel or stone planters filled with soil and planting are a popular HVM method at town centres.

Litter Bins

Standard capacity: 60–90L. Key consideration: collection frequency (daily collection supports smaller bins; weekly collection requires larger capacity or multiple bins). Anti-litter bin locations: at crossing points, beside seating, at food/drink outlets.

Bollards

Key functions in public realm: pedestrianisation enforcement, footway protection from vehicle overmounting, and heritage/aesthetic boundary markers. Selection should match the design language of the wider scheme.

Planning Approval

Street furniture on the public highway requires approval from the highway authority under:

• Section 115E of the Highways Act 1980 — Placing items on the highway
• Section 50 Licence — If groundworks are required
• Listed Building Consent — In conservation areas or near listed buildings

FAQ

Who pays for street furniture in town centres?

Typically a mix: the local council, Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), S106 planning obligations from nearby developments, and sometimes Heritage Lottery Fund grants for historic environments.

What's the difference between a planter as HVM and a standard planter?

HVM planters are engineered with reinforced concrete or steel internal structure and are weight-specified to stop vehicles at defined speeds. Standard planters look similar but are not vehicle-impact rated — don't assume a planter provides HVM protection without verifying the specification.

How do I stop people sitting on street furniture that's not meant for sitting?

Anti-skateboard and anti-congregation devices (metal studs, rail dividers, armrests at intervals) deter unintended use. However, urban design philosophy increasingly rejects hostile design and considers the long-term impact on community wellbeing.