The UK Government confirmed it’s removing planning permission requirements for EV charge point installations, as announced by Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood.
Starting May 29, homeowners and businesses won’t need to submit planning applications to install public or private EV sockets. The move aims to cut bureaucratic delays and speed up charger deployment across the country.
The Government wants to reach its target of 300,000 charging devices by 2030.
“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,” Greenwood said.
She added that the changes support the Government’s broader push to make EV adoption easier and more affordable. The administration is backing this with over £2.3 billion in investment to support drivers and British carmakers.
Private homeowners with driveways could already install home chargers without permits. But companies previously faced months of paperwork to set up workplace chargers or larger public installations.
The new rules cover sites requiring fresh infrastructure – including power substations. This change should speed up installation of charging hubs with multiple high-powered devices.
Industry leaders welcomed the announcement.
Lewis Gardiner, operations director at Osprey Charging Network, called it “a hugely welcome and practical change that will make a real difference on the ground.”
“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,” he said.
Gardiner noted the change resulted from months of collaboration between industry and government officials. His company played a key role in pushing for the regulatory shift.
The planning permission removal applies to both workplace charging installations and larger public charging sites that previously required extensive administrative approval.
