UK Removes Planning Rules for Cross-Pavement EV Charging

The United Kingdom Department for Transport has removed the requirement for separate planning applications for cross-pavement electric vehicle charging solutions, such as gullies. The policy change aims to reduce the driveway divide by allowing homeowners without off-street parking to access domestic electricity rates, where VAT can be as low as 5%, rather than paying the higher fees and 20% VAT associated with public charging.

Despite the central government's move, James Court of Octopus Electric Vehicles warned that the change may result in a postcode lottery because local councils still retain the authority to permit or block these installations. This concern is supported by data showing that 32% of households lack off-street parking.

A Freedom of Information request filed by Vauxhall Motors revealed that only 42% of councils across England, Scotland, and Wales plan to offer cross-pavement solutions by the end of 2026, suggesting that local implementation may lag behind the national policy shift.