Where I used to live my next door neighbour was given a space outside his house, a painted white bix with DISABLED clearly written in it in big white writing. Ater he died it got burnt off, (I was In Cuba when he died and missed it all including the funeral).
We were all sent letters prior to the space being created, from the Local Authority, explaining how it all worked and asking for any objections. I can't remember the exact wording of the letter.
Anyway, noone m,ust have objected and he got the space. Why don't you ask the council what they out in the letter to your neighbours, and ask them is there a gfollow up letter asking for their cooperation?