The government, led by Andy Burnham’s administration, has confirmed plans to eliminate a significant planning obstacle impacting electric vehicle (EV) owners who do not have driveways. This move will facilitate cross-pavement charging, making it easier for residents with on-street parking to charge their EVs.
Officials announced that they “will move forward with implementing the proposed changes to permitted development rights for electric vehicle (EV) charging.” The focus is currently on drafting the necessary legislative amendments while ensuring that regulatory safeguards are maintained and proportionate.
The next milestone is expected in Autumn 2026, when secondary legislation will be laid before Parliament, contingent on Parliamentary time, followed by the commencement of the amended permitted development rights.
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Permitted development rights (PDRs) enable certain building works to be conducted without the need for planning applications, thereby simplifying procedures and reducing costs for property owners and developers. The government has previously adjusted PDRs to promote the rollout of EV chargepoints.
Vicky Edmonds, CEO of EVA England, welcomed the announcement, stating: “This is great news for drivers without a driveway, making it simpler, quicker and fairer for them to charge an EV at home. People who park on the street should not face unnecessary extra hurdles just to access the cheaper and more convenient charging available to people with driveways. Removing the need for a separate planning application takes away one of those barriers.”
In addition, the government has unveiled plans aimed at easing the development of larger and higher-powered public charging stations.
James Court, public policy director at Octopus Electric Vehicles, commented: “Removing planning permission for cross-pavement charging is a sensible step and will cut an unnecessary bit of red tape for drivers without a driveway. But it doesn’t solve the bigger problem. Councils will still decide whether these installations can go ahead, leaving us with a postcode lottery where one council enables cheap home charging.
“With around 40% of households lacking off-street parking, closing the driveway divide means making safe cross-pavement charging available to everyone who needs it. This is a positive step, but there’s more to do.”