In a bid to accelerate the rollout of electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints, the Department for Transport has announced that planning permission is no longer required for their installation in various locations across England from Thursday. The deregulation applies to private residential driveways, workplaces and public streets.
The aim is to alleviate the bureaucratic hurdles that have been hindering the expansion of chargepoints, with reports suggesting that obtaining planning permission from councils for public installations can take up to nine months.
Enhancing public charging infrastructure is deemed crucial in encouraging more drivers, particularly those without off-road parking, to transition to electric vehicles.
According to a report published by the National Audit Office in December, the rollout of public EV chargers is on track to meet the Department for Transport's estimated minimum requirement of 300,000 by 2030. The Government has committed to banning the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans from 2030.
Lilian Greenwood, Minister for the Future of Roads, said: "We're cutting down on paperwork to power up the EV revolution so that drivers, businesses and those looking to make the switch will have more chargepoints to power from and less red tape to deal with.
"We continue to make the switch to EVs easier, cheaper and better by investing over £2.3 billion to support drivers and back British carmakers through international trade deals, creating jobs, boosting investment and securing our future."
Lewis Gardiner, operations director at Osprey Charging Network, hailed the announcement as "a hugely welcome and practical change that will make a real difference on the ground".
He added: "Removing the need for planning permission for essential electrical infrastructure like substations across the majority of sites will save months of delays, reduce costs and accelerate the delivery of the rapid charging hubs drivers need."
Jack Cousens, head of roads policy at the AA, insisted the Government must do "all it can" to boost the number of EV chargers, noting that easing planning regulations "will help accelerate installations".
He continued: "The crucial element is ensuring grid connection in a timely manner. This is especially important in rural locations and areas where there is no dedicated off-street parking."
RAC's senior policy officer Rod Dennis celebrated the announcement, saying that coaxing more drivers to choose an EV for their next car hinges on "removing the obstacles some people face".
However, he cautioned that the "relatively high cost of public charging... still needs to be tackled".
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