GOVERNMENT REMOVES PLANNING REQUIREMENT FOR CROSS-PAVEMENT EV CHARGERS

The Department for Transport says drivers will no longer need planning permission to install cross-pavement electric vehicle chargers from 21 October 2026. The chargers run beneath pavements, connecting homes to cars parked outside. The government says removing the requirement could reduce installation costs by up to £300 for residents without driveways. It says home charging could cost as little as 2p per mile. Buses and Local Transport Minister Simon Lightwood said: “We’re saving drivers up to £300 off the cost of installing home charging by cutting unnecessary red tape.”

According to the department, access to domestic electricity prices through cross-pavement charging could help drivers without off-street parking save up to £1,750 on running costs. The government says UK electric car sales rose 36% year on year in September 2026, when buyers purchased nearly 100,000 electric cars. It attributes part of that increase to its Electric Car Grant. The department says the grant has helped more than 190,000 drivers obtain discounts of up to £3,750 on new electric vehicles.

Changes to permitted development rights also cover larger, higher-powered public charging hubs. The department says those changes will make it quicker and cheaper for charge point operators to install them. Research cited by the department found that 60% of petrol and diesel drivers without off-street parking would never consider an electric vehicle. The government presents the planning changes as part of its effort to reduce living costs.