England removes planning permission for some EV charging installations crossing public pavements
By Eve
New rules introduced across England on Wednesday 21st October mean certain EV charging installations involving public pavements no longer need planning permission, a change that could save homeowners around £300 in planning costs. Permission from the relevant highways authority is still required for works crossing public footpaths, and restrictions remain for listed buildings and conservation areas. The reforms were welcomed by Peter McCallum of Swindon-based contractor The Electrical Compliance Collective Ltd, as reported in local coverage.
Why it matters
Households without driveways are a large untapped group for home charging, and removing the planning step cuts cost and delay for installers serving them. Highways authority consent remains a gating item, so contractors and CPOs should expect permitting workflows to shift towards local authority highways teams.
Source
- Original title
- “New EV charging rules could save Swindon homeowners hundreds of pounds”
- Published
- 5 November 2026
- Updated
- 8 November 2026
In this story
- Topic
- EV Charging
- Place
- United Kingdom
Related news
Instavolt to install ultra rapid chargers at selected Premier Inn hotels across the UK
Instavolt has signed a national framework agreement with Premier Inn's parent company to identify and deliver ultra rapid charging at well located Premier Inn sites, though the number of chargers has not been disclosed. The programme covers new ultra rapid chargers, upgrades to existing facilities, improved grid connections where required and clearer signage, with the sites open to non guests as well as hotel guests. The report puts Premier Inn at over 845 hotels across the UK and Ireland, and Instavolt at around 1,200 sites and some 4,250 chargers.
Why it matters
A framework route between a major hospitality landlord and a single operator shows how large property portfolios may be packaged for charge point operators, with grid upgrades folded into the delivery scope. With no volumes or timelines disclosed, the size of the pipeline remains unclear for suppliers and competing operators.
Zaptec reaches one million installed EV chargers worldwide
Norwegian charging manufacturer Zaptec has reached one million installed EV chargers worldwide, with the majority in Europe. According to LCP Delta, Zaptec holds approximately 10% of Europe's installed EV charging base across residential and non-residential charging, with leading positions in both segments. The company has focused on EV charging since 2016, expanding from shared charging to home charging and energy management, supported by local sales organisations, distribution partners and a European manufacturing network.
Why it matters
A one million installed base, with roughly 10% of the European market per LCP Delta, shows Zaptec has proven scale in homes, apartment buildings, workplaces and commercial properties. For procurement teams and CPOs, that track record and its European manufacturing and partner network are useful evidence when assessing supplier maturity and support capacity.
Load balancing presented as a way to charge more fleet vehicles without costly power upgrades
In a piece by Phil Wiltshire, contracts manager at Pensdown, the electrical contractor, the argument is that how electricity is distributed at a depot matters as much as the number of charging points installed. Vehicles often return at similar times, concentrating demand, and the number of chargers a site can support is frequently limited by its existing electrical infrastructure. The article positions load balancing as a realistic way to manage that demand without driving up electricity costs or investing heavily in extra power capacity.
Why it matters
For CPOs and installers bidding on depot work, load balancing is a lever for fitting more charge points within a constrained grid connection, which can avoid or defer costly upgrades. It also shapes how tenders should specify capacity, since charger count alone no longer defines what a site can deliver.