EV charge points mandated at English new build residential, workplaces and supermarkets

Legislation that requires the majority of new build residential developments, workplaces and supermarkets in England to have electric vehicle charging points has come into force.

Announced last year, the Government estimates the regulations will result in an extra 145,000 charge points installed across England each year. The legislation also applies to residential buildings undergoing major renovation where there will be more than 10 parking spaces after the renovation is complete.

The new legislation has been welcomed by the National House Building Council (NHBC), which works to raise the construction standards of new homes in the UK.

Richard Smith, head of standards, innovation and research at the organisation, said, “The journey to net zero carbon will have significant implications for housebuilders, planners and architects. Ensuring the right electric vehicle infrastructure, including easy access to charge points is key. Our own NHBC Foundation research has shown that the UK needs more than four million electric vehicle charge points by 2030, from a figure of around only 180,000 just two years ago.”

Daloop, a specialist in sustainable mobility management, said the new legislation was necessary as reliance on roadside, on-demand supply will be neither cost-efficient, nor entirely reliable when EV users become a majority.

CTO André Dias said, “Government efforts to expand the electric charging network must happen at the infrastructural level like this in order to ensure the target of installing 300,000 new EV charging points by 2030 is reached. Adapting infrastructure to bring charge points to the spaces that vehicle users already frequent, such as retail destinations and homes, makes the change to electric vehicles far easier for consumers, both practically and psychologically.”