Charging points for electric cars
By Jane Pringle
Currently planning permission will not be required for the installation of a ‘wall-mounted’, electric vehicle charging point, in areas lawfully used for off street parking, provided certain conditions are met. The Property upon which the charging point is to be installed must not be within a site designated as a scheduled monument or a listed building.
The electric vehicle charging point must not exceed 0.2 cubic metres in size and must not face onto, or be within, two metres of a public highway.
The rules for installing an ‘upstand’ with a mounted electrical charging point are similar in that planning permission is not required, providing the upstand unit does not exceed 1.6 metres in height from the surface level of the area used for parking. The electric vehicle charging point will, however, be subject to Building Regulations and will require an electrical NICEIC certification (or equivalent).
Consideration should also be given to installations where the Property is leasehold. You may need to obtain Landlord consent to the installation of the electric vehicle charging point and the terms of your lease may need to be varied to include provision for rights of access, maintenance and repair. There is also the possibility that the Landlord may require the Property to be reinstated, i.e. the charging point removed at the end of the lease term. Buildings Insurance Premiums may increase because of the installation, which may impact service charges.
The Government has recently announced a new initiative, to reduce carbon emissions and end the sale of traditional petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030. The initiative will make use of planning regulations, so that any new build properties and buildings which have ‘major renovations’ will be forced to provide electric vehicle charging points. The measures will apply to both residential and non-residential properties.
For further information contact Jane Pringle at Sampson Coward on 01722 410664 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Jane Pringle