In March 2022 Government published an Electric Vehicle (EV) Infrastructure Strategy to encourage the uptake of EVs and support net zero targets. The strategy set out the Government’s Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) plan for the roll out of an integrated EV chargepoint network to support the transition to net zero. It stated that a minimum of 300,000 public chargers are needed nationally by 2030 to meet the expected demand. Currently there are only around 50,000 (as of Dec 2023).
The council is following the progress of the EV market closely and actively seeking opportunities to secure EV funding from Government. Proposals must align with the “Electric Vehicle Charging Strategy”.
To help decarbonise transport and contribute to net zero ambitions for the county, the council is keen to support residents in switching to electric vehicles. However, this is a new and challenging area for local authorities, with little consensus nationally on how to provide the necessary charging infrastructure in a coordinated way and manage growing EV demand, particularly for those without access to off-street parking.
Developers must fully engage with the planning process to support existing and future charging needs and will need to consult the local planning authorities regarding electric vehicle charge points (EVCP) provision in new developments.
Off-street provision
The National Planning Policy Framework (paragraph 107) states that parking standard policies for residential and non-residential development should consider the need to ensure an adequate provision of spaces for charging plug-in and other ultra-low emission vehicles.
Off-street EVCPs (within the curtilage of residential properties) should be the primary consideration for provision within new development and any proposals for on-street charging must not be at the expense of the requirements of building regulations.
All developers required to install off-street provision should in the first instance review the information available on the Planning Portal. In all cases EV infrastructure should be installed in accordance with the latest Building Regulations, “Infrastructure for the charging of electric vehicles”.
Trailing cables across pavement or highway to charge vehicles can present a safety hazard and is not currently permitted; appropriate off-street provision of EVCPs reduces the likelihood of this occurring.
Ensuring off-street provision meets the requirements of building regulations is the responsibility of the local planning authority’s building control officer.
Building regulations set out the following requirements:
- Every new home, including those created from a change of use, with associated parking must have an EV chargepoint;
- Residential buildings undergoing a major renovation which will have more than 10 parking spaces must have at least one EV chargepoint per dwelling with associated parking, along with cable routes in all spaces without chargepoints;
- All new non-residential buildings with more than 10 parking spaces must have a minimum of one chargepoint and cable routes for one in five (20%) of the total number of spaces.
All non-residential buildings undergoing a major renovation that will have more than 10 parking spaces must have a minimum of one chargepoint, along with cable routes for one in five spaces.
Guidance
Off-street EVCPs should be located within the curtilage of a private property (for example, garage, driveway or any communal parking areas) and should avoid the need for charging cables to span footways, paths, and vehicle routes.
The council will expect due consideration to be given to the PAS1899:2022 document “Electric vehicles – Accessible charging – Specification”, published by the British Standards Institution. This guidance aims to support the building of an inclusive EV Charging infrastructure in the UK.
The council will welcome proposals that incorporate higher levels of provision than that set out in the building regulations.
On-street provision
Until the Strategy has been completed and adopted, the following information forms the council’s current position in terms of provision for on-street EVCPs:
- The council is keen to engage with developers regarding on-street charging solutions;
- The council will consider developer proposals for on-street charging solutions within the highway on a case-by-case basis;
- Developers proposing provision of on-street public EVCPs should consider who will own, operate, maintain and repair/replace the provision;
- The council would encourage developers to consider opportunities for future proofing EV infrastructure within new development sites, including new technologies and changes in driving habits;
- As a minimum, proposals must meet national regulations and standards and follow relevant LHDG design guidance, including information regarding installation of utilities.
Useful links:
Positioning chargepoints and adapting parking policies for electric vehicles document, published by the Energy Savings Trust, August 2019. Covers off-street EV parking bay layouts, placement on on-street chargepoints and signage and Traffic Regulation Orders for EV bays.
COMOUK: New developments and shared transport: cutting car dependency document, published by COMOUK, February 2022, takes shared vehicle ownership into account and the need for mobility hubs, utilising developer contributions to boost transport sustainability.