The government has confirmed plans to remove a planning barrier to cross-pavement charging for electric vehicle (EV) drivers without a driveway. The Labour government says it “will move forward with implementing the proposed changes to permitted development rights for electric vehicle (EV) charging.”
What the changes mean
Permitted development rights (PDRs) allow certain building works to be carried out without the need to submit a planning application, streamlining processes and reducing costs for property owners and developers. The government has already made changes to PDRs to support the deployment of EV chargepoints.
The government said: “Work is focusing on preparing the necessary legislative amendments and ensuring that regulatory safeguards remain clear and proportionate.”
Next steps for Autumn 2026
The government added: “Next step for Autumn 2026: laying of the secondary legislation before Parliament, subject to Parliamentary time and subsequent commencement of the amended permitted development rights.”
Vicky Edmonds, CEO of EVA England, said: “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.”
Postcode lottery concern
The government has also announced changes intended to make it easier to build larger and higher-powered public charging sites.
James Court, public policy director at Octopus Electric Vehicles, said: “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 without 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.”
