New measures set to make EV charging easier for motorists without a driveway
Updated guidelines should enable ‘gulley’ chargers to be more easily installed.
New Government measures have been announced which could make it easier for EV owners without a driveway to charge their cars.
Following a consultation period, the changes affect the development rights required when installing electric vehicle charging points.
Under existing rules, drivers who don’t have a driveway would need to obtain several different permissions from local authorities in order to install a cross-pavement charging solution.
These so-called ‘charging gullies’ allow drivers to run a cable from their homes to their vehicles without causing a trip hazard for pedestrians.
Under the new permitted development rights (PDRs), drivers would no longer have to submit a separate planning application, ‘streamlining processes and reducing costs for property owners and developers’ according to the Government. However, each installation would still require approval by the local council.
James Court, public policy director at Octopus Electric Vehicles, said: “Removing planning permission for cross-pavement charging is a sensible step and will cut an unnecessary bit of red tape for drivers without a driveway.
“But it doesn’t solve the bigger problem. Councils will still decide whether these installations can go ahead, leaving us with a postcode lottery where one council enables cheap home charging.
“With around 40% of households without off-street parking, closing the ‘driveway divide’ means making safe cross-pavement charging available to everyone who needs it. This is a positive step, but there’s more to do.”
Another change included in the proposal will see multiple equipment cabinets for EV chargers being allowed to be installed in car parks. Under current rules, just a single equipment cabinet – containing aspects such as transformers, control equipment and batteries – can be installed in a single car park.
However, the new rules would allow multiple equipment cabinets to be installed in a single site, freeing up the possibility of a greater number of high-powered electric chargers.