The government has updated its guidance on cross-pavement electric vehicle charging.
The updated guidance from the Department for Transport (DfT) is aiming to help local authorities manage the safe installation of electric vehicle charging solutions across pavements, following changes to permitted development rights, the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning & Transport (ADEPT) pointed out.
The new guidance reflects changes to permitted development rights introduced on 21 October. These allowed eligible cross-pavement charging solutions to be installed without an individual planning application, subject to certain limitations and conditions.
The guidance covers two main types of solutions: cable channels embedded within the pavement, which temporarily accommodate a charging cable while a vehicle is being charged; and permanent cables installed beneath the pavement, connecting a property’s electricity supply to a charging point at the kerbside.
The DfT is encouraging local authorities to consider the suitability of individual locations, taking account of pavement width, parking availability, existing street infrastructure and the needs of different groups of residents.
Yet it also highlights the importance of establishing clear arrangements for ongoing maintenance, insurance and liability, particularly where ownership of a property changes, ADEPT emphasised.
Although the new permitted development rights remove the need for planning permission in eligible circumstances, local authorities retain responsibility for deciding whether cross-pavement solutions can be installed on the public highway, it added.
They should ensure that proposals meet relevant construction, safety and accessibility standards before granting permission.
The guidance includes examples of approaches adopted by local authorities, including trials and schemes in Milton Keynes, Brent, Oxfordshire and Nottinghamshire, ADEPT added.
Image: DfT
